MASCULINITIESMASCULINITIES

Ken doll Ken doll

Cod-piece Cod-piece (Giovanni Baptista (Giovanni Baptista Moroni, 1565)Moroni, 1565)

menmen

men 2men 2

men 3 men 3

men 4men 4

Asymmetry between the study of femininity and Asymmetry between the study of femininity and masculinitymasculinity

„„Woman has ovaries, a uterus; these peculiarities Woman has ovaries, a uterus; these peculiarities imprison her within the limits of her own nature. imprison her within the limits of her own nature. It is often said that she thinks with her glands. It is often said that she thinks with her glands. Man superbly ignores the fact that his own Man superbly ignores the fact that his own anatomy also includes glands, such as testicles, anatomy also includes glands, such as testicles, and that they secrete hormones. He thinks of his and that they secrete hormones. He thinks of his body as a direct and normal connection with the body as a direct and normal connection with the world, which he believes he apprehends world, which he believes he apprehends objectively, whereas he regards the body of objectively, whereas he regards the body of woman as a hindrance, a prison, weighed down woman as a hindrance, a prison, weighed down by everything peculiar to it.” (Simone de by everything peculiar to it.” (Simone de Beauvoir)Beauvoir)

Men’s studies - „Men’s lib” Men’s studies - „Men’s lib”

Robert Bly: Robert Bly: Iron JohnIron John (Vasjankó) 1990 (Vasjankó) 1990

„„soft men” – „deep masculinity” soft men” – „deep masculinity”

Masculinity as a social construction Masculinity as a social construction

Normative ideas of manlinessNormative ideas of manliness

Masculinity: Masculinity:

- plural - plural - historically changing historically changing - relational relational

Codes of masculinity ~ gender boundaries Codes of masculinity ~ gender boundaries

Implicated in other discourses (race, class, Implicated in other discourses (race, class, nationality) white man / Asian / black mannationality) white man / Asian / black man

Hegemonic mHegemonic masculinityasculinity (William Connell) (William Connell)

Hegemony: not the same as total, absolute rule Hegemony: not the same as total, absolute rule

Edward Poynter: The CatapultEdward Poynter: The Catapult

Ideals of courage, self/denial, toughness, Ideals of courage, self/denial, toughness, aggressivity aggressivity

Libido dominandi (Pierre Bourdieu)Libido dominandi (Pierre Bourdieu)

““Boys don’t cry” Boys don’t cry”

„„If we live in a ‘man’s world’, it is not a If we live in a ‘man’s world’, it is not a world that has been built upon the needs world that has been built upon the needs and nourishment of men. Rather, it is a and nourishment of men. Rather, it is a social world of power and subordination social world of power and subordination in which men have been forced to in which men have been forced to compete if we want to benefit from our compete if we want to benefit from our inherited masculinity” (Victor Seidler)inherited masculinity” (Victor Seidler)

„„our culture cruelly constrains [men], inour culture cruelly constrains [men], in

varying degree, to be the bearers of avarying degree, to be the bearers of a

gender identity that deforms and harmsgender identity that deforms and harms

them as much as it damages women” them as much as it damages women”

(Cynthia Cockburn)(Cynthia Cockburn)

Men’s Dress Reform Party 1931Men’s Dress Reform Party 1931

The male machine is a special kind of being,The male machine is a special kind of being,

different from women, children, and men whodifferent from women, children, and men who

don’t measure up. He is functional, designeddon’t measure up. He is functional, designed

mainly for work... His most important positivemainly for work... His most important positive

reinforcement is victory. He has armour platingreinforcement is victory. He has armour plating

which is virtually impregnable... The malewhich is virtually impregnable... The male

stereotype makes masculinity not just a fact ofstereotype makes masculinity not just a fact of

biology but something that must be proved andbiology but something that must be proved and

re-proved, a continual quest for an ever-recedingre-proved, a continual quest for an ever-receding

Holy Grail (Marc Feigen Fasteau: The Male Holy Grail (Marc Feigen Fasteau: The Male Machine ,1974) Machine ,1974)

Masculinity is not simply a position of powerMasculinity is not simply a position of power

that puts men in comfortable positions of controlthat puts men in comfortable positions of control

... If we understand masculinity as a constant... If we understand masculinity as a constant

contradictory struggle rather than just thecontradictory struggle rather than just the

privileged position within a powerprivileged position within a power

disequilibrium, we come closer to a fulldisequilibrium, we come closer to a full

understanding of gender studies understanding of gender studies

(Peter N. Stearns: Be a Man! Males in Modern (Peter N. Stearns: Be a Man! Males in Modern Society, 1990) Society, 1990)

Masculinity (gender) as constructionMasculinity (gender) as construction

- Psychological construction for each individual- Psychological construction for each individual

- Social construction, set of ideas, practices, - Social construction, set of ideas, practices, imagesimages

Masculinity as a psychological constructionMasculinity as a psychological construction

Freud: Oedipus complex, Oedipal rivalry Freud: Oedipus complex, Oedipal rivalry

Alfred AdlerAlfred Adler (1910s) (1910s): inferiority complex: inferiority complex – –

anxiety – (over)compensation: aggressivityanxiety – (over)compensation: aggressivity

Karen Horney, Melanie Klein: breast envyKaren Horney, Melanie Klein: breast envy

Couvade syndromeCouvade syndrome (sympathetic male (sympathetic male pregnancy)pregnancy)

Masculinity as a social constructMasculinity as a social construct

Victorian masculinitiesVictorian masculinitiesEarly Vict.: formless male energy – needs curtailing, Early Vict.: formless male energy – needs curtailing,

harnessing: discipline, self/denial, labour, soldieringharnessing: discipline, self/denial, labour, soldiering

Classical (Roman) heroes Classical (Roman) heroes

Ascetic, monastic ideal (masculinity as the repression of Ascetic, monastic ideal (masculinity as the repression of male energies) male energies)

Chivalric ideal Chivalric ideal

David: Oath of the HoratiiDavid: Oath of the Horatii

Frank Dicksee: Frank Dicksee:

Chivalry Chivalry

Normative heterosexuality vs powerful male bonding Normative heterosexuality vs powerful male bonding

(homosociality) (homosociality)

Fantasies of worlds without women: Fantasies of worlds without women:

Public school, university, club, colonies, exploration, shipboard life, Public school, university, club, colonies, exploration, shipboard life, army, sport army, sport

Jekyll and Hyde Jekyll and Hyde

Later Victorian period: cult of male bodyLater Victorian period: cult of male body

(degeneration fears, Empire, racism) (degeneration fears, Empire, racism)

Spartan virilitySpartan virility

Muscular ChristianityMuscular Christianity

Soldier hero Soldier hero

Athleticism, physical cultureAthleticism, physical culture (rise of sports) (rise of sports)

„„Athletics vs. Athletics vs. Aesthetics”Aesthetics”

Illustrated Illustrated London NewsLondon News, , 18821882

W. Frank Calderon: Son of the EmpireW. Frank Calderon: Son of the Empire

Charles Spencelayh: Dreams of Glory 1900Charles Spencelayh: Dreams of Glory 1900

Collinson: Collinson:

The Siege of The Siege of SebastopolSebastopol

Lord Baden-Lord Baden-Powell’s book Powell’s book (1908)(1908)

Besides boy scouts, there are also peace scouts ... theBesides boy scouts, there are also peace scouts ... thefrontiersmen of all parts of our Empire. The ’trappers’ of Northfrontiersmen of all parts of our Empire. The ’trappers’ of NorthAmerica, hunters of Central Africa, the British pioneers, explorers,America, hunters of Central Africa, the British pioneers, explorers,and missionaries over and missionaries over tthe wild parts of the world, – all are peace he wild parts of the world, – all are peace

scouts, real men in every sense of the word, and thoroughly up scouts, real men in every sense of the word, and thoroughly up in scoutcraft, i. e. they understand living out in the jungles, ... in scoutcraft, i. e. they understand living out in the jungles, ... they know how to look after their health when far away from they know how to look after their health when far away from doctors, are strong and plucky, and ready to face any danger, doctors, are strong and plucky, and ready to face any danger, and always keen to help each other. They are accustomed to and always keen to help each other. They are accustomed to take their lives in their hands, and to fling them down without take their lives in their hands, and to fling them down without hesitation if they can help their country by doing so. They give hesitation if they can help their country by doing so. They give up everything, their personal comforts and desires in order to up everything, their personal comforts and desires in order to get their work done. They do not do all this for their own get their work done. They do not do all this for their own amusement, but because it is their duty to their King, fellow-amusement, but because it is their duty to their King, fellow-countrymen, or employers. The history of the Empire has been countrymen, or employers. The history of the Empire has been made by British adventurers and explorers, the scouts of the made by British adventurers and explorers, the scouts of the nationnation…… The Knights of King Arthur, Richard Coeur de Lion, The Knights of King Arthur, Richard Coeur de Lion, and the Crusaders, carried British chivalry into distant parts of and the Crusaders, carried British chivalry into distant parts of the earth. (Lord Robert Baden-Powell, the earth. (Lord Robert Baden-Powell, Scouting for BoysScouting for Boys, 1908) , 1908)

Frederick Leighton: Frederick Leighton: Daedalus and IcarusDaedalus and Icarus

Eugen SandowEugen Sandow

Eugen SandowEugen Sandow

John Singer Sargent: GassedJohn Singer Sargent: Gassed

Hard-boiled thriller, Hard-boiled thriller,

film noir film noir

(Raymond (Raymond Chandler)Chandler)

Humphrey BogartHumphrey Bogart

Hans Suren: Men and the SunHans Suren: Men and the Sun

Arno Breker’s sculpturesArno Breker’s sculptures

Josef Thorak:Josef Thorak:

KameradschaftKameradschaft

(Camaraderie)(Camaraderie)

„„This century is ours This century is ours

And we shall live And we shall live

In the full beauty In the full beauty

of our Manhood”of our Manhood”

(Theo Lang, British (Theo Lang, British Union of Fascists, Union of Fascists, 1935)1935)

Body building is „theBody building is „the

dream of physicaldream of physical

perfection and the agoniesperfection and the agonies

you go through to attainyou go through to attain

it” it”

(Arnold Schwarzenegger: (Arnold Schwarzenegger: Pumping IronPumping Iron, 1976), 1976)

The idea of Arnold The idea of Arnold ScwarzeneggerScwarzenegger

„„Dominant fiction calls Dominant fiction calls upon the male subject to upon the male subject to see himself ... only see himself ... only through the mediation of through the mediation of unimpaired masculinity”unimpaired masculinity”

(Kaja Silverman, (Kaja Silverman, Male Male Subjectivity at the Subjectivity at the MarginsMargins 1992) 1992)

Marlon Brando in Marlon Brando in The Streetcar The Streetcar named Desirenamed Desire

Louis XIV and Louis XIV and his shapely his shapely legslegs

„„Is that what a man Is that what a man looks like?” looks like?”

(Tyler Durden in (Tyler Durden in Fight ClubFight Club))

The S-curve (line of The S-curve (line of beauty)beauty)

Burt Reynolds in Cosmo, 1972Burt Reynolds in Cosmo, 1972

Titian: Venus of UrbinoTitian: Venus of Urbino