Feminist metaphors: Women and lesbians in Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Abstract

The Portrait of a Lady on Fire is directed by Celine Sciamma and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2019. The story in this film happens in France in the 18th century when homosexuality was not admitted, and the female social situation is like a commercial good to accomplish their duty for family and wealth. Hence, Celine Sciamma uses some implicit metaphors to release the disadvantaged social status of ladies and to show the ladies' effort to pursue their identity. The metaphors depict the change in the protagonists' inner thoughts. Like the portrait, in the beginning and end of the film, the meaning is different. This paper is based on the scene and plot in The Portrait of a Lady on Fire to analyze how the key metaphors convey the message of feminism and the love between lesbians. By telling the love of lesbians, Celine Sciamma shows that lesbians search for recognition of their homosexual identity and want a homosexual discourse. Feminism is comparatively directly depicted by the camera movement, which gives the power for ladies to gaze at others.