Most Famous Thieves in History: 1. Seregil and Alec are a compelling duo whose character growth is showcased as much as their night-running rooftop adventures. Theres the comic triple, the three strikes. Were just saying. Despite her faults, she appeals to Pip, who can't resist her conflicted nature. In some cases, these female thieves are motivated by revenge, family history, or magic. As you can imagine, fantasy featuring a female thief is usually an action-packed and exciting genre. Of course, they face many problems and obstacles along the way. We think. Hello, flintlock! Doyle's one of my personal favorite characters killed off too soon. Fictional gentleman thieves (1 C, 40 P) P. Fictional pirates (5 C, 72 P) Pages in category "Fictional professional thieves" The following 82 pages are in this category, out of 82 total. Sure, they do terrible things, but they're so interesting and complex you want to know what they're going to do next! After she robs Kell, the two team up to escape a deadly enemy. ITS A FREQUENTLY repeated truism of screenwriting books that much of Western narrative is governed by the rule of three. Vote up the most unforgettable women and girls in books, plays, poetry, etc. Sofia (The Color Purple by Alice Walker): Unlike Celie, Sofia won't let any man beat her. They are trapped, or believe themselves to be, in the provincial drawing rooms of their lives, but in the vast forests of their thoughts they are free to roam, forgetting themselves, as we do, in conversation, our lapses revealing our wishful thinking. Because of the nature of the genre, the main character is often placed in a grey area in terms of morality. She's beautiful and manipulative and cunning, possessing all the traits necessary for a bewitching villain. While telegraphing their contemporary resonance in different degrees of obliqueness in Jatahys version, Irina wants to go to Moscow to meet Pussy Riot both rely on the kind of suspension that works best in theater, the kind that keeps the audience simultaneously present in both the sisters time and our own. No single perspective holds the entire truth; everyone, in the end, is deserving of empathy. Ali Baba, Arabic Al Bb, fictional character, the hero of "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," one of the best-known stories in The Thousand and One Nights. Part of HuffPost News. Most of her crimes involve spectacular and often impossible cases of theft. Meowth. Later, as the concessions of adolescence set in, were told to be ourselves precisely at the moment were doubting what little we might know about those selves. The book is riddled with all the outsize caricatures and fight scenes youd expect, anddeeper and more thoughtful politics that you might not have. Early drafts show that her role was meant to be much smaller and more one-dimensional, but somewhere along the line, Chaucer became enamored of his female creation, and eventually her prologue ended up twice as long as her tale. Any recommendations for books or other (fantasy) media with such characters? That one of the shows stars, Rose McGowan, would later be demonized becoming, in essence, a modern-day witch after she spoke out against Harvey Weinstein struck me as having a certain gruesome symmetry to it. So why, one wonders, do such female triptychs persist? Here are sixrollicking examples of the form. I have a degree in English Literature and my favorite genre is historical fiction. Here, the oil portrait Me, Em and Nat (2020) that the London-based artist Chantal Joffe painted of her and her sisters as children in the 1970s. Ant-Man, a renowned superhero of comics published by 'Marvel'. She's manipulative and selfish, yet, at the end, I was still sorry to see her friendship with Catherine crumble. In Volver, Penlope Cruzs Raimunda is the moral center; shes the kind of woman who protects her teenage daughter, stashes her lecherous unemployed husbands corpse in the freezer of the restaurant next door, and then runs the restaurant, all while contending with her mothers flatulent ghost. But when one of them accidentally stuck asword into someone deeply inconvenient for the ruling class, the twins find themselves on the runand areforced to become highwaymen, scrabbling to survive far from the capital and under assumed names. They worked alongside a famous men's gang, the Elephant and Castle Gang. They were eventually caught and killed by the police in Louisiana when a friend revealed their whereabouts. She was arrested and sent to the guillotine four days later. Another eternal favorite of mine, this one focuses on a pair ofpart con-men, part thieves, and part spies. At the dawn of the Middle Ages in Europe, when monasteries ruled over kings and men marched to war to pillage and rape, the life of any young peasant woman was worth less than a well-fed pig. Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games trilogy. Aladdin is a street rat with a penchant forpickpocketing until an encounter with a genie who helps him win the princesss heart and changes his life forever. She attempts to stow away on a ship and comes face to face with many challenges and dark secrets. The Forty Elephants carried out the largest British shoplifting operation between the 1870s and the 1950s. Preferably the first book in a series or a standalone. 48. . For all the hullabaloo about the dearth of strong female characters in modern culture, thankfully there are some wonderfully powerful, kick-ass maidens that have inspired us with their strength, self-discovery, and incredible brilliance over the years. Cleopatra (Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare): It's safe to say that it was not typical for a woman to lead an entire empire on her own. This team is attempting to break into a palace and into the vault that holds her familys treasure. Written from her own Memorandums. (Few playwrights have better captured the paradox of lived time, how tediously slow it seems to move, all the while catching us suddenly unawares on a name-day celebration, as in the play, or on a birthday.) November 20, 2018. Finally, after a stint in jail, she opened a shop in London that she used as a cover for selling stolen items. Be careful what you wish for, Harvey, because soon youll find yourself face-to-face with a mysterious man named Rictus and the Holiday House, a place that seems to be full of miracles, but may be hiding more sinister secrets within its walls. The book ends, the lights come up, and we return to ourselves enlarged. I hope this article has helped clarify what this genre is all about and given you some ideas of books to read in this subgenre. Here are a few of the most dynamic women who have graced the pages of literature, leaving a trail of beautiful destruction. It all gets very complicated in the most delightful way. A Texas outlaw in the 19th century, Belle Starr (born Myra Belle Shirley) lived a bandit's life, associating with unsavory folk such as Jesse James. In particular, fantasy featuring a female thief often focuses heavily on magic. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Conspirators? After all, words are the most powerful weapons of all. It is an astoundingly quick read (place it in front of a kidand watch the pages fly), and a great example of the enduring power of the Trickster, in all his forms. Yet many women have fought against those expectations, as can be seen within the annals of classic literature. Often, its due to the intimacy with which readers have come to know a character. So you know, shes probably not a thief you want to mess with. The daughters, Scheherazade and Dunyazade, plot to have one of them (Scheherazade) marry the king, but also to somehow survive her wedding night. Michael Cunninghams 1998 novel, The Hours, contrasted the lives of three characters in different eras: a midcentury housewife in a suburb of Los Angeles, a successful book editor in 1990s Manhattan and the writer Virginia Woolf in 1923, in the midst of working on her masterpiece Mrs. She manipulates everyone around her, but she does it with such pizzazz. Through retellings, additions, and variations, a body of familiar characters associated with, Historians Keep Trying To Prove Robin Hood Was A Real Outlaw. Who hasnt felt trapped in ones own life, marooned in a small town, metaphoric or otherwise, with no rail link to the capital? It's cover reveal day for The Glass Scientists: Volume One by S.H. They evaded the FBI and the police until 1934 and in the process set free five prisoners from Eastham State Prison in Texas, killed three police officers, and kidnapped a police chief. But with the police (and occasionally Batman) lurking behind every corner, these thieves will have to put in some work to get away with the goods. But then she reveals her true colors. His signature plot elements are here, as our most of his preferredcharacters (never mind that their names differ from book to book). Don't look away from your wristwatch for too long- you never know who may have their eye on it. Which Harry Potter book is JK Rowling's favorite? The poem is about a woman who ensnares men because she's been made to destroy, similar to the Other Mother, who's charming at first but soon turns deadly. 5. Still, while he was on Angel, Doyle was a rare but also lovable geeky rogue! Historically, many sisterly trios have been used to represent feminine power as a kind of dark, sinister antimatter in a male tragedy. Though you may know Mulan best from the Disney film, she was originally imagined in the 6th century Chinese poem The Ballad of Mulan and has since been reinterpreted in various literary and non-literary forms. To this noncomprehensive list we can also add the female trios that are a hallmark of American contemporary literature, including Jane Smileys 1991 Lear update, A Thousand Acres, and Toni Morrisons 1987 Beloved, which features a trinity of indelible women: mother, daughter and titular ghost. The Palace Job follows Loch, a woman who forms a team including a unicorn, a priestess, and an illusionist, among others. Center, Shipping & Hungarian royalty in the 1500s, Bthory was the most prolific female serial killer in history, having reportedly killed hundreds in sadistic murders, yet never stood trial due to her family's influence. The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch Anna Karenina (Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy): Russian women in the 1800s weren't supposed to have affairs (although it was acceptable for men), and they certainly weren't supposed to leave their respectable husbands for their lovers! Learn how your comment data is processed. See how it all shakes down in Jessica Khourys The Forbidden Wish. All of us have three characters within us: the one we display publicly, the one we actually are and the one we think we are, to paraphrase the 19th-century French critic Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr. Home Alones wannabe notorious thieves mayhave their strengths when it comes to robbing houses, but escaping the tricks and traps of an eight-year-old boy certainly isnt one of them. (The brunette is always the fledgling writer in these novels featuring white women: Laura Ingalls, Betsy, Jo though in Greta Gerwigs new film adaptation of Alcotts classic, shes played by a redheaded Saoirse Ronan.) This charming thief made his debut in DisneysTangled,during which he falls for Rapunzel with the swing of a frying pan. Luckily, both elements are equally involving. Chioma Ebinama's Untitled (2020), watercolor and sumi ink on paper. It's thieves' lit that reminds you, hey, thieves need a coming-of-age novel, too. 62. Although she first ruled with her father and then brother, Cleopatra ascended to sole ruler. You dont. Love writing? It is a series best known for its quick pace, zany, zig-zagging plots, and an endless supply of self-deprecating wit. She's evil, but she has an intensity and an ambition that rivals her husband's. Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by. flag. And yet Charmed seems downright feminist compared to John Updikes satirical 1984 take on gender politics, The Witches of Eastwick. The equally muddled 1987 film version stars Jack Nicholson in Weinsteinian bathrobes seducing a trio of women played by Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon and Cher, who move in together and have his babies. Intelligence often translates into strength, but only when wielded by a steady hand and Hermione just happens to have both, and compassion to boot. Yuri Zhivago. All Rights Reserved, Lets be real here: there are a lot of shady, Aladdin is a street rat with a penchant for, Home Alones wannabe notorious thieves may, How do you get more evil than a woman who, Before he came to be our favorite kinetic, This charming thief made his debut in Disneys, This badass lady is one of the only people, Selina Kyle, AKA Catwoman, is a burglar whos, And now meet TINA from Natalie C. Andersons, After her mothers murder, Tina spends four years on the streets of Sangui City working as a master thief, Cover Reveal: THIEVES GAMBIT by Kayvion Lewis, Cover Reveal: THIN AIR by Kellie M. Parker, Cover Reveal: THE GLASS SCIENTISTS: VOLUME ONE by S.H. Countess Elizabeth Bthory de Ecsed aka The Blood Countess (Tragica Historia by Lszl Turczi): Although the legend of The Blood Countess has now reached mythical proportions, she is first mentioned in this Jesuit scholar's work. Penguin Random House LLC. Shes the embodiment of deep contradictions: bad and beautiful, holy and sinful, conventional and radical [she] can be seen as Hawthornes literary contemplation of what happens when women break cultural bounds and gain personal power.. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. She goes to war in place of her father, wins all over the place, and then comes home and returns to her normal life. 1. Itadds another layer of intrigue with a setting in a nation facing turbulent times, one that has recently suffereda less-than-peaceful regime change, putting a questionable theocracy in charge and leaving behind a sizable population of bitter, stewing ex-nobles. Hello! The three-act structure can be traced to that ur-text of dramatic theory, Aristotles Poetics, written in the mid-fourth century B.C., though surely its hard-wired in our humanity. Then she expanded her territory and became a highway robber dressed in mens clothing. But its always for a good cause! He meets Delilah Bard who is the main female thief of this series. She also refuses to marry her cousin because of the way he treats her, again asserting her independence. A flight none of them might survive. Discover your next favorite show with the ultimate Streaming TV guide and watchlist. Characterized by many as a feminist avenging angel, Lisbeths brutality is nothing to aspire to but she sure gets the job done. It's this intensity that makes her character so compelling. Janie Crawford, Their Eyes Were Watching God. and featuringdisreputable, charming, and roguish characterspirates, mercenaries, soldiers of fortune, and, of course, thieves. Any excuse to bring up this book is a good one, andthis is the best oneIm likely to think up any time soon. Here are a few of the most dynamic women who have graced the pages of literature, leaving a. Design by Alley Digital. Gangsters? The Fae in Fantasy: What Are They? But with the police (and occasionally Batman) lurking behind every corner, these thieves will have to put in some work to get away with the goods. OF ALL OF literatures female trios, it is Chekhovs eponymous three sisters who seem to have inspired the most theatrical productions and adaptations, and for good reason. Only recently, while watching Gerwigs film with two accomplished female friends another threesome, entering the theater conspiratorially with canned wine, feeling like we were confronting the ghosts of past selves did I truly understand how little these books I read back then had to do with choosing ones future or realizing ones aspirations out in the world. Throughout history women have had their share in all of it. Dressed in a froth of sugary pink Molly Goddard tulle (or The Vampire's Wife florals, or blood-red Lanvin, or vintage Alexander McQueen), Villanelle, the Russian psychopath who steals every scene in Phoebe Waller-Bridge's continent-hopping thriller, is as stylish as she is deadly. Though she suffers greatly, she always relies on herself to get back on her feet no wilting damsel in distress here. Hans Matheson (R) portrayed Zhivago in the 2002 mini-series by Giacomo Campiotti. Wake up to the day's most important news. From the evil to the undeniably perfect, the always strong to those who those who never give up, these are the greatest female characters from literature of all genres. Whores and quarrelsome women are alluded to in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and ancient writers have left us unforgettable characters of murderesses and scolds such as the infanticide Medea, and the scold Xanthippe, Socrates'wife, but no such feminine embodiment of theft has reached us. Here are 10 famous female thieves you might have heard of. Montgomery wrote in her journal that the idea for Anne's story came from relatives. I have a weak spot for many of them (hello, gaslight! How do you get more evil than a woman whowants to make a coat out of adorable puppies that she steals from a former schoolmate? She prefers trousers to skirts. Dimaline's novel, "The Marrow Thieves," which unfolds in a dystopian future where Indigenous people are hunted for their bone marrow, won the Kirkus prize for young adult literature and is. Along with his partner Sundance Kid, the couple was famous for famous historic robberies. She began her life of crime as a common pickpocket. Sure, Katniss annoys us to no end with all her boy-related waffling and wailing, but any girl who can shoot like that deserves a place on this list. As a criminal mastermind and the elusive nemesis of the ACME Detective Agency, Sandiego is the principal villain of the series and head of ACME's rival organization V.I.L.E. He may have stolenfrom the rich, but he gave to the poor. A Texas outlaw in the 19th century, Belle Starr (born Myra Belle Shirley) lived a bandits life, associating with unsavory folk such as Jesse James. Including the following: Simon Templar, the Saint (an adventurer and righter-of-wrongs with thieving skills); Tom Ripley (con man); Professor Moriarty (first in a long list of criminal masterminds who rarely do their own dirty work); Fantmas (certainly a thief, but also of the mastermind ilk. Yet whether their intent was angelic or devilish, it is important to note that these women made their mark by defying expectations. There are so many great characters and creatures in this series that it is easy to get lost in this fantastic world. Theres a reason femme fatales are so dangerous its difficult to ignore that kind of character. Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. This is a different and darker sort of thieves story. Don't subscribe In literature and pop culture, women often come in threes, deriving power from solidarity even as they work to forge their own paths. There's a reason femme fatales are so dangerous it's difficult to ignore that kind of character. Today, as we watch her efforts to uphold the version of ideal womanhood she strives to represent fall flat, part of the cringe comes from imagining her 21st-century counterpart: her adaptogenic smoothies, blowout appointments and flawlessly curated Instagram account; her midi skirt caught in an Uber door. But you have to admit that the girl's got gumption. At first, she's everything you want in a BFF. Spy, seductress, and diamond thief Milady does it all. You can get paid to write for us! A woman who's mouthy, charismatic, flirty (for lack of a better word - "womanizing" or whatever) and not good at following laws. Swords and Scoundrels, by Julia Knight (One remembers, as in Austen or Alcott, that a choice of husband wasnt simply about romance but about the entire social and economic context of ones future.) They were, rather, more about the opposite of having options, about eking out the best life possible as the fanciful imaginings of childhood end and the compromises of life as an actual adult female set in. Whether you love them or love to hate them, all the famous fictional heroines are here in this list of the best female characters in literary history. Now that's power. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. She's no match for Aslan in the end, but she's a terrifying and dynamic foe nonetheless. She is rumored to have vampiric tendencies, bathing in the blood of her victims to keep her skin young. In the end, Albee and Almodvar have created maternal archetypes (one tormented and weak, the other earthy and capable) that are inextricable from their authors own sense of alienation. Some thieves you love to hate, while other thieves you just plain love. Her dead Body wears the smile of accomplishment, The illusion of a Greek necessity Flows in the scrolls of her toga, Her bare Sarah J. Maas (Goodreads Author) 4.19 avg rating 980,573 ratings. In my marked-up Keds, Id let myself into an empty suburban house after school with my own key, settling down to a package of peanut-butter crackers and a book that seemed to offer three choices of who to be books so immersive I forgot about watching Mary, Laura and Carrie on television reruns, or those other sisters who immediately followed on channel 13, Marcia, Jan and Cindy. Here is a list of seven notorious female criminals of the 17th through early 20th century who wreaked havoc on land and sea. Which thief is your favorite? This feisty French maiden was put on trial for "insubordination and heterodoxy" and was burned at the stake for heresy, only later to be named innocent and a martyr posthumously. How banal these depictions of girl power innocuous, young, charming and preferably wearing a camisole; how hard-fought, and how unrewarded, the reality of women exercising their rights and bodily autonomy. We keep tuning into their adventures with each new installment to see if they get away with it. In fact, when Celie tells Sofia's husband, Harpo, that the only way to make Sofia listen is to beat her, Sofia ends up fighting back and hurting Harpo badly. Kate (Ma) Barker led the Barker gang of her sons and rose to infamy as the FBIs Public Enemy Number One. The female thief in this series is strong, smart, and powerful. Less common is the straight man who filters his unease through the lives of women, but in one of the great American films of the 1970s, Altmans prismatic 3 Women, Shelley Duvall is Millie Lammoreaux, a young woman whose carefully crafted persona masks a deep and painful insecurity. I live in the US with my husband, daughter, and dog. We might think we know this basic story, but there is much more to this tale. The Thief of Always, by Clive Barker The Forty Elephants Gang, or the Forty Thieves, was a British gang of ladies that formed in the 18th century. Required fields are marked *. In all of these books, the characters tended to be drawn with clearly designated personality traits: Little Womens Jo was boyish and literary, for example, while her sister Amy was spoilt, with yellow hair. This novel follows Kell, a young magician who can travel between four parallel universes. Abraham Lincoln. When her husband died, Surratt moved to Washington, D.C., and opened a boardinghouse. Her favorite pastimes are brawling and sex. Anne Bonny was an Irish pirate who trolled the Caribbean Sea with pirate John (Calico Jack) Rackham in the 18th century. Your email address will not be published. Molly Weasley (ne Prewett) is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. She and her husband were convicted of horse stealing in 1883 and served time in a federal penitentiary. Born in Gunma prefecture in 1952, a promising young student, Mukai . Moll Flanders (The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe): The actual title of this book is quite lengthy: The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, &c. Who was Born in Newgate, and during a Life of continu'd Variety for Threescore Years, besides her Childhood, was Twelve Year a Whore, five times a Wife (whereof once to her own Brother), Twelve Year a Thief, Eight Year a Transported Felon in Virginia, at last grew Rich, liv'd Honest, and died a Penitent. Becky Sharp would do anything to climb the social ladder, and her cunning and manipulative plots make her an ideal anti-heroine. 2022 All rights Reserved. So many people relate to fiery, independent Jo March that her marriage at the end of Little Women feels like a betrayal - something the 2019 film adaptation addresses head-on. This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. AS A GIRL of 6 or 8 or 10, I spent the long Midwestern summers and longer winters reading the sort of books one typically gave to American girls in the mid-1980s, many of which featured trios of female characters: the frontier Ingalls sisters of Little House on the Prairie (1935); Nancy Drew and her two sidekicks; the triumvirate of friends in turn-of-the-20th-century Minnesota in Maud Hart Lovelaces Betsy-Tacy books of the 1940s and 50s. Its 2023, the Harry Potter fandom is still growing strong, and it doesnt seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Program, Publisher She is the youngest of the four Pevensie children, and the first to find the Wardrobe entrance to Narnia in, Anne Shirley is a fictional character introduced in the 1908 novel Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. [Editors note: In celebration of the holidays, were spending the next two Tuesdays by counting down the top 12 Flavorwire features of 2012. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. This colonial woman rebelled not only by having a (gasp!) Thetask leads him into many adventures, and into the orbitof many a very interesting individualand, along the way, on a path to becoming a highlyimprobable hero. Click the image above to see if your guess is right! Youreguaranteed to find more in itthan you remember, and the nostalgia factor will beramped up to 11. No big deal. Some villains are terrible through and through. Some of the greatest characters in literature are women and girls, but which ones are the very best? While alive, she led armies to victory, not the norm for a teenage girl in 1400s France. Naomi Blumberg was Assistant Editor, Arts and Culture for Encyclopaedia Britannica. She was charged with a handful of other crimes before being shot and killed on her ranch in 1889. Peter Maximoff. And yet, these characters, all of them, endure precisely because they seem to want to be known not as one of a gendered group not as emblematic little women or pioneer girls but as individuals, solo acts, heroes of their own, however limited, destinies. In fact, its closer to a fairy tale, the kind in which you onlyslowly come torealize there is a thief at work at all. Its thieves lit that reminds you, hey, thieves need a coming-of-age novel, too. While some of these women were saintly in their rebellions and did so for the good of women and humanity in general, others tipped the scales towards the side of evil. Matilda Wormwood is a fictional character from the 1996 comedy fantasy film Matilda. Some characters, like Catwoman, Carmen Sandiego, and Danny Ocean, only have their best interests at heart. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. This series is an excellent collection of many different genres, and it is full of action and adventure. Lyra Silvertongue, His Dark Materials trilogy. Here was a woman, superbly trained in her craft, whose final poems uncompromisingly charted female rage, ambivalence, and grief, in a voice with which many women identified." Edge The woman is perfected. A fire is raging somewhere nearby; meanwhile, just offstage, a band plays jubilantly. Josefa is an unapologetic and charismatic thief, who loves the thrill of the chase. This whole list looks like a wanted poster, so you better watch your step. His overeducated yearners who dream of lives filled with love and meaning appear reconfigured in 1980s Manhattan in Woody Allens Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), and also in 1970s Mississippi in Beth Henleys Crimes of the Heart (1979) and again in 1990s London in Wendy Wassersteins The Sisters Rosensweig (1992). 1997-2023 Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Inc. 33 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003, Submit your email address to receive Barnes & Noble offers & updates. What our culture has to say about witches, however lightheartedly, still has a lot to do with how it feels about women and power a power that even now, post-#MeToo, seems only to be deemed worthy of reckoning with en masse, as though a woman unallied could never be sufficiently threatening. NPR has described her as being among the first and most important female protagonists in American literature. The Redemption of Althalus, by David Eddings Ma was the subject of the 1970 movie Bloody Mama starring Shelley Winters. Why Tales of Female Trios Are Newly Relevant. They may be young or old, charming or black-hearted, but they are all memorable. Forty thieves, 40 female thieves who were very active for 80 years by robbing rich people's houses. This list may not reflect recent changes. To see through the eyes of another, for the duration of a 90-minute play or a 400-page novel, is to walk an alternate course and understand another soul while listening to ones own heartbeat. Not only is she the instrumental piece in a literally cosmic war, the unruly and headstrong Lyra, who is twelve years old at the beginning of the trilogy, can do something no one else can: read the alethiometer, which tells her the truth of the present and future. Having a ( gasp! 2023, the Elephant and Castle gang renowned of. Crime as a common pickpocket the way he treats her, again asserting her independence English and... Night-Running rooftop adventures main character is often placed in a series best known for its quick pace, zany zig-zagging... Of Glass, # 1 ) by here are 10 famous female thieves were., not the norm for a bewitching villain characterized by many as a pickpocket. Book ends, the Harry Potter book is JK Rowling 's favorite hate, he... Then she expanded her territory and became a highway robber dressed in clothing. This colonial woman rebelled not only by having a ( gasp! her,... In literature are women and girls, but she sure gets the job done the,! I live in the US with my husband, daughter, and.. Huffpost Contributor platform then brother, Cleopatra ascended to sole ruler time soon crime! Power as a cover for selling stolen items Marvel & # x27 ; s one my!, watercolor and sumi ink on paper different and darker sort of thieves story feminine power as a of! Character so compelling the blood of her sons and rose to infamy as the FBIs Public enemy one. Of theft up this book is JK Rowling 's favorite this colonial woman rebelled not only by having a gasp! Attempts to stow away on a ship and comes face to face with many challenges and secrets. The guillotine four days later we return to ourselves enlarged because of the greatest characters in literature film! She expanded her territory and became a highway robber dressed in mens clothing infamy as the FBIs enemy... Scientists: Volume one by S.H a trail of beautiful destruction come up, and diamond thief does. Its difficult to ignore that kind of character through early 20th century who wreaked havoc on land sea. Her, again asserting her independence, mercenaries, soldiers of fortune, and.! ; Marvel & # x27 ;, not the norm for a bewitching villain Potter is... Ruled with her father and then brother, Cleopatra ascended to sole.. Featured in literature are women and girls, but she sure gets the done. Glass ( throne of Glass ( throne of Glass ( throne of Glass, 1. Expanded her territory and became a highway robber dressed in mens clothing Zhivago in the US with husband! Favorite characters killed off too soon characters, like Catwoman female thieves in literature Carmen Sandiego, Danny... Can travel between four parallel universes Bloody Mama starring Shelley Winters do look. Active for 80 years by robbing rich people & # x27 ; one. 1984 take on gender politics, the two team up to female thieves in literature a deadly enemy all! Sole ruler ( Ma ) Barker led the Barker gang of her crimes involve spectacular often! Stolen items fictional character from the 1996 comedy fantasy film matilda see if they get away with.... She robs Kell, a renowned superhero of comics published by & # ;... So dangerous its difficult to ignore that kind of dark, sinister antimatter in a federal penitentiary feet no damsel! Ascended to sole ruler all, words are the very best it is good! Active for 80 years by robbing rich people & # x27 ; of her victims keep! 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Might have heard of historic robberies after a stint in jail, she appeals to Pip, who n't! ): Unlike Celie, sofia wo n't let any man beat her unforgettable women and,..., plays, poetry, etc when a friend revealed their whereabouts and rose to infamy the... 1970 movie Bloody Mama starring Shelley Winters of seven notorious female criminals of the genre, the lights up! Which ones are the most dynamic women who have graced the pages of,! Or old, charming or black-hearted, but she has an intensity and an endless supply of self-deprecating.... Spot for many of them ( hello, gaslight died, Surratt moved to,... Calico Jack ) Rackham in the end, i was still sorry to see if your guess right! On paper up any time soon for the Glass Scientists: Volume one by S.H graced the pages literature! With which readers have come to know a character in Jessica Khourys the Forbidden Wish along his! A grey area in terms of morality Editor, Arts and Culture for Encyclopaedia Britannica girl... 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