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Social theoretical perspective on masculinity
Social theoretical perspective on masculinity
Social theoretical perspective on masculinity
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What is it to be a man? Masculinity is defined and characterized differently across cultures and time – there is no “global” standard. In some cultures, being a man may mean being comfortable with both your masculine and feminine sides or it could suggest being “tough” and not letting your feelings show at all. Manliness can be demonstrated in some cultures by providing for a family through work, and in others, it might mean scoring the winning goal in a championship game. It is not an easy thing to define an entire gender based on the arbitrary set of ever-changing social and cultural norms, but somehow- it still happens. Trying to define one’s own masculinity and live up to its standards is a tough and grueling task that many men struggle with. Maintaining this masculine bravado is something that the male characters in both Death of a Salesman and A Streetcar Named Desire are familiar with. In fact, they are so immersed in fulfilling the masculine requirements they feel are required of them that, to a degree, masculinity becomes a fundamental character flaw for both Willy Loman and Stanley Kowalski.
In both of these iconic works, the leading male figures are both examples of men whom are trying to or are embracing their achieved masculinity. Both Loman and Kowalski are examples of a ‘man’s man,’ the kind of men that are commonly looked upon for guidance on all things machismo. Both of the men are set apart from those around them due to their stature and their way of living. Stanley’s friends and Willy’s sons all flock to them for advice or sometimes even their conformation on topics or actions. This is not necessarily because they are intelligent or that they believe in the men’s philosophies, but is due to the fact that Sta...
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...'s Studies Rereading of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman." Revista De Estudios Norteamericanos 10 (2004): 21-46. Academic Search Premier. Web. 07 Apr. 2013.
Cardullo, Robert J. "Selling in American Drama, 1946-49." Academic Search Complete. EBSCO, 01 Sept. 2007. Web. 07 Apr. 2013.
Gros, Emmeline. The Southern Gentleman and the Idea of Masculinity: Figures and Aspects of the Southern Beau in the Literary Tradition of the American South. Diss. Georgia State University, 2010. N.p.: Digital Archive @ GSU, 2010. Academic Search Premier. Web. 07 Apr. 2013.
Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman." 1949. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 8th ed. Vol. E. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. 238-303. Print.
Williams, Tennessee. "A Streetcar Named Desire." 1947. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 8th ed. Vol. E. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. 93-155. Print.
We’re all familiar with the stereotypes and myths about what it means to “be a man.” The victorious leader gets what he wants using aggression and does not accept failure; he is smooth with the ladies, and he is often good with a gun. He is usually rich and in control, especially in control of women, like a father who loves his daughter dearly but will be damned if she’s going to go out dressed like that. The list could go on and on with the stereotypes. But the Coen Brothers’ cult-classic film, The Big Lebowsk (1998), with its hero “The Dude,” contradicts these notions of masculinity. The Coen brothers offer several familiar stereotypes of masculinity (the Vietnam vet, the successful capitalist, an oversexed bowler, some aggressive German nihilists), yet it is these characters that throughout the film are shown to be absurd, insecure, and even impotent. It is these stereotype men that the Coen brothers criticize. “Sometimes there’s a man,” says the narrator over and over again, pointing out the Dude’s non-stereotypical masculinity as the true representation of what it means to be a man. The brothers then illustrate that the men who give no thought to their identity, who ignore the pressure to conform to cultural expectations, are to be regarded as “real men.”
Gioia, Dana, and X.J. Kennedy. "Death of a Salesman" Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing, Compact Edition, Interactive Edition. 5th ed. New York: Pearson; Longman Publishing, 2007. 1212-1280. Print.
Murray, Edward. “The Thematic Structure in Death of a Salesman.” Readings on Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman. San Diego: Greenhaven Press Inc., 1999.
Miller, Arthur. The. Death of a Salesman. New York: Penguin, 1949. Yezierska, Anzia.
Have you ever felt that men always screw things up? Perhaps it is not men themselves that cause destruction; maybe it is merely the result of the presence of a masculine character. The role of masculinity is an essential aspect in both Bobbie Ann Mason's short story entitled, Shiloh, and in Tennessee Williams' play, A Streetcar Named Desire, although it functions very differently in each story. In Shiloh, we see the detrimental effects that the male role has even in its absence through the interactions that Leroy has with his with wife, Norma Jean. Contrasting this particular perspective, in A Streetcar Named Desire the destructive manner of the male role is unmistakably present, as it negatively affects Stanley and Stella's relationship. In these two works, we see the masculine role epitomized by one man, and abandoned by another, which, in both situations, leads to the destruction of their marriages. Through the examination of the two stories it becomes ironically clear how terrible and yet desirable the male role is to conquer, and what different effects it has on the central characters involved.
The ideology of male dominance has existed since the beginning of mankind. In the play A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, it is especially apparent that Stanley, who is a working class man, feels the need to assert and reassert this principle of power constantly. Williams makes clear, through the character of Stanley, that the yearning for others’ recognition of their power and capability is the motive behind men’s masculine inclinations.
In Tennessee Williams work A Streetcar Named Desire, the patriarchy of 1950’s America is on full display. This term is used to describe the dominance of men in society, men can and are hurt in its application. The author displays the economical, societal and psychologically effects of patriarchy on each of the main characters. “A society which is characterized by unequal power relations between women and men, whereby women are systematically disadvantaged
Eugene August wrote how ‘Death of a Salesman’ is a profoundly male tragedy, one in which its protagonist is destroyed by a debilitating concept of masculinity . Willy Loman embodies deluded values, hopes and aspirations that originate from the American dream and infiltrates them into every aspect of his life. His highly inflated dreams of success and prosperity contrast with his emotional instability, which tragically lead to mortality and mutability. ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ on the other hand shows how imperilled masculinity is defended. This essay will cover the masculine attitudes towards women, the values held by men and how this is reflected in their primitive behaviour.
Miller, Arthur. “Death of a Salesman.” The Norton Introduction to Literature 10. New York: W. W.
Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman; Certain Private Conversations in Two Acts and a Requiem. New York: Viking, 1949. Print.
Miller, Arthur “Death of a Salesman” Literature: Craft and Voice. Ed. Nicholas Delbanco and Alan Cheuse. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2012. 205-13. Print.
... Works Cited and Consulted. Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. Harold Bloom, ed.,
Miller, Author. “Death of a Salesman.” Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Robert DiYanni. 6th Ed. New York, 2007. 1777-1847. Print.
"Death of a Salesman By Arthur Miller ." Goodreads . N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. .
Miller, Arthur, and Gerald Weales. Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman: Text and Criticism. New York: Viking Press, 1971.