To what extent do the female characters in 'the dark night rises' and 'SALT' challenge traditional female stereotypes ?
The female characters in both 'salt' and 'dark night rises' challenges the traditional stereotype of women being fragile, weak and reliant on men. However although there is this alternative representation of catwomen she is still presented as seductive and sexual, suggesting that women are still objectified and put on tv for the pleasure of men (Mulveys idea of female gaze). weak and reliant on men. the traditional stereotype of women in films are the role of seductiveness a prize and a damsel in distress, and both characters display those characteristics to some extend. Cat women has that stereotype of seductiveness because of the way she dresses and talks suggesting that she is on the screen for the pleasure of men, she also acts upon that prize characteristics because towards the end of the movie when all good is restored she sleeps with batman, finally she acts on the damsel in distress stereotype as that was the only way to get batman to help her. Therefore although these films are supposed to show a change in attitudes towards women by giving them powerful leading action film roles, they are still expected to have the key stereotypes in their acting to create a shorthand (medhurst) so the audience can quickly identify them. Furthermore these stereotypes are also incorporated in salt although she plays the protagonist, she is still presented seductive due to the costume and the emphasis on her lips and eyes still presenting her as really attractive and due to the action category being popular in males they need to keep them interested so they need to look seductive (for the pleasure of men). Furthermore she plays the role of damsel in distress as she was an orphan that was forced upon this life of crimes so the male lead in playing her love interest is playing her hero (propps theory of characters), in addition she is being hunted by a lot of males playing into that stereotype of women being prizes to men.
Although women may get the lead role in most action movies they still stay in the boundaries of traditional stereotypes however the extent to whether those roles are acted upon changed but not as significantly as other genres in film. for example in Disney movies women go from always being portrayed as the damsel in distress and the prize for men for being so humble, to the later Disney movies portraying women as powerful and independent. For example in the movie 'Brave' the protagonist is powerful and not reliant on men as she goes on the quest and completes it without being accompanied or helped by a male suggesting that women are also capable in difficult tasks. However there are some traditional stereotypes in this also as she is a princess. similarly 'Frozen' didn't stick to the traditional stereotypes because the two main characters were female and it shows how women can make powerful leaders and are capable to lead.
Women have never been in a stronger position to lead and change the shape the economic, social and political landscape. the 21st century has seen a dramatic shift in traditional family dynamics and greater recognition of gender in legislation has helped pull apart gender-role divisions. stereotyped representation at the same time, to grab the viewers attention women are objectified not only in 'The Sun' page 4, such representation create stereotypes that are later incorporated in films as a result those representation of females would always be addressed but never solved as a result females would never be able to fully challenge traditional female stereotypes.
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