PREP for Year 11
I am stage manager with the school play Dress Rehearsal this morning, so please do the following work on your blog. Complete for PREP.
Title of your classwork blog post is THE AVENGERS: REPRESENTATIONS OF GENDER
First line of your blog post: HOW DOES THE AVENGERS CHALLENGE TRADITIONAL REPRESENTATIONS OF GENDER TO REACH A 1960's AUDIENCE?
In your answer, analyse how both Peel and Steed are presented, supporting your comments with examples of what they do and say, what they wear, and how they behave with each other. You can take examples from anywhere in the programme, which you may listen to on ClickView with headphones (if you have headphones).
- Is Peel a strong female lead? Does she use her intelligence to solve the case? Does this challenge traditional stereotypes of men being in control and holding all the power?
- What evidence is there that Peel is adventurous, cool, unflappable, a skilled fencer, physically brave, well educated, financially independent?
- Does she answer Steed back and hold her own? Does he assume command? Is there a jokey, equal quality to their relationship?
- Is Steed urbane, self-confident,
- Do Peel's tight-fitting costumes sexualize her? Is this a common stereotypical treatment of women?
- Are they any occasions when Peel is seen to be 'rescued'? Is this a traditional stereotype?
- The programme was broadcast after the nine o'clock watershed. Has this allowed for more 'romantic' elements in the narrative?
Responses may analyse the extract in terms of representation, for example:
ReplyDelete the inclusion of a strong female lead who uses her intelligence to solve the case challenges stereotypes of men being in control and holding all the power
the obvious sexualisation of Peel through her tight-fitting costume is a common stereotype of the genre
Peel’s need to be untied and saved by Steed supports more traditional gender stereotypes
Steed refers to Peel’s weight, as he unties her, which conforms to the gender stereotype that women should be concerned about their appearance and weight
Responses may analyse the extract in terms of media language, for example:
the mise-en-scène of Peel’s tight-fitting black cat-suit costume sexualises her for a male audience
Steed calls out to Peel with the line: ‘Mrs Peel?’ which is a sign of respect and suggests a time when women were referred to by their marital status rather than by their first name
the use of the set-piece fight sequence between two male characters is a convention of the genre
Responses may analyse the extract in terms of media industries, for example:
the programme is scheduled on primetime Saturday night television with little competition from other channels
the large budget allows for more sophisticated camerawork and a range of more interesting locations which would appeal to a wider television audience
post-watershed scheduling allows for under-currents of sexual tension between the male and female character
the post-watershed scheduling also allows for a more sexualised female character in Peel
Responses may analyse the extract in terms of media contexts, for example:
changing attitudes to gender representations through the portrayal of Emma Peel reflecting a time in which women were taking on more dominant roles in society and popular culture
undermining of the positive female role through the way that Emma Peel is sexually objectified and requires ‘saving’ by Steed