The Mafia is a criminal organisation, which allows only men to be members. For a long time the woman was excluded from the Mafia business, but nowadays she fulfils a very active part in Organized Crime. This diploma thesis discusses the role of women inside the Mafia and analyses her characterisation in the "Godfather"-movies. Women‘s exclusion from the Mafia is closely linked to their social position in Sicily, the country of origin of the Mafia. The status of women is very strongly influenced by the culture and the tradition of Sicilian society. She is a wife and mother, and responsible for a traditional parenting and a moral lifestyle. Through women's rights movements and the process of emancipation women‘s social position has improved, but it is still subordinated to the social position of men. In the old Mafia the woman appears as invisible and ignorant. With the development of sister organizations outside Sicily, such as the American Cosa Nostra, the structure of the Mafia changed. The woman is officially still excluded from the Mafiabusiness, but is unofficially actively involved. She smuggles drugs or carries on the criminal business as a replacement for the imprisoned or disappeared boss. These different types of women inside the Mafia are depicted very accurately in the film trilogy "The Godfather". Mama Corleone represents the classic Mafiosa, which has no part in her husband‘s and sonss business. Connie Corleone Rizzie, who is the Mafiosa according to the new Mafia consciousness, is actively involved and even appears as "Donna". Kay Adams is the "non-italian woman", who married into a Mafia family. |