The Madonna/whore complex is a psychoanalytic term that refers to the state of mind that leads men (and, to an extent, society) to view women as either sexual or maternal individuals, and not a complex mix of the two. What I find interesting about Mad Men is that it takes this archetype theory and completely subverts it, while still placing emphasis on the qualities of both in the vast majority of their female characters, portraying women who are neither of these archetypes and both. This is often, but not always, explored through Don's point of view, and his need for both of these 'types' of women in his life.

First off, Don's mother was literally a prostitute. So was the first woman he slept with, but she also took care of him and nursed him back to health immediately before this occurred, casting her in a more maternal light than the woman who raised him.

Don sees both of his wives as both Madonnas and whores, given how well they take care of his children, but also, in his mind, their perceived infidelities. While Don doesn't necessarily see women as either/or, he seems to have emotional difficulty reconciling that the women he loves can embody the qualities of both archetypes.

Another character that we see embody both the Madonna and whore is Joan. She has conflict within herself after the birth of her son in being both a sexy and desirable woman and her child's primary caregiver. She is obviously both, but struggles to feel free in her sexuality with the sacrifices she makes as a mother.

Peggy is a mother too, but conceived her child out of wedlock with a married man, making her feel like more of a whore than a mother, which contributes hugely to eschew her maternal duties. The circumstances under which her son was conceived are a major factor in her putting her child up for adoption.

Mad Men insists that women cannot be put in either box. Children are conceived through sex- women cannot be 'Madonnas' unless they are 'whores' first. It speaks to how ludicrous yet pervasive the idea is in our society. Virtually every woman who gets character development has this exploration of how society and men may place her in either of these categories or both, depending on their relationship and her status in life, and how misguided and false putting women in boxes can be. The women in Mad Men are as complex as any I've seen in television and I appreciate how subtly they explore this idea.