In the essay “The World of Wrestling”, Roland Barthes proposes the problem that people view wrestling as a sport in general. However, according to Barthes, wrestling is rather a spectacle, or a performance in theater, than a regular sport. He analyzes how wrestling is similar to theater acts and why wrestling is a respectable activity that provides an unattainable ideal for the audience. He first outlines the problem that people compare wrestling to sports like judo and boxing and judge wrestling from its fairness. However, wrestling is a “performance of Suffering” (Barthes 170). Therefore, wrestling should not be seen as an unfair sport but rather a grand show in the theater. Unlike boxing and judo, in which the audience expects “the rise
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In Orwell’s essay, he has to shoot an elephant because “the people expected it of [him]” (Orwell 112). Although Orwell is reluctant to shoot the elephant, he has to do it eventually to fit his role of the serious police officer who has to maintain orders in Burma. In this case, he is acting like an actor in theater to present a particular effect to his audience, just like the wrestler in Barthes’ essay. In the incident of shooting the elephant, the officer becomes an actor to satisfy the crowd’s expectation. In the entire system of Imperialism, the police officer acts as a dominant leader who remains authoritative all the time to rule the natives. Unfortunately, both of the roles contradict Orwell’s own intentions. Compared to Orwell who is forced into an “absurd puppet” for the empire (Orwell 113), the wrestler in Barthes’ essay who voluntarily acts as a “bastard” and puts on the show for the audience’ entertainment has more freedom (Barthes 172), because the wrestler does not have a belief that contradicts his actions. Unlike the officer who “wears a mask, and…grows to fit it” (Orwell 113), the wrestler has the ability to distinguish his character and reality. Thus, he is free to take off his mask when he steps out of the ring but is required to keep the despicable mask on during the match. Through Orwell’s lens, it is obvious that acting a despicable role is challenging and disturbing. Therefore, the wrestlers who choose to degrade themselves by playing the bastard seem respectable. Wrestling, which is a spectacle instead of a sport, becomes a respectable activity because of the devoting actors in the
In Orwell’s essay, he has to shoot an elephant because “the people expected it of [him]” (Orwell 112). Although Orwell is reluctant to shoot the elephant, he has to do it eventually to fit his role of the serious police officer who has to maintain orders in Burma. In this case, he is acting like an actor in theater to present a particular effect to his audience, just like the wrestler in Barthes’ essay. In the incident of shooting the elephant, the officer becomes an actor to satisfy the crowd’s expectation. In the entire system of Imperialism, the police officer acts as a dominant leader who remains authoritative all the time to rule the natives. Unfortunately, both of the roles contradict Orwell’s own intentions. Compared to Orwell who is forced into an “absurd puppet” for the empire (Orwell 113), the wrestler in Barthes’ essay who voluntarily acts as a “bastard” and puts on the show for the audience’ entertainment has more freedom (Barthes 172), because the wrestler does not have a belief that contradicts his actions. Unlike the officer who “wears a mask, and…grows to fit it” (Orwell 113), the wrestler has the ability to distinguish his character and reality. Thus, he is free to take off his mask when he steps out of the ring but is required to keep the despicable mask on during the match. Through Orwell’s lens, it is obvious that acting a despicable role is challenging and disturbing. Therefore, the wrestlers who choose to degrade themselves by playing the bastard seem respectable. Wrestling, which is a spectacle instead of a sport, becomes a respectable activity because of the devoting actors in the