StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Feminist Analysis of the Film Pretty Woman - Research Paper Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper "Feminist Analysis of the Film Pretty Woman" focuses on the critical feminist analysis of the film Pretty Woman. Feminism is an organized clustered movement that was initiated during the early sixties and focused on the establishment and defense of women's equality…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER95.7% of users find it useful
Feminist Analysis of the Film Pretty Woman
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Feminist Analysis of the Film Pretty Woman"

?Feminist Analysis of the Film “Pretty Woman” Introduction Feminism is an organised clustered movement that initiated during early sixties and focused on the establishment and defence of the women equality and right pertaining to political, economic, and equal opportunities of women. The movement within no time spread so widely that a different genre of literature, art and aesthetic evolved out of the movement with pertinent principles of the ‘ism’ and the movement captivated within the context of the work. Feminist scholars and school of thoughts have divided the movement into three distinct “waves”. The first wave is mainly referred to women’s suffrage, the second wave is associated with the liberation movement of women and the third one is related and can be felt through the continuation of the movement through the reaction evolved in the field of art and literature and perceived as the failure of the second-wave of feminism which began in the 1990s. The first wave of feminism is related with suffrage movements of the nineteenth and first-half of the twentieth century. This particular wave in the feminist movement was concerned with the women’s right to vote. The second wave of feminism began in 1960s and was related with the major focus on women liberation which campaigned for the equality of women in legal and social front. In cultural context, feminist film, art or literature evolves out of the movement and forms its four distinct principles pertaining to four schools of thoughts. Also sometimes pieces of art, literature or aesthetics are judged and viewed from the feminist perspective. The same perspective can be judged after giving a close introspection to the film “Pretty Woman” which appeared on the silver screen in the year 1990 as a romantic comedy written by J. F. Lawton and directed by Garry Marshall. The film stars casted Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in the leading roles along with Hector Elizondo and many others. The plot of the movie centres round the down-on-her-luck prostitute from Hollywood, Vivian Ward who acts as an escort to the rich businessman Edward Lewis for a week in his business trip. The story is all about their brief period of staying together and their growing relationships. This film can be viewed from a strong feminist bent and all the four critical theories and principles of feminism somewhere peep through the lighter plot of the film. Thesis Statement This essay tends to analyse myriad subtle and intricate feminist perspectives and interpretations entwined within the plot of the film. The essay also intends to discuss the critical role of the four principles of feminism operating throughout the film. Pretty Woman: A Feminist Discourse The plot of the film centres round seduction; love and its development of a Hollywood prostitute Vivian with a robot like multi-millionaire, Edward Lewis. At the outset of the movie we are introduced to a woman who is not doing well with her business of prostitution. The body of Vivian (played by Julia Roberts) is subjected or rather exposed for material pleasure and as a prostitute, Vivian sells her body and her body is likely to be viewed as a mere commodity. The critical theory of liberal feminism plays well here. According to the theory or principle, the parameter of gender prejudice is based on the individual ignorance. And education is seen as the key tool against the battle for gender discrimination (Sociology, “Feminism: Basic Principles”). In the film, the prostitute Vivian is not educated and so she is compelled to choose a profession where no much brain work is needed. But during her stay with Edward Lewis we can hear few real wise statements from her which proves her intelligence. Also Vivian at the first acquaintance with any person irrespective of men or women gives the option that she is ready to be called by the name that the other person pleases. This kind of an instruction clearly indicates a threat to the existence of Vivian as an entity and creates an existential crisis for her. With Vivian, the body is her identity and she is a product with a pretty face and a sexy body and so her name and identity hardly matters. The existence of body and its treatment as a commodity takes dominance over her social identity. A film recreated on the Pygmalion myth, begins with a pertinent tune of neo-Pygmalion comedy with a tough hooker heroine captivated within it and the film definitely works as a feminist version of an upscale princess fantasy (The New York Times, “Movies”). Taking into consideration, the Marxist view or principle of feminism operating through the film “Pretty Woman”, it is first essential to understand the principle associated with the Marxist view of feminism. Marxist view or principle of feminism envisions that the seed of all discriminations lay in capitalist class relationships. This class distinction is the root cause of female oppression, exploitation and anarchy inflicted on the women section of the society. Marxist principle of feminism views that men are socialised into exploitative relationships that they display in place of work and in their homes. In the film too, we see the body, and the company of Vivian gets sold for first a day and next a week. She is supposed to ease Edward, the capitalist who has the power of money and who neither manufactures nor sells anything but buys companies in trouble and sells them into pieces. He comes to Hollywood for a deal where he had to face some trouble with the owner of the company who is not ready to sell his property and is ready to bear the losses because he is worried about his men who have been serving him and his company for ages. Vivian is shown as a symbol, an icon of the proletariat class who is paid enough homage and respect by Edward and Vivian is shown having the capacity to mould the mind of Edward who finally does not take over the wrecked company completely and gives a thought to the values of humanity associated with an enterprise or commodity. Though Vivian is also accepted as a marketing personal who markets her body by Edward in a lighter note, still both of them are shown to have some professional connections as both come to contention while talking that in business, personal attachment should be completely disdained and both in their own ways, actually contradict their pro-capitalist vision through their activities. The socialist principle of feminism or view suggests that the power of men over women is being consolidated by the ideological myths about women and her body. These myths are viewed as an integral part of a strong socialising and seen as a powerful influence on women that culminates to define and code their role as stereotypes essentially, “a mother”, “house-keeper” and “a child-rarer”. Vivian is viewed in the light of the socialist principle as she is projected as someone fragile and the story of the film is set in a way where the princess in distress gets freedom in the hands of a rich, handsome prince, an aspiration and dream of every woman with a middle class mentality. The film pertinently indicates transcendence of money over love. At the same time, the film bears a strong inclination towards the social status and shows that women are more taken away by the status of men than their love. Also the identity of a woman can change if exposed to a strong social class and entity as it happens in the case of Vivian’s costly make-over which Edward sponsors in order to take her as an escort to some of the high-class events that Edward was supposed to attend during his stay in Beverly Hills (Tandon, “Feminism: A Paradigm Shift”). The radical principle or view of feminism points out patriarchy and sex class are the keys to all the ideation related with the understanding of women and her position and experience in all types of society. Vivian and her subverted role are subjugated to the desire of a male-dominated society where her body is her sole identity and is key factor to the radical philosophy of feminism operating throughout the film. Conclusion The film “Pretty Woman” though launched with a veil of a romantic comedy projecting the story of a hooker and a lonely eligible rich bachelor, it contains quite a few food for thought. The subtle expression of manifold social and economic issues captivated within the light plot of the film only needs proper exploration and address. The feminist content of the film is great but explicit. On a proper exploration, one can find all the principle and school of thoughts pertaining to the movement that operates throughout the film. The film is subjected to viewing for every feminist as it opens up the perception and myriad manifestation of women exploitation prevailing in the society. Crafted out of the Pygmalion myth, the film actually bears some of the truest and the darkest sides of the society which often escapes our attention or they get subverted by the glamorous high-society life and the glitches that surround it. But this cannot disdain the reality and the film is a reflection, a paradigm where the women exploitation and its true sides are projected. References Sociology, “Feminism: Basic Principles”. April 16, 2011. Liberal Feminism. 2005. The New York Times, “Movies”. April 16, 2011. Pretty Woman. 1990. Tandon, Neeru, Feminism: A Paradigm Shift. Atlantic Publishers & Dist, 2008. Bibliography Beasley, Chris, What is feminism?: An Introduction to Feminist Theory. Sage, 1999. Gleiberman, Owen. “Pretty Woman”. April 16, 2011. Movie Review. July 26, 2007. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Feminist analysis of the film pretty woman Research Paper”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/family-consumer-science/1416730-feminist-analysis-of-the-film-pretty-woman
(Feminist Analysis of the Film Pretty Woman Research Paper)
https://studentshare.org/family-consumer-science/1416730-feminist-analysis-of-the-film-pretty-woman.
“Feminist Analysis of the Film Pretty Woman Research Paper”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/family-consumer-science/1416730-feminist-analysis-of-the-film-pretty-woman.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Feminist Analysis of the Film Pretty Woman

The Opposite Sex by Steven Doloff

This study will present a critical analysis of the article “The Opposite Sex” by Steven Doloff.... According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that Steven Doloff's essay is a true depiction of sexism that prevails in the minds of young people.... hellip; The conclusion from this study states that Doloff's male students did not like the idea of the task given to them, and it hurt their male chauvinistic ego to step into female gender's shoes for a day....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay

Should Feminists Be against Pornography

hellip; Taking examples from daily life, the woman body is sometimes used as a commodity in order to promote some product or at times to argue the virtue of loyalty with reference to the myth of Penelope and Ulysses where the beautiful wife Penelope waits for her husband Ulysses even though she had thousands of suitors while Ulysses was away on a voyage (Heberle, 2006, 68).... Whether one is a man or a woman holds no significance in the Marxist world.... It denies any difference based on gender, and refutes any conflict that might be related to what rights a woman can enjoy as compared to her male counterpart....
16 Pages (4000 words) Essay

A femnist Analysis of an Item of Popular culture

However, to fulfill the purpose of this paper, I will be elaborating on a “feminist analysis of an Item of Popular Culture” hereafter.... This film is based on a television series with the same name which had complete five seasons and 110 episodes from September 1976 to June 1981....
7 Pages (1750 words) Research Paper

The Role of Women in Literature

Lawrence's “Cocksure Women and Hensure Men” and Nora Ephron's “The Hurled Ashtray” depict the long and continuous social progress from complete powerless and subordination, through radical feminism and male chauvinism, towards a reasonable balance of gender forces that gives the woman a voice against injustice and power to fight against discrimination without abusing the rights and position of men.... The story is about a woman who, when she is informed about her husband's death, experiences unprecedented exhilaration at the fact that she can finally release herself from the chains of marriage....
5 Pages (1250 words) Research Paper

Daddy and Diving into the Wreck: A Feminist Analysis

The efforts then showed the overall conditions of women in the society as it serves as the starting point for further studies and analysis (Adams 240).... Her works created new perspectives on literature as she combined the feminist issues that linked formation and disorganization.... rdquo; On the other hand, Adrienne Rich wrote her poems and other literary works with the feminist theme that showed female vulnerability and cultural distortion on experiences of females and even made use of idiomatic expressions upon topics on women (Stringer 569)....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Female Objectification in Contemporary Films from Different Origins

The movie pretty woman was directed by Garry Marshall and became one of the most successful romantic comedies in the history of cinematic production (Hulse 23).... The film How Much Do You Love Me on the other hand is a French production which also has same thematic as pretty woman.... The movie pretty woman rankle feminists.... It is evident that women are labeled as sexual objects within the movie pretty woman especially in its early scenes....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

Choose promt in attachment

In films such as pretty woman, women are portrayed as escorts who are paid for their companionship services.... Instructor Date Gender and/ or Sexuality in Films the film industry has seen one of the greatest evolutions with time, comparing how it was in the 1950s and how it is today.... The latter has seen a lot of improvement in the film industry for women.... In 100 Girls, there are women who are in the film to fulfill the actor's sexual desires....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Symbolic of the Cult of True Womanhood

The work History of woman Suffrage notes that at such meetings “it is striking how many women doctors are mentioned as either attending the meetings or corresponding with women's rights leaders.... Romanticizing of woman's role in the family and home segregated women, barring them from the public domain became a thing of the past.... In actuality the relation of the two sexes is not quite like that of two electrical poles, for man represents both the positive and the neutral, as is indicated by the common use of man to designate human beings in general; whereas woman represents only the negative, defined by limiting criteria, without reciprocity....
30 Pages (7500 words) Coursework
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us