The “double bind” is a term coined by John Huntington which basically states that female characters in SF are limited to two roles. They are either seen as weak, inferior, and condescended too or seen as strong, yet corrupted and must be disposed of. This is the shown in the text “Shambleau” by C.L. Moore where the character Shambleau is part of a race of medusa-like vampires whose mind control powers causing them to be seen as a threat that must be taken care of as they “never let those things live” (113). On the other hand, the character Marilyn from “The Cold Equations” is the exact opposite. Marilyn is a young, naïve, and innocent earth girl. However these qualities do not help her in the slightest, and she suffers
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For example, Shambleau is ostracized by the Martians because of her species powers are being seen as a threat. But throughout the text she never uses them to harm anyone and is always the one being harmed and hunted down. However her powers are described as being able to put Smith into a “blind abyss of submission” (126). And while these powers give her strength they do not necessarily make her corrupt. She is simply punished for having these strengths and thus being discriminated against simply for existing. When analyzing the text there is no instance where Shambleau harms another individual. Even after Yarol “rescues” his friend he is merely a little woozy and eager to find another Shambleau which is shown when he asks if there is “No Way of finding – another [Shambleau]” (135). This shows that while Shambleau was perceived as a threat, she did not harm anyone and was simply misunderstood. However this also makes Shambleau simultaneously innocent and powerful which contradicts the double bind trope. Shambleau’s dynamic with N.W. Smith also creates this dynamic of a strong woman who is not corrupt. Within the text, Smith views Shambleau with curiosity instead of repulsion like the colonists and does not see her as corrupt. This is shown when he describes her as “soft” and “kitten-like” (115). Even after she as drained him of his energy, and done what every other character states is repulsive and vile Smith does not see Shambleau as corrupt and is eager to find another! Thus, the way Smith views Shambleau establishes her as a strong and uncorrupt character who contradicts the double
For example, Shambleau is ostracized by the Martians because of her species powers are being seen as a threat. But throughout the text she never uses them to harm anyone and is always the one being harmed and hunted down. However her powers are described as being able to put Smith into a “blind abyss of submission” (126). And while these powers give her strength they do not necessarily make her corrupt. She is simply punished for having these strengths and thus being discriminated against simply for existing. When analyzing the text there is no instance where Shambleau harms another individual. Even after Yarol “rescues” his friend he is merely a little woozy and eager to find another Shambleau which is shown when he asks if there is “No Way of finding – another [Shambleau]” (135). This shows that while Shambleau was perceived as a threat, she did not harm anyone and was simply misunderstood. However this also makes Shambleau simultaneously innocent and powerful which contradicts the double bind trope. Shambleau’s dynamic with N.W. Smith also creates this dynamic of a strong woman who is not corrupt. Within the text, Smith views Shambleau with curiosity instead of repulsion like the colonists and does not see her as corrupt. This is shown when he describes her as “soft” and “kitten-like” (115). Even after she as drained him of his energy, and done what every other character states is repulsive and vile Smith does not see Shambleau as corrupt and is eager to find another! Thus, the way Smith views Shambleau establishes her as a strong and uncorrupt character who contradicts the double