The Portrayal of Idealized Femininity in Overboard
The embodiment of idealized femininity has been a common trope throughout many works of literature throughout the ages. The idea appears in centuries old works such as Ovid’s Metamorphoses, in which the form of an idealized woman is sculpted and created. Over time, many other authors have produced works that include the idea of creating the perfect woman, and the idea has transferred to the cinematic world during the current era. One such current work that centers around the pursuit of creating the ideal woman is the 1987 movie Overboard, which was written by Leslie Dixon and directed by Garry Marshall. The plot of the movie if composed around the interactions of Joanna Stayton, played by Goldie Hawn, and Dean Proffitt, played by Kurt Russell. Joanna Stayton is a very wealthy, married …show more content…
These traits added to her abundant beauty and wealth make her appear to be the ideal woman. This is accentuated by Dean’s question “What can I possibly give you, ever, that you don 't already have?” meaning that she has everything that is desired. These traits are the primary ones that come to mind when describing the traditional “perfect woman,” and if one wishes to be an authoritative, dominant counterpart to a delicate subservient woman, then this would be ideal. Personally, I prefer femininity to be associated with power and self-sufficiency, not portraying frailty and dependence. My version of an ideal woman is depicted the same way as I would depict the ideal man, the key traits including authority, power, intelligence, integrity, and determination. The ideal woman in my mind’s eye is one that could obtain absolute authority and power, one who could conquer nations, one that could bring the world to heel, be it in Prada stilettos, worn out sneakers, or anything in
The embodiment of idealized femininity has been a common trope throughout many works of literature throughout the ages. The idea appears in centuries old works such as Ovid’s Metamorphoses, in which the form of an idealized woman is sculpted and created. Over time, many other authors have produced works that include the idea of creating the perfect woman, and the idea has transferred to the cinematic world during the current era. One such current work that centers around the pursuit of creating the ideal woman is the 1987 movie Overboard, which was written by Leslie Dixon and directed by Garry Marshall. The plot of the movie if composed around the interactions of Joanna Stayton, played by Goldie Hawn, and Dean Proffitt, played by Kurt Russell. Joanna Stayton is a very wealthy, married …show more content…
These traits added to her abundant beauty and wealth make her appear to be the ideal woman. This is accentuated by Dean’s question “What can I possibly give you, ever, that you don 't already have?” meaning that she has everything that is desired. These traits are the primary ones that come to mind when describing the traditional “perfect woman,” and if one wishes to be an authoritative, dominant counterpart to a delicate subservient woman, then this would be ideal. Personally, I prefer femininity to be associated with power and self-sufficiency, not portraying frailty and dependence. My version of an ideal woman is depicted the same way as I would depict the ideal man, the key traits including authority, power, intelligence, integrity, and determination. The ideal woman in my mind’s eye is one that could obtain absolute authority and power, one who could conquer nations, one that could bring the world to heel, be it in Prada stilettos, worn out sneakers, or anything in