From Tony Soprano to Walter White, heinous plot between evils has all along been popular. The protagonist (usually male lead character), who is always loath for their depraved deeds, is yet controversial and admire at, making the female counterpart existence seems much lower in status, until there comes Claire Underwood

By Xiaohan Wu 110307126 class 1

There have been a few adequate comparable women, but they weren’t as bad as men. Instead, female characters have changed and seem like becoming men’s “ally”. The disapproving party-pooper wife, Skyler white in “Breaking Bad” for example, is not a very popular figure among viewers. There has yet to be a strong female antihero who stands equal to her — until Claire underwood shows up at the TV shows called House Of Card.

Claire Underwood portrayed by Robin Wright. She’s the wife of Congressman Frank Underwood and she runs an environmental non-profit. The whole life aim of hers is to advance her husband’s political career without any consideration, and to empower herself through the gradually change of her husband’s position .  In order to accomplish her intentions, she is willing to do anything such as lies, manipulating somebody’s life, and end the life of a woman’s fetus. She is not a feminist hero. She is the most unscrupulous and evil female character from the TV shows that I have seen so far. Although there is occasional guilt, she has chosen to continue with her evil acts.

There is a scene that impresses me most, and also it builds my root conception of Claire. When she fires 18 staff members because she wants to proceed with the well building project but with insufficient budget. At this situation, She needs to reduce the company’s cost. However, She has her office manager to do this dirty work for her and afterwards she fires this manager. This creates an impression of her that I will never forget the image of scheming and wily, and she stands firm with her decision.

 What’s more, Being more intensified, in the season Ⅱ，Claire finally got off the couch and started her own inveigling. In order to carry her points, She threatened her former coworker, Gillian’s unborn baby’s health and safety, and betrayed her lover Adam, tarnishing his reputation to cover her own. Even worse, she gave up her own anti-rape bill to fulfill her own selfish agenda, which further led to Megan’s suicide attempt. She looks so persistent about their goals, but also as elusive as the fog. There is no doubt that Claire is an anti-hero in SeasonⅡ.Compared to the people like Nancy Bowtin and Walter White, she and Frank aren’t’t just the epitome of the female and male schemers; they are abdominal black enough to  recognize the essence of world, cruel and selfish. Claire finally got off the couch and started to do some of her own inveigling in the second season. She threatened the health and safety of former coworker Gillian’s unborn baby, betrayed her former lover Adam by tarnishing his reputation, and eventually dropping her own anti-rape bill to fulfill her own selfish agenda, which further led to Megan’s suicide attempt. Claire is undoubtedly an antihero in Season 2, but she and Frank aren’t just the epitome of the female and male schemers; they are so much more than the Nancy Bowtin and Walter White of Capitol Hill.

Conversely at the end of season 2, when Frank finally owns his power to enter the Oval Office with many best wishes, Claire refuse to share this significant moment and honor to walk in with him. I would believe that this is because she hesitates how much longer she can walk with him and what other sacrifices she has to make in order to continue to walk with him.