Binary gender roles, and their perceived differences, are very prevalent in most cinema, but perhaps none are so stark and telling as those in torture porn. In his article, “The Problem of Saw: ‘Torture Porn’ and the Conservatism of Contemporary Horror Films”, Christopher Sharrett describes the role of the predatory captor as it relates to gender.1 Males almost always occupy the role, playing the part of vigilante as a “cruel but necessary father” who believes it is his duty to teach his moralities to his victims (34). Lockwood also points out voyeurism as a key characteristic of male captors, drawing attention to the focus the films give to the captor spying on the intended victim before their capture in some torture porn films (43).2 When…
William Shakespeare did not become arguably the most famous playwright in the history of the world for coloring inside the lines. In each one of his complex plays, he pushes against the boundaries of social norms. Shakespeare incorporates bold discussions of fleeting love, gender uncertainty, mistaken identity, and ironic comedy into his creative plots during the 1600’s when public discussion on such progressive ideas were rare. In his comedy Twelfth Night, Shakespeare uses dialogue between his three main characters, Viola, Orsino, and Olivia, to express his critique on the strict nature of gender roles during his time. Through his manipulation of his characters’ identities, his placement of women in leadership positions, and his questioning of traditional gender roles, Shakespeare reveals his theme that strict definitions of gender reinforce false stereotypes of both men and women.…
This is a common theme in today 's society as well, gender roles play into what activities are deemed to be masculine or feminine. For example, watching or participating in sports is coupled with the idea of being masculine were as an activity such as fashion is paired with being…
Sexism and misogyny in Theater There are plenty of women who produce, direct, design sets and act in theatrical productions, however they did not always have these opportunities. “Women’s parts were played by men until the late 1700’s. When women did get the chance to perform in the United States, actresses were often seen as fallen or disgraced women because respectable women were not supposed to engage in public activity” (Matthews, 315). Examples of sexism in theatric productions include, Macbeth, The Twelfth Night, Hairspray and the Taming of the Shrew. Macbeth may be empowering to women, however the idea of women always portraying the part of witches may be a bit misogynistic.…
Gender roles in historic literature are aspects that are often talked about, but very rarely argued, particularly in conversation–but also in academic articles and scholarly discussions. Too often we see injustice concerning women in plays and novels, but instead of criticizing those stereotypes, the majority of readers tend to simply dismiss them as results of another time. In Macbeth, it is easy to see why the woman do not hold positions of power and have many negative associations, mostly due to women being confined to the role of homemaker in the seventeenth century, but the more interesting thing to do is argue those stereotypes. While some may see Macbeth as a fairly equal play in the sense that there are several female roles, some even…
Each play addresses problems and issues that everyone faces and can relate to. Theatre connects people of every age, race, religion, and social class in a way that no other art form can. The belief that theatre is no longer relevant is apocryphal. Theatre erases all boundaries and addresses taboos that must be discussed while also creating a sense of globalization and cultural relativism in a society that needs it now more than…
In an advanced society such as today ones gender should not been seen as superior over the other, women and men should not be confined to these little stereotypical “boxes”. For centuries men were seen as the hunters, they were strong, they were dominant and women were seen as primary care givers, they were delicate, they did all the house work and relied on the man for food and protection. Nowadays, at the turn of the 21st century we see women and men defying these preconceived notions of what a man should look and act like as…
Too few are represented as writer or directors, and women’s stories don’t often make it on stage.” Since the 1950’s, only three women have been winners of the Tony Award for Best Direction in a Musical. Women only fill 8.8% of positions in sound design, while men hold 91.5%. In lighting design, women are 13.7%, while men make up 87.3%. The only area of technical theatre where women outnumber men is costume design, where women are 68.7%, and men are 31.3%.…
There are many instances in the play Othello where gender roles become significant. During Shakespeare’s time, men hold the power and women are perceived as weak and powerless. Also, women are expected to be submissive to their man by doing whatever he asks of her and this is very apparent in the play Othello. The role of women in the play, determines the plot and the fate of some of the character’s involved. The way Shakespeare creates these roles in the play, shows his culture’s beliefs of gender and equality during this time period.…
Montreal: McGill-Queen 's UP, 2004. Print. This book explains Kim Bird 's study of the male centred focus in theatre and drama. The arguments presented by Bird focus from the late eighteenth to the early nineteenth century, around the same time when women desired to be acknowledged for the intellectual potential.…
They learn and pick up on these roles and they hold everyone to their idea of masculinity and femininity. This causes society to be stuck in a cycle of confinement to an assigned gender role. In society, it is shown that many males do not want to be associated with female characteristics because it is seen as degrading. Men are called “girls” in sports to make them be better. They always need to work harder to be a “man”.…
"Women's Roles" Shakespeare's Theatre: A Dictionary Of His Stage Context (2004): 502-504. Literary Reference Center. Web. 31 Mar.…
Gender roles have evolved in contemporary society to include women as equals to men, however, gender roles were very one sided at the time in which Shakespeare 's play Hamlet was written. Hamlet was written in the early 1600’s which was a time when women were seen as the lesser of the two sexes. Women were seen as dependent on men are were uneducated. The misogynistic beliefs of Shakespeare 's time are prevalent throughout Hamlet. Throughout the play, the two female characters are portrayed as overly emotional and dependent on men to make their decisions.…
William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream portrays the theme of gender roles throughout the play. Shakespeare’s plays were written during an era where in society women had little will and choice of their own, and they were frequently subservient to men. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare dramatizes gender tensions that arise from complicated familial and romantic relationships. In comparison, the 2005 BBC film adaptation by Peter Bowker expresses dissimilar treatment towards women and discontinues to demonstrate patriarchal relationships, specifically through the characters, Hippolyta and Helena.…
screenwriting, and social nuance. 1967 was the year that also saw Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Kramer, 1967), In The Heat of The Night (Jewison, 1967), and Hurry Sundown (Preminger, 1967) cement the careers of Sidney Poitier and Diahann Carroll. Poitier and Carroll were among a handful of actors to appear in major Hollywood productions that addressed themselves to the blackness of the actors, while suggesting accommodation of their civil rights environs. With the contemplation of mixed marriage in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and the stand for equal rights in the guise of a post-Civil war, post-World War II fight for land ownership in Hurry Sundown, (Courtney, 2005)…