Rear Window Stereotypes

This essay will compare and contrast the representations of male sexuality in Rear Window and Fifty Shades of Darker. Sexuality is socially constructed by the views of society, thus sexual beliefs, practices, relationships reflect social patterns. Sexuality and what it means to be masculine has changed over the years due to how it has been represented, mass media has a played a fundamental role in the evolution of both sexuality and masculinity. In the past the concept of masculinity revolved around notions and attitudes such as aggression, power and control (Cohan, 2012). Whilst such representation this still exists, today however there is an added dimension with regards to the physical appearance of males. The male body has been commodified

There is a concentration on the physical appearance in a way in which differs from previously when men were seen as being psychologically dominant compared to female characters and were the bearers of the gaze. In today’s society sexuality and gender are interrelated and affect the outcome of one another. The ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ sexual practices, beliefs and behaviours are constructed by the way gender is viewed. (Spl.ids.ac.uk , 2018) . The outcome is that it blurs the identification of heterosexuality and homosexuality, as there are cross overs in male sexuality. Furthermore, movies have created an unrealistic image of male sexuality that has caused men in society to feel anxiety regarding own sexuality this feeling the need to seek power over females to feel masculine and

(Cohan, 2012 p3). In popular culture for example there has been a rise of sexualised images of men in advertisement (Rohlinger. 2002, p61). In the trailer of Fifty Shades of Darker for instance the camera focused on Christian Grey’s body in proportion to the plot. The image of the male body has been designed in way which appeals to women as well as men, men aspire to have the body as it is represented as coming with a certain lifestyle, particularly in because Fifty Shades of Darker the movie shows his lavish lifestyle as well as representing him as a successful entrepreneur. One could deduce therefore, that in popular culture the physical presentation of the body empathises power and control. Something which is considered important as it represents masculinity (Rohlinger, 2002). Christian can for instant, physically pick Anastasia up when she refuses to follow his directions. Furthermore, the identifications of power are represented through how he is presented in the bedroom, the way he makes Anastasia try new sex toys and positions which mostly put Anastasia in a position where she is in pain and submissive, for example, when he whips her he is exerting his strength on to her which makes him feel dominant and powerful. This form of control is different to how Jeffries is presented as being powerful and dominant over Lisa and is