Representations of Gender in “Singing while in the Rain”
Representations of Gender in “Singing while in the Rain”
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Like a mainstream Hollywood movie produced in 1927 it’s not altogether shocking that “Singing from the Rain” signifies Ladies in the stereotypically patriarchal way. Having said that since this film is supposed being a simply just entertaining musical, the ways that the female figures are offered as classic woman tropes is a lot more refined. Lina Lamont, the Hollywood starlet, is a fame-hungry, vapid actress willing to do anything at all to climb the ladder to good results; Kathy Selden, the aspiring actress, would be the witty appreciate desire who worries the protagonist, but that's finally a damsel in distress.
Lina and Kathy could be considered as opposing ideals, both representing a different kind of woman. Lina represents a vulgar, provocatively dressed woman who is loud and strongly opinionated. Kathy is more conservative, quiet, but witty and intelligent, using a wonderful voice and agreeable disposition. It is clear through the portrayals of those feminine figures who the interesting, properly-considered character is (Kathy). And thru this big difference we get an incredibly evident interpretation with the movie’s ideals toward Females. Since Lina may be the antagonist, it is clear that the producers of “Singing in the Rain” consider Kathy’s feminine properties are most well-liked.
The rationale I might argue the composing for these feminine figures is patriarchal is due to the agency of both of these figures. Lina, the naturally disliked character, actually evolves through the entire film and to the top acts on her very own agency and worries the producer, director, Don and Cozmo. Kathy Conversely–the specified really like curiosity–never certainly acts on her personal company, earning her a flat, small character. Throughout the Motion picture, all of her selections are made for her or affected by Don, and he or she ends up being a damsel in distress who Pretty much falls target for more info the “evil” manipulations of Lina. When Lina threatens to ruin Kathy’s vocation and odds at good results, Don actions in and attempts to acquire control of the situation. Below we see Kathy as a person in need of enable, and On this instance It is just a gentleman, her love curiosity, who techniques in to aid her–ergo, a damsel in distress. After upsetting Kathy from the pursuit to expose Lina, Don wins her again using a song toward the tip from the movie.
The truth that this movie’s ideals are mainly patriarchal is, all over again, not shocking due to period of time, but it's important to notice how the narrative is constructed as being a representation of Hollywood’s beliefs. And because this Motion picture was created all through Hollywood’s Golden Age, it’s a safe guess to presume that it's a broadly held notion of that period of time, that a more demure, passive and agreeable girl is to be quite possibly the most wanted and liked. Audiences are consequently socialized to simply accept with these ideals and see a woman like Lina, that's characterized and focalized as “troublesome” and “manipulative” and wears far more flashy and sexualized clothing, as being the lesser woman. And this isn't to say that Lina is just not troublesome or manipulative, however, if a man was participating in her part, she would possibly be considered humorous for her lousy voice, or impressive for her manipulation.