The Women of The Maltese Falcon Anonymous College

The three women characters in Dashiell Hammett’s novel, The Maltese Falcon, portray three different types of femininity. While to Samuel Spade, consistently calling them “darling”(Hammett, pg. 25) and “sweetheart”(Hammett, pg.1), seems to group them all together as one gender rather individual people, these three women play large roles in Spade’s life. They each impact him in a different way and are seen no better or worse than the men in the novel, not taking a back seat to these men either. They are manipulative; acting as someone they are not to get what they want and going behind the men’s backs to fulfill their own needs.

Bridget O’Shaughnessy plays the role of a woman in need to win over Spade and his assistance while Iva strikes up an affair with Spade, betraying her husband who also happens to be Spade’s partner. They are desired; whether it be for their money, for the thrill that comes with being deceitful, and for their work. The initial reason Spade takes O’Shaughnessy in is simply because she proves she is worth his time money wise. Iva and Spade’s relationship is strictly under wraps and turns out to be even riskier than a usual affair is once Spade’s partner is found dead. Effie, Spade’s secretary, is depended on...