Duality In Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho

Whether it is for artistic expression, to support a political agenda or for a pure sense of entertainment, film-making serves a myriad of distinct purposes. Many films seek to detail and provide commentary on a particular aspect of the human condition, or to expound upon and open discussion for topics within the context of their production. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, was released to audiences at the beginning of a major culture shift of the 1960’s, and embodied this particular film-making style. Saturated in thematic elements and deeper meaning, Psycho possesses many comprehensive themes and motifs that connect to modern and broad societal topics which, in turn, help to solidify its importance in film history. Of particular importance is the notion of duality - the pairing of two dissimilar or similar ideas, characters, or viewpoints. Within Psycho, dualities are abundant. They exist between the nature of the characters, such as Norman and Marion, between the tones and sounds of the score, between the sets and locations and in many other instances throughout the film. The duality of Norman Bates’ psyche, split between the male Norman Bates and the female mother personality, is representative of Hitchcock’s depiction of the mixing of …show more content…
The late 50s and early 60s were the formative years for the major sexual revolutions of the late 1960s which would spread sexual liberation and acceptance into society. Gender roles in the 1950s were rigid and strictly defined with men and women having clear places and purposes in the household. In addition, homosexuality, transgenderism and other similar topics were still quite taboo and had yet to emerge as topics of public discussion. The release of Psycho, a film with strong sexual and gender related themes into this particular climate, provided insight into societies views on the shifts that were beginning to occur within these strongly established