Femininity In Fritz Lang's Film Metropolis

This paper will seek to understand the concept of femininity in Weimar Germany through the lens of expressionist film. Using the case study of Fritz Lang’s 1927 film Metropolis, this paper will display how expressionism was used as a tool through which visionaries could bring to light questions of social change. Embedded in the film Metropolis are strong themes indicative of the prevailing changes brought upon Weimar Germany with respect to gender roles. The loss of the First World War was a blow to masculinity, and the creation of a more liberal state enabled women to grasp more power in a previously male dominated society. Throughout the war, women were able to occupy positions in the public sphere that had previously been withheld from them; however following the war, both men and women were burdened with existential crises regarding their roles in society. …show more content…
Debates on the appropriate role of women in public life peaked in the 1920s, and were represented through various mediums. Through this film, Lang attempts to shed light on the discomfort brought upon by the evolution of traditional gender roles, ultimately shaming Weimar society for their black and conceptions of femininity and sexuality. This paper will therefore explore the significance of archetypes of femininity, the relationship between femininity and technology, and lastly the relationship between politics, sexuality and femininity in Metropolis to prove that the interwar period was characterized by men’s attempt to restore gender relations to their pre-war state as a result of their own masculine