a. The state or fact of being masculine; the assemblage of qualities regarded as characteristics of men; maleness, manliness
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, masculinity is the definition of being a 'man'. Society, in the past and the present, has standardized the definition.
In George Orwell's 1984, it is interesting that the portrayal of the protagonist is the complete opposite of the society's definition of being masculine. Winston Smith is immediately related to sickness and disease with the description of "[his] varicose ulcer above his right ankle" (Orwell 2). Unlike the usual protagonists, Winston is not the accepted version of a 'hero' or 'masculine' as he is seen as weak and feeble. Despite Big Brother's role as the antagonist, he is portrayed as the masculine figure that is accepted by society; his hero figure can be seen as the protagonist role.
Julia, this post needs work. I think you provide quite a bit more detail about masculinity (and its construction) within our cultural framework. What are the reasons (media, literature, pop culture, etc.) for our gendered conceptions? Give specific examples.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think is the specific relationship between Winston's feminization and Big Brother's hyper-masculine authority?