Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory

Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory

•Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema was an essay written by Laura Mulvey

•An essay which coined the term “Male Gaze” which soon went on to become a very well know and discussed theory

•In film, the male gaze occurs when the audience is put into the perspective of a heterosexual man. A scene may focus on the curves of a woman's body, putting you the viewer in the eyes of a male

•These curves can be highlighted with specific conventions such as slow motion, deliberate camera movements and cut aways.

•The theory suggests that the male gaze denies women human identity, relegating them to the status of objects to be admired for physical appearance

•The theory suggests woman have become used to watching music videos from a mans perspective

Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory

•The “masculinisation” of the viewer

Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory•However the presence of a woman in mainstream texts is vital

•Often a female character has no real importance herself, it is how she makes the male feel or act that is the importance.

•The female only exist in relation to the male

Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory•The male gaze leads to Hegemonic ideologies within our societyHegemonic = ruling or dominant in a political or social context

Visual Pleasure

Mulvey states that the role of a female character in a narrative has two functions

•As a sexual object for the characters within the narrative to view•As an sexual object for the audience

Gender roles in film

The main characters look at others (male)

The characters that are looked at are passive (female) They are under control of the males gaze and only exist for visual pleasure.

Females if in a passive role, provide inspiration for men to act.

Males on the other hand, push the narrative forwards and make things happen and are seen as active

Female Objectification

Objectification is related to the male gaze theory

The people gazed at are objectified, treated as an object whose sole value is to be enjoyed or possessed by the voyeur

Objectified characters are devalued and their humanity removed.

A patriarchal society = Men dictate the rules

Mulvey argued we live in a patriarchal society in which men set the majority of the rules and have male dominance over woman. This is represented the media

The worry is a passive audience will be influenced by this representation of reality and copy it and it will actually become reality…if it hasn’t all ready.

The Male Gaze is very common in James Bond films

The James Bond franchise is a clear example of film objectifying females and forcing the audience to view females via the male gaze.

How?

• 1.Define the key features of Mulvey’s theory.

2. What effect could this theory have upon woman viewers?

• 3. What effect could this theory have on male viewers?

• 4.Why do we believe the male gaze is present in films/adverts, music videos and T.V today?

• 5.What effect can this have upon society?