a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.
Archetype:
a very typical example of a certain person or thing.
Archetypal
very typical of a certain kind of person or thing.
Hegemonic
ruling or dominant in a political or social context.
Male Gaze
... refers to the way visual arts are structured around a masculine viewer. Media imagery is often portrayed from a mens point of view. In terms of mens attitude and their way towards life.
It touches upon:
- How men look at women
- How women look at themselves
- How women look at other women
- Audience views from a heterosexual male point of view
- Admired for physical appearance
- Status as objects
Male gaze leads to Hegemonic views in society.
We associate masculinity with being "tough", "hard" and "sweaty"
as opposed to women who are "fragile" "soft" and "fragrant"
... but these's are all stereotypes.
Representations of Masculinity
- 'Masculinity' is a concept that is made up of more rigid stereotypes than femininity. Representations of men across all media tend to focus on the following:
- Strength - physical and intellectual
- Power
- Sexual attractiveness (which may be based on the above)
- Physique
- Independence (of thought, action)
Representations of Femininity
Feminism has been a recognised social philosophy for more than forty years, and the changes that have occurred in women's roles in western society during that time have been nothing short of phenomenal. Yet media representations of women remain worryingly constant.
Does this reflect that the status of women has not really changed or that the male-dominated media does not want to accept it has changed?
- Representations of women across all media tend to highlight the following:beauty (within narrow conventions)
- size/physique (again, within narrow conventions)
- sexuality (as expressed by the above)
- emotional (as opposed to intellectual) dealings
- relationships (as opposed to independence/freedom)
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