Art, to me, is crafted for interpretation, appreciation, and, above all, to ignite the imagination. When artists draw inspiration from the works of others, it can be seen as a tribute to the original artist and a means of self-expression. Nevertheless, many people believe that nowadays everything is a copy of a copy, making it much harder to create something genuinely new and innovative. Some argue that due to the accessibility of information we have today, it can be challenging to generate original ideas, suggesting that everything already created is inspired by what has come before. Personally, I argue that we should take this as an advantage. While certain themes or ideas may be “recycled,” a skilled artist knows how to reinvent their work into something fresh and unique.

But what exactly is intertextuality? In the context of this article, it occurs when works of literature and art are interconnected. To put it plainly, it manifests as an allusion to the work of another artist, writer, or anyone in the creative realm. The complex example provided illustrates intertextuality in art, focusing on the Femme Fatale theme.

Gustave Moreau, born in 1826 in Paris, France, was a French artist whose works featured dreamlike scenes inspired by literature, mythology, and religion. One of his paintings, “Study for Lady Macbeth,” created in 1851, served as an inspiration for one of the most famous American horror movies. In his 1976 adaptation of “Carrie,” director Brian De Palma was partially influenced by Gustave Moreau’s painting. While Palma’s “Carrie” is an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, Moreau, in turn, drew inspiration for his painting from William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Macbeth.” I believe that De Palma aimed to execute precision in his work, and, for this reason, drawing inspiration from another Femme Fatale, the disastrous Lady Macbeth, was necessary.

There is no doubt that De Palma drew inspiration from Moreau’s painting. This is evident at the end of his movie, where Carrie’s stance and walk are based on the posture of Lady Macbeth in the 1851 painting. This suggests a deliberate artistic decision to draw parallels between two seemingly dissimilar characters to capture and depict the intensity of female rage. Certainly, both characters introduce the themes of shame and revenge, but their reasons differ. While Shakespeare’s character witnessed a downfall due to her own greed and ruthlessness, Carrie experienced parental abuse and bullying, pushing her over the edge. Despite the fact that these two women have entirely different motivations for unleashing their rage, they are interconnected by the symbolism of blood. Driven by remorse, Lady Macbeth experiences adverse effects when confronted with the sight of her blood-stained hands. In contrast, in Carrie’s case, the presence of blood seems to trigger her powers, and once pig’s blood is thrown over her, she takes her revenge. In that moment, she embodies Lady Macbeth crafted by Moreau. After seeing the movie, it is impossible not to recognize the parallels in the body language of both characters.

It appears that literature is bound to provide inspiration for other creators, as it is a recurring trend that literary characters are inevitably translated into other fields, particularly art and film. We are fortunate to have worldwide accessibility to literature as it offers a rich source of compelling stories and complex characters with which we can resonate. This process of “borrowing” someone else’s idea is a great way to reach diverse audiences while also keeping literary works relevant.