Task 11

Laura Mulvey Summary

Laura Mulvey is a media theorist well known for her theory of the ‘Male-Gaze’. The theory suggests that women are seen merely just as ‘sex objects’ (objectification) for the male’s pleasure. One way they are used as sex objects is by holding a phallic object (An object which represents the man’s penis) such as a Banana or Cucumber. This in turn degrades women. The phallic object represents the male’s power in society (patriarchy), as it’s the one thing that a woman does not have that gives the man his power. The woman has womb/penis envy in that she desires the penis as it is the penis that gives the man his power. Psychoanalysis is a psychological method employed by Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis is a psychological therapy which focuses on the repression of wishes, usually sexual, which is preserved in the unconscious. The unconscious refers to the mental functioning by subjects make themselves unaware. This is best explained through the iceberg idea. Icebergs are large masses of ice which float on the water. From a boat we would see the iceberg as large, we are conscious of this, however from the view we feel that the part we see is the iceberg as a whole, however we are unaware (unconscious) that the larger proportion of the iceberg is below the boat. By being unconscious of the large proportion of ice below, this is a resistance of the knowledge of our unconscious mind. So returning to the idea of the women not having a penis, in psychoanalytical terms, as the female does not have the man’s penis, they are to the man’s eye’s castrated (castration), which means that the women’s penis has symbolically been chopped off. Some men feel anxiety and so view women through a voyeuristic view (voyeurism- women are views as virtuous and beautiful). Whilst the other way women are view is in a fetishist (fetishization/fetish- the women is viewed as excessively ‘sexual beings’).

In the narrative cinema, the hero/protagonist is always or traditionally a male character. The hero, in films, are always presented as big, strong, handsome, brave which could be said through a male’s point of view is an idealised version of themselves (idealization). The audience identify with the character through characteristics which they can relate to (identification). Aspects of the mise-en-scene, such as point of view shots is a method used by directors to position the audience (audience positioning/spectatorship) to identify with the hero/protagonist and be in there position and feel what they feel.

Scopophilia involves watching something that can give us pleasure but should not been seen. For example the audience may be watching a sex scene in a film and receive scopophilic pleasure. The audience are watching two people making love, but the audience are watching them but they cannot be seen watching the scene. In addition, usually the audience is assumed to be male. The scene may have a protagonist or voiceover which describes the scene, in turn the audience is assumed to be male.

How the theory could be useful for my independent study

Although Laura Mulvey’s theory does not directly relate to my text ‘Shrek the Third’ (2007), it can be discussed in my wider context S.H.E.P.

The film ‘Shrek the Third’(2007) reflects how women have become more equal in society. From talking about female power and feminism and how females are fighting for equality, I can also debate about how the male backlash and how women are degraded. The film does have phallic objects such as swords for example in the first scene where we meet Artie; he is shown holding a sword. Phallic objects are objects which symbolises the man’s penis and the man’s power. The man’s power comes from his penis as it is the one thing the women does not have and envy’s. In turn, to the male’s eyes, as the woman does not posses the penis, the woman is castrated. So I can have a mini-debate about women’s fight for equality and the male backlash and how the man’s power comes from the phallic and that phallic objects are used in the film.