Exploring Masculinity in the Twilight Saga and Its Relevance for the Modern Male
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Exploring Masculinity in The Twilight Saga and Its Relevance for the Modern Male Lyn Radke ’10 Once upon a time, a Mormon housewife named Stephenie Meyer woke up from a dream about a boy and a girl in a meadow. Five years and over 2,500 pages later, The Twilight Saga has emerged as a powerful new cultural phenomenon that boasts over 70 million readers worldwide. The four-part series tells the story of human girl Bella Swan, who is caught in a love triangle between a vampire and a werewolf (Edward Cullen and Jacob Black, respectively). While teenage angst and jealousy rage on, external forces also conspire against the three; the trio must protect themselves (and the town of Forks) from both vengeful rogue vampires Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment and a power-hungry vampire government. However, despite its action and intrigue the series is, at its core, a love story. Through Bella and Edward, readers experience the perils of young love, separation, heartbreak, reunion, and marriage. As such, the series appeals strongly to young adults, although Meyer has also secured an older demographic that includes married women. In 2008, the popular saga became a veritable cultural phenomenon because of the film studio Summit Entertainment. In order to maximize the profits of their investment and expand Meyer’s fan base, Summit created a multi-million dollar franchise with aggressive marketing campaigns and merchandising strategies. The franchise established business relationships with companies such as Volvo, Burger King, Hot Topic, and Mattel, to name a few. In addition to multiple product tie-ins, the commodification of the series includes the actors themselves. Through the media, the franchise carefully constructs and capitalizes on Robert Pattinson’s celebrity—his identity as an intellectual and loner echo Edward’s characterization and increase fan hype and profits.i Thus, the aim of the Twilight franchise is to establish a brand with a cultural impact Photo courtesy of Mattel.com that ensures hefty revenues. The commercial success of Twilight places it at the heart of American culture. Consequently, it has earned the recognition of several scholars who debate about its cultural significance. Yet of all the series’ problematic contents, Meyer’s repressive gender paradigm immediately garners the most attention from both critics and fans; Bella’s role as a ―damsel in distress,‖ Edward’s controlling nature, and the Cullens family’s strict adherence to traditional gender roles are just a few of the saga’s weighty issues. However, at the root of most of the feminist critiques of Twilight is concern for the series’ young (and presumably impressionable) audience. Many critics propose that female fans are in danger of internalizing Meyer’s oppressive depictions of femininity. However, while examining gender roles on behalf of the saga’s female readership is commendable, Twilight cannot be evaluated solely in terms of the self-expectations that female fans may adopt. Its depiction of males must also be considered; in order to speculate about the potential effects of Meyer’s text, we must consider its implications for both sexes within the context of the reality that many males face today. Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment In contemporary society, men still stand in the shadow of the their forefathers’ legacy. While today there is more flexibility in gender expression, occupation, sexuality, and status than ever before, men are still typically expected to fulfill specific roles. An ideal man is a romantic, chivalrous gentleman, a protector and a provider. In order to achieve high levels of success in a materialistic culture, men are required to possess certain secondary traits – strength, charm, beauty, intelligence, virility, and the capacity to achieve wealth. While society is aware of the gender constraints that restrict women (for example, discrepancies in pay and the ―glass ceiling‖), men’s struggles with gendered expectations are still a problem that often goes unnoticed. Unfortunately, scholars’ research on Twilight tends to reflect this trend; it focuses more on Twilight’s impact on women than on men. However, some studies have been conducted on female readers’ relationship expectations, which affect both sexes (the studies don’t explicitly address homosexuality). One study found that ―teen and adult fans who preferred the Edward-Bella relationship were more likely to prefer a romantic relationship in which their partner was protective, possessive, chivalrous, and intensely attracted to them…[and] were more likely to report less satisfaction in their current relationship than all other fans.‖ii The suggestion that romance novels affect women’s assessment of their relationships is troubling in a society that demands that men becomes unequivocal providers and protectors. In addition to facing ideals and expectations in the media and at home, this study suggests that men find the same pressures in their most intimate relationships. The ideal that Edward Cullen embodies is critical because it coincides with traditional perspectives about the role of men in society. As a rich, white, powerful, superior, well-educated, chivalrous male Edward represents perfection. And although Edward’s brand of masculinity is nothing new, the study of its evolution is critical if we are to understand contemporary masculinity. The influence of mass media and advertising is a relatively new phenomenon, and with the expansion of the Internet, the average male confronts impossible male standards on a daily basis. The fact that few recognize the pressures of masculinity only exacerbates the issue. Meyer herself is blissfully unaware of the potential effects of the standard she propagates. When faced with critiques that Edward is ―TOO perfect…an unattainable perfect man,‖ Meyer allegedly responded that ―the world could USE a perfect man! [I hope] that girls learn from these books, too…If all girls held boys to higher standards, the boys would rise to meet them.‖iii Meyer’s cavalier hope that girls will hold boys up to a standard of perfection is misguided. However, she is right about one thing: pop culture does have the power to shape gender and relationship expectations. How members of a culture choose to respond is up to them. As critics and fans, we have a responsibility to look closer at Twilight and its problematic implications. i Aubrey, Jennifer, Scott Walus and Melissa A. Click. "Twilight and the Production of the 21st Century Teen Idol." Bitten By Twilight. Ed. Click, Melissa A., Jennifer Stevens, and Elizabeth Behm. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2010. 232. Print. ii " The Q & A from the February 2007, BYU Symposium." The Twilight Lexicon, 2007. Web. June. 2010. < http://www.twilightlexicon.com/?p=274> iii Morawitz, Elizabeth, Melissa A. Click, and Jennifer Aubrey. "Relating to Twilight: Fan’s Responses to Love and Romance." Bitten By Twilight. Ed. Click, Melissa A., Jennifer Stevens, and Elizabeth Behm. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2010. 151. Print. .