The Psiren

Alternate Titles: Temptress, Ice Witch, Sorceress Queen

This is one of the archetypes that appears most frequently in high-school courses about archetypal theory, usually under the name of Temptress. However this can lead to some confusion, because it's a term that is used rather broadly to refer to any woman whose sexuality brings about the downfall of the hero -- and, depending on the hero, that could be almost any type of woman. We use "Psiren" to refer to a very specific kind of villainess who does, in many cases, use her sexuality and her beauty to destroy men, but who is also capable of acting in stories where there are no male characters of consequence. It is also worth noting that the Psiren is very conscious of what she is doing. She is not a Helen of Troy whose beauty brings about war, strife and heartbreak without her intending any ill.
Just as the Princess is associated with the flowers and greenery of spring and summer, the Psiren is often associated with winter -- as in the case of the numerous ice witches and snow queens that people world mythology. Her beauty is cold and sterile, and whereas the Princess lends beauty to everything that she touches, the Psiren wishes to jealously horde all beauty for herself. She uses her charms to lure people to their doom -- whether it is by spreading a net of her hair on the bottom of the sea, or by offering the innocent princess a poisoned apple. Men are wrecked on the rocks of her beauty, and women crushed for the sake of her desire to be the mistress of every heart.
If she leaves the realm of the Romance story, she often slides towards a Userperous personality: she becomes ambitious, avaricious, and power hungry. In the role of Lover, she urges (and sometimes forces) the Usurper into greater evils than he would have contemplated himself. When she stands alone, she desires the whole world to fall in worshipful adoration at her feet.

Archetypal Events: Seduce, Entrap, Freeze the Heart, Dominate

Common Psiren Plots:

Come Into My Parlour: The Psiren lures men into her clutches in order to destroy them. She is liable to turn them into jewels on her necklace, or statues in her drive, or ghosts trapped in her crystal mirror so that she can croon lovingly over the thought of her past conquests.

Who's the Fairest of them All: The Psiren discovers that another woman (usually a Princess) is more beautiful than her. She goes insane with jealousy and tries to do away with her rival.

The Usurper Queen: The Psiren is determined to hold and keep power over a realm, usually over and against the King, though in some versions there really is not a rightful King standing by the take power from her. She uses her sexual charms in order to manipulate various men around her into allowing her to maintain her control and expand her territory (in children's lit, this is cleverly disguised as turkish delight)

Outside, Over There: Whereas the Princess lives in the inner chamber of the palace, close to the heart of the Kingdom, the Psiren lives out in the dangerous wilderness beyond the rule of law. This can be the snowy peak at the top of a mountain, or an ice palace beyond the edges of the world, or it could be Egypt to ancient Rome.
The Spell Breaks: The Psiren has a supply of charm, which may be symbolized by a spell or magic potion. Sooner or later, the hero, or one of the heroes, sees past her superficial beauty and beholds her for what she is. A broken mirror is often a concrete manifestation of this.
The Spider's Web: Psirens are often associated with spiders, particularly black widows, and her weapon is a web or snare into which she draws her victims. Sometimes this is symbolized by clothing that looks like a spider's web: a black crocheted shawl, fishnet stockings, a hair net, etc. When the web is made of hair (a Princess symbol) it is particularly powerful.
The Psiren's Necklace: Often possessed of a mesmeric power, the Psiren's necklace draws all eyes towards her charms. It may be a magic necklace, or a strand of pearls, or an elaborate display of diamonds, but it is essentially a snare which she wears around her neck.
Minor Symbols: Looking Glass

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