Gendered devitalisations. A double reading of the “Vagina Dentata” motif in India

The motif of the “Vagina Dentata” appears in various Hindu myths and tales belonging to Indic folklore, yet its iconic relevance extends beyond symbolic and religious fields and overlaps with the wider sphere of the discourses on gender and sexuality. Based upon this premise, the paper aims to illustrate the motif of the “toothed vagina” on two interconnected levels: on the first one, it offers a psychoanalytical codification of the symbol and of the violence connected with the removal of the “teeth,” while on the second it scrutinises the “extirpation” in the light of the patriarchal endeavour to subjugate women through abuse and debasement. The concluding part of the paper advances a metaphorical suggestion around the “vagina dentata” symbol, pointing to the resources implied in the affirmation of women’s voices in the public domain.