Representations of Male Power
Representations of Male Power
Traditionally media representations of men have always involved power and other characteristics commonly associated with males and masculinity. In the past, media texts have generally constructed men to conform to specific ideals understood by society regarding masculinity and the idyllic male qualities. These principles in today’s society describe what is known as dominant masculinity. While it is common for modern society to construct texts reflecting dominant masculine values, new representations of men are evolving. Within modern media texts, the representation of men often challenges the central attitude regarding dominant masculinity. This essay will discuss how media representations of men have transformed over time, and how traditional masculinity values have been confronted with radical ideologies concerning construction of men and multiple masculinities.
Historically males have been classed as superior to females, privileged with greater rights and have governed societies through the patriarch system. Another key signifier associated with men is power. The fore-mentioned ideas are the principles on which dominant masculinity is based, and where the concept evolved. The ideologies of traditional masculinity are personified within today’s media through portrayal of strong, tough, cool and heterosexual stars. Archetypal of this being stars such as Clint Eastwood, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. Similarly the actual characters within films are constructed possessing power and masculine attributes. The media essentially normalizes these qualities within males and creates a desire for men to achieve similarity and conform to societies model of masculinity.
The universalism of traditional masculinity was assisted by the development of film early in the twentieth century. Films were predominantly produced in America and as a result the values and attitudes of American society were adopted throughout the Western world. The effect of controlling the film and media production, and subsequently widespread cultural values followed the process of cultural imperialism, where one culture asserts its economic and political control over another country (O’Shaughnessy, 1999, p 99). The primary production of Western film and Gangster films at this time reflected American society and it’s values. Within these texts power, strength and authority were crucial characteristics and these traits were therefore commonly associated with masculine ideologies.
Often modern texts and films defy the ideologies presented within dominant masculinity. There are many alternative representations that can be distinguished in modern texts. Contemporary constructions of men often show more feminist characteristics, diverse sexuality and other traits that oppose traditional masculinity such as being less...