Applying Applying Theoretical Theoretical

Approaches to Approaches to Media TextsMedia TextsLO: to develop your LO: to develop your

understanding of the ‘male understanding of the ‘male gaze’ and ‘feminine mystique’ gaze’ and ‘feminine mystique’

Starter:Starter: Working as a group, produce Working as a group, produce

a brainstorm on the a brainstorm on the stereotype of ‘the opposite stereotype of ‘the opposite sex’.sex’.

NB: Think about how females NB: Think about how females and males are conventionally and males are conventionally represented.represented.

Swap sheets:Swap sheets:

Now sort out the Now sort out the adjectives/descriptions into positive adjectives/descriptions into positive and negative attributes.and negative attributes.

What does this show you about ‘our’ What does this show you about ‘our’ stereotypical views of the opposite stereotypical views of the opposite sex?sex?

NB: these are culturally defined.NB: these are culturally defined.

Are your descriptions Are your descriptions anything like these?anything like these?

As Jonathan Schroeder notes, 'Film As Jonathan Schroeder notes, 'Film has been called an instrument of the has been called an instrument of the male gaze, producing male gaze, producing representations of women, the good representations of women, the good life, and sexual fantasy from a male life, and sexual fantasy from a male point of view' (Schroeder 1998, 208). point of view' (Schroeder 1998, 208).

Discussion: What do you think this Discussion: What do you think this means? How is the male POV means? How is the male POV different to that of female?different to that of female?

When women are viewed or judged When women are viewed or judged from a male perspective it is called from a male perspective it is called

‘The Male Gaze’.‘The Male Gaze’.

The male gaze has been dominant in the The male gaze has been dominant in the media as the majority of media texts were media as the majority of media texts were produced by men – Laura Mulvey. produced by men – Laura Mulvey. ""Visual Pleasure and Narrative CinemaVisual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema",", 1975 1975

NB: This is now changing and we see NB: This is now changing and we see more ‘fair’ or ‘positive’more ‘fair’ or ‘positive’ representations representations of women.of women.

scopophiliascopophilia - the pleasure - the pleasure involved in looking at other involved in looking at other people’s bodies as people’s bodies as (particularly, erotic) objects.(particularly, erotic) objects.

Apply these ideas to the Apply these ideas to the following text:following text:

Mulvey argues that various features of Mulvey argues that various features of cinema viewing conditions facilitate for the cinema viewing conditions facilitate for the viewer both the voyeuristic process of viewer both the voyeuristic process of objectificationobjectification of female characters and also of female characters and also the narcissistic process of the narcissistic process of identificationidentification with with an ‘ideal ego’ seen on the screen. She an ‘ideal ego’ seen on the screen. She declares that in patriarchal society ‘pleasure declares that in patriarchal society ‘pleasure in looking has been split between active/male in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female’ (Mulvey 1992, 27). This and passive/female’ (Mulvey 1992, 27). This is reflected in the dominant forms of cinema. is reflected in the dominant forms of cinema. Conventional narrative films in the ‘classical’ Conventional narrative films in the ‘classical’ Hollywood tradition not only typically focus Hollywood tradition not only typically focus on a male protagonist in the narrative but on a male protagonist in the narrative but also assume a male spectator. ‘As the also assume a male spectator. ‘As the spectator identifies with the main male spectator identifies with the main male protagonist, he projects his look onto that of protagonist, he projects his look onto that of his like, his screen surrogate, so that the his like, his screen surrogate, so that the power of the male protagonist as he controls power of the male protagonist as he controls events coincides with the active power of the events coincides with the active power of the erotic look, both giving a satisfying sense of erotic look, both giving a satisfying sense of omnipotence’ .omnipotence’ .

Marylin MonroeMarylin Monroe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbQqnJhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbQqnJw7xL0&feature=fvwp&NR=1w7xL0&feature=fvwp&NR=1

Traditional films present men as Traditional films present men as active, controlling subjects and treat active, controlling subjects and treat women as passive objects of desire for women as passive objects of desire for men in both the story and in the men in both the story and in the audience, and do not allow women to audience, and do not allow women to be desiring sexual subjects in their be desiring sexual subjects in their own right. Such films objectify women own right. Such films objectify women in relation to ‘the controlling male in relation to ‘the controlling male gaze’, presenting ‘woman as image’ (or gaze’, presenting ‘woman as image’ (or ‘spectacle’) and man as ‘bearer of the ‘spectacle’) and man as ‘bearer of the look’: look’: Men do the looking; women Men do the looking; women are there to be are there to be looked atlooked at.. The The cinematic codes of popular films ‘are cinematic codes of popular films ‘are obsessively subordinated to the obsessively subordinated to the neurotic needs of the male ego’. It was neurotic needs of the male ego’. It was Mulvey who coined the term 'the male Mulvey who coined the term 'the male gaze'.gaze'.

Mulvey argued that the cinematic Mulvey argued that the cinematic apparatus of apparatus of classical Hollywood cinemaclassical Hollywood cinema inevitably put the spectator in a masculine inevitably put the spectator in a masculine subject position, with the figure of the subject position, with the figure of the woman on screen as the object of desire. woman on screen as the object of desire. In the era of classical Hollywood cinema, In the era of classical Hollywood cinema, viewers were encouraged to identify with viewers were encouraged to identify with the protagonist of the film, who tended to the protagonist of the film, who tended to be a man. Meanwhile, Hollywood female be a man. Meanwhile, Hollywood female characters of the 1950s and 60s were, characters of the 1950s and 60s were, according to Mulvey, coded with "to-be-according to Mulvey, coded with "to-be-looked-at-ness." Mulvey suggests that looked-at-ness." Mulvey suggests that there were two distinct modes of the there were two distinct modes of the male gazemale gaze of this era: "voyeuristic" (i.e. of this era: "voyeuristic" (i.e. seeing women as 'whores') and seeing women as 'whores') and "fetishistic" (i.e. seeing women as "fetishistic" (i.e. seeing women as 'madonnas').'madonnas').

As applied to the thriller As applied to the thriller genre:genre:

'Women in peril' were a feature of many 'Women in peril' were a feature of many Hitchcock films, as they had been in cinema Hitchcock films, as they had been in cinema since its early days. Hitchcock's first film, since its early days. Hitchcock's first film, The The Pleasure GardenPleasure Garden (1926), features a woman who (1926), features a woman who falls victim to a deceitful and violent husband, falls victim to a deceitful and violent husband, while the victims of the killer in while the victims of the killer in The LodgerThe Lodger are are blonde women. Hitchcock himself favoured blonde women. Hitchcock himself favoured blonde actresses, and more than one was blonde actresses, and more than one was obliged to bleach her hair for a role. Several obliged to bleach her hair for a role. Several actresses complained that Hitchcock could be actresses complained that Hitchcock could be brutal on set, and he often seems to enjoy brutal on set, and he often seems to enjoy watching his female characters suffer.watching his female characters suffer.

Hitchcock saw female sexual vulnerability as a Hitchcock saw female sexual vulnerability as a powerful dramatic device, which he exploited powerful dramatic device, which he exploited ruthlessly.ruthlessly.

Mulvey distinguishes between two modes of Mulvey distinguishes between two modes of looking for the film spectator: looking for the film spectator: voyeuristicvoyeuristic and and fetishisticfetishistic, which she presents in Freudian terms , which she presents in Freudian terms as responses to male ‘castration anxiety’. as responses to male ‘castration anxiety’. Voyeuristic Voyeuristic looking involves a controlling gaze looking involves a controlling gaze and Mulvey argues that this has has associations and Mulvey argues that this has has associations with sadism: ‘pleasure lies in ascertaining guilt - with sadism: ‘pleasure lies in ascertaining guilt - asserting control and subjecting the guilty person asserting control and subjecting the guilty person through punishment or forgiveness’ (Mulvey through punishment or forgiveness’ (Mulvey 1992, 29). 1992, 29). Fetishistic Fetishistic looking, in contrast, looking, in contrast, involves ‘the substitution of a fetish object or involves ‘the substitution of a fetish object or turning the represented figure itself into a fetish turning the represented figure itself into a fetish so that it becomes reassuring rather than so that it becomes reassuring rather than dangerous. This builds up the physical beauty of dangerous. This builds up the physical beauty of the object, transforming it into something the object, transforming it into something satisfying in itself. The erotic instinct is focused satisfying in itself. The erotic instinct is focused on the look alone’. Fetishistic looking, she on the look alone’. Fetishistic looking, she suggests, leads to overvaluation of the female suggests, leads to overvaluation of the female image and to the cult of the female movie star. image and to the cult of the female movie star. Mulvey argues that the film spectator oscillates Mulvey argues that the film spectator oscillates between these two forms of looking.between these two forms of looking.

The Feminine Mystique:The Feminine Mystique: In her 1963 book, Friedan defines women's In her 1963 book, Friedan defines women's

unhappiness as ‘‘the problem that has no unhappiness as ‘‘the problem that has no name,’’ then she launches into a detailed name,’’ then she launches into a detailed exploration of what she believes causes this exploration of what she believes causes this problem. Through her research—which problem. Through her research—which includes many theories, statistics, and first-includes many theories, statistics, and first-person accounts—Friedan pins the blame on an person accounts—Friedan pins the blame on an idealized image of femininity that she calls the idealized image of femininity that she calls the feminine mystiquefeminine mystique. According to Friedan, . According to Friedan, women have been encouraged to confine women have been encouraged to confine themselves to the narrow roles of housewife themselves to the narrow roles of housewife and mother, foresaking education and career and mother, foresaking education and career aspirations in the process. aspirations in the process.

Chapter 1Chapter 1 - Friedan goes on to point out that - Friedan goes on to point out that the average age of marriage was dropping and the average age of marriage was dropping and the birthrate was increasing for women the birthrate was increasing for women throughout the 1950s, yet the widespread throughout the 1950s, yet the widespread unhappiness of women persisted, although unhappiness of women persisted, although American culture insisted that fulfillment for American culture insisted that fulfillment for women could be found in marriage and women could be found in marriage and housewifery; this chapter concludes by housewifery; this chapter concludes by declaring "We can no longer ignore that voice declaring "We can no longer ignore that voice within women that says: "I want something within women that says: "I want something more than my husband and my children and my more than my husband and my children and my home." home."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Feminine_Mystiqueeminine_Mystique

Chapter 2Chapter 2 - Friedan shows that the editorial - Friedan shows that the editorial decisions concerning women's magazines were decisions concerning women's magazines were being mostly made by men, who insisted on being mostly made by men, who insisted on stories and articles that showed women as stories and articles that showed women as either happy housewives or unhappy, neurotic either happy housewives or unhappy, neurotic careerists, thus creating the "feminine careerists, thus creating the "feminine mystique"—the idea that women were naturally mystique"—the idea that women were naturally fulfilled by devoting their lives to being fulfilled by devoting their lives to being housewives and mothers. Friedan notes that housewives and mothers. Friedan notes that this is in contrast to the 1930s, at which time this is in contrast to the 1930s, at which time women's magazines often featured confident women's magazines often featured confident and independent heroines, many of whom were and independent heroines, many of whom were involved in careers. involved in careers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-thttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-taEaSfPtbYaEaSfPtbY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYFmdlzff98YFmdlzff98

Working in groups apply Working in groups apply the approaches to media the approaches to media

representations of:representations of: Nigella LawsonNigella Lawson

Katie Price/ JordanKatie Price/ JordanHillary ClintonHillary ClintonJennifer Aniston Jennifer Aniston Angelina JolieAngelina JolieCheryl ColeCheryl Cole

Group reflection and presentationGroup reflection and presentation

How useful to you are these How useful to you are these approaches in making sense of approaches in making sense of media productions?media productions?

How would you apply them to your How would you apply them to your genre study of ‘horror’?genre study of ‘horror’?