A MAN IN ROMANCE: THE PORTRAYAL OF THE MALE PROTAGONIST IN NETFLIX’S SERIES “BRIDGERTON” SEASON 1 (2020)
Main Article Content
Abstract
Gender research in the media focuses more on the representation of women and neglects that of men (Brooks & Hébert, 2006; Kimmel et al., 2004). Little research has been conducted to examine the representation of men’s psychological aspects, such as feelings, affection and personality. This paper analyzes Netflix's series Bridgerton Season 1 using a critical discourse analysis approach, to explore how the male protagonist is portrayed visually and linguistically in romance. The findings reveal that while the male protagonist is portrayed as having vulnerabilities and insecurities in love and marriage, he is ultimately depicted with stereotypical masculine traits associated with patriarchal power. Although this depiction of the male protagonist may encourage the audience to embrace the multiplicity of masculinity, it could reinforce male gender norms and raise harmful social expectations on men.
Article Details
Keywords
male portrayal, multimodal CDA, masculinity, romance
References
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Capaldi, D. M., & Clark, S. (1998). Prospective family predictors of aggression toward female partners for at-risk young men. Developmental psychology, 34(6), 1175.
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Furman, W., & Wehner, E. A. (1994). Toward a theory of adolescent romantic relationships. Personal relationships during adolescence, 168-195.
Furman, W. (1999). Friends and lovers: The role of peer relationships in adolescent romantic relationships. In Relationships as developmental contexts (pp. 147-168). Psychology Press.
Furman, W., Simon, V. A., Shaffer, L., & Bouchey, H. A. (2002). Adolescents’ working models and styles for relationships with parents, friends, and romantic partners. Child development, 73(1), 241-255. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00403
Furman, W., & Hand, L. S. (2014). The Slippery Nature of Romantic Relationships: Issues in Definition and Differentiation 1. In Romance and sex in adolescence and emerging adulthood (pp. 171-178). Psychology Press.
Giordano, P. C., Longmore, M. A., & Manning, W. D. (2006). Gender and the meanings of adolescent romantic relationships: A focus on boys. American Sociological Review, 71(2), 260-287. https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240607100205
Gürkan, H. & Serttaş, A. (2022). The representation of masculinity in cinema and on television: An analysis of fictional male characters. European Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 7(1), 128-137. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejms.v5i1.p402-408
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Holmes, J. (2013). An Introduction to sociolinguistics. Routledge.
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Jackson, S. M. (1999). Issues in the dating violence research: A review of the literature. Aggression and violent behavior, 4(2), 233-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-1789(97)00049-9
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Labotka, L. (2003). Language and Women’s Place in Drag: Power, Femininity, and Gay Speech. The Seventeenth Annual Symposium about Language and Society (pp. 18-28). Texas: Texas Linguistic Forum.
Lakoff, R. (1973). Language and woman's place. Language in society, 2(1), 45-79. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404500000051
Lauzen, M. M., & Dozier, D. M. (2005). Maintaining the double standard: Portrayals of age and gender in popular films. Sex roles, 52, 437-446. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-005-3710-1
Lemish, D. (2008). Gender: Representation in the Media. The International Encyclopedia of Communication. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405186407.wbiecg008
Lindqvist, A., Sendén, M. G., & Renström, E. A. (2021). What is gender, anyway: a review of the options for operationalizing gender. Psychology & sexuality, 12(4), 332-344. https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2020.1729844
Martín, S. (2020). Representations of Masculinity in Literature and Film: Focus on Men. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Moynihan, C. (1998). Theories of masculinity. Bmj, 317(7165), 1072-1075. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.317.7165.1072
Mulvey, L. (2006). Visual pleasure and narrative cinema. Media and cultural studies: Keyworks, 342-352. http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/19445/1/203pdf.pdf
Peberdy, D. (2011). Masculinity and film performance: Male angst in contemporary American cinema. Springer.
Popa, D., & Gavriliu, D. (2015). Gender representations and digital media. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 180, 1199-1206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.244
Pryzgoda, J., & Chrisler, J. C. (2000). Definitions of gender and sex: The subtleties of meaning. Sex roles, 43, 553-570. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007123617636
Rochlen, A. B., & Mahalik, J. R. (2004). Women’s perceptions of male partners’ gender role conflict as predictors of psychological well-being and relationship satisfaction. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 5, 147–157. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/1524-9220.5.2.147
Shaver, P. R., & Hazan, C. (1988). A biased overview of the study of love. Journal of Social and Personal relationships, 5(4), 473-501. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407588054005
Thomas, L. (2004). Language, society and power: An introduction. Psychology Press.
Travers, B. (2024, May 13). Is ‘Bridgerton’ Netflix’s Most Valuable TV Franchise? IndieWire. https://www.indiewire.com/features/commentary/bridgerton-netflix-most-valuable-tv-series-1235002809/
Van Dusen, C. (2020). Get to Know the Brains Behind Shondaland’s ‘Bridgerton’ Series, Showrunner Chris Van Dusen. Sondaland. Https://www.shondaland.com/shondaland-series/shondaland-inventing-anna/a348
60495/bridgerton-showrunner-chris-van-dusen/
Weems, C. M. (1995). Constructing masculinity (No. 11). Psychology Press.
Westbrook, L., & Saperstein, A. (2015). New categories are not enough: Rethinking the measurement of sex and gender in social surveys. Gender & Society, 29(4), 534-560. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243215584758
Wood, J. T. (1994). Gendered media: The influence of media on views of gender. Gendered lives: Communication, gender, and culture, 9, 231-244. www1.udel.edu/comm245/readings/GenderedMedia.pdf
Baker, B. (2006). Masculinity in fiction and film: Representing men in popular genres, 1945-2000. A&C Black.
Baldwin, J. R., Coleman, M. R. R., González, A., & Shenoy-Packer, S. (2014). Intercultural Communication for Everyday Life (1st ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
Brooks, D. E., & Hébert, L. P. (2006). Gender, race, and media representation. Handbook of gender and communication, 16, 297-317. GD142- Gender, Race and Media Representation.pdf
Burn, S. M., & Ward, A. Z. (2005). Men’s conformity to traditional masculinity and relationship satisfaction. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 6, 254–263.
Capaldi, D. M., & Clark, S. (1998). Prospective family predictors of aggression toward female partners for at-risk young men. Developmental psychology, 34(6), 1175.
Fairclough, N. (2001). Language and power (2nd ed.). Longman.
Franklin II, C. W. (2012). The changing definition of masculinity. Springer Science & Business Media.
Fairclough, N., Mulderrig, J., & Wodak, R. (2011). Critical discourse analysis. In T. A. van Dijk (ed.), Discourse studies: A multidisciplinary introduction (pp. 357- 378). Sage Publications.
Fairclough, N. (2013). Critical discourse analysis. In The Routledge handbook of discourse analysis (pp. 9-20). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203809068-3/critical-discourse-analysis-norman-fairclough
Fletcher, A. (1999). Manhood, the male body, courtship and the household in early modern England. The Historical Association, 84, 419-436. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-229X.00116
Furman, W., & Wehner, E. A. (1994). Toward a theory of adolescent romantic relationships. Personal relationships during adolescence, 168-195.
Furman, W. (1999). Friends and lovers: The role of peer relationships in adolescent romantic relationships. In Relationships as developmental contexts (pp. 147-168). Psychology Press.
Furman, W., Simon, V. A., Shaffer, L., & Bouchey, H. A. (2002). Adolescents’ working models and styles for relationships with parents, friends, and romantic partners. Child development, 73(1), 241-255. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00403
Furman, W., & Hand, L. S. (2014). The Slippery Nature of Romantic Relationships: Issues in Definition and Differentiation 1. In Romance and sex in adolescence and emerging adulthood (pp. 171-178). Psychology Press.
Giordano, P. C., Longmore, M. A., & Manning, W. D. (2006). Gender and the meanings of adolescent romantic relationships: A focus on boys. American Sociological Review, 71(2), 260-287. https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240607100205
Gürkan, H. & Serttaş, A. (2022). The representation of masculinity in cinema and on television: An analysis of fictional male characters. European Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 7(1), 128-137. https://doi.org/10.26417/ejms.v5i1.p402-408
Gürkan, H., & Ege, Ö. (2021). Gendering Turkish Action Films in the Post-2010 Period: “Hey boy, protect me and don’t cry!”. Studies in European Cinema, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17411548.2021.1903296
Harrison, M. A., & Shortall, J. C. (2011). Women and men in love: Who really feels it and says it first?. The Journal of Social Psychology, 151(6), 727-736. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2010.522626
Holmes, J. (2013). An Introduction to sociolinguistics. Routledge.
Hughes, S. M., Harrison, M. A., & Gallup Jr, G. G. (2007). Sex differences in romantic kissing among college students: An evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary Psychology, 5(3), 147470490700500310. https://doi.org/10.1177/147470490700500310
Ickes, W. (1993). Traditional gender roles: Do they make, and then break, our relationships? Journal of Social Issues, 49, 71–85. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1993.tb01169.x
Jackson, S. M. (1999). Issues in the dating violence research: A review of the literature. Aggression and violent behavior, 4(2), 233-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-1789(97)00049-9
Jerves, E., Rober, P., & Enzlin, P. (2013). Characteristics of romantic relationships during adolescence: A review of Anglo-western literature. Maskana, 4(2), 21-34. https://doi.org/10.18537/mskn.04.02.02
Kimmel, M. S., Hearn, J., & Connell, R. W. (Eds.). (2004). Handbook of studies on men and masculinities. Sage Publications.
Kress, G., & van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading images: the grammar of visual design. Taylor & Francis e-library.
Kuzio, I. (2021). Women in love: Why women are expected to love first and the exploration of changing gender roles in heterosexual romantic relationships. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth/Le Journal Canadien de Famille et de la Jeunesse, 13(3), 22-31. https://doi.org/10.29173/cjfy29619
Labotka, L. (2003). Language and Women’s Place in Drag: Power, Femininity, and Gay Speech. The Seventeenth Annual Symposium about Language and Society (pp. 18-28). Texas: Texas Linguistic Forum.
Lakoff, R. (1973). Language and woman's place. Language in society, 2(1), 45-79. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404500000051
Lauzen, M. M., & Dozier, D. M. (2005). Maintaining the double standard: Portrayals of age and gender in popular films. Sex roles, 52, 437-446. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-005-3710-1
Lemish, D. (2008). Gender: Representation in the Media. The International Encyclopedia of Communication. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405186407.wbiecg008
Lindqvist, A., Sendén, M. G., & Renström, E. A. (2021). What is gender, anyway: a review of the options for operationalizing gender. Psychology & sexuality, 12(4), 332-344. https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2020.1729844
Martín, S. (2020). Representations of Masculinity in Literature and Film: Focus on Men. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Moynihan, C. (1998). Theories of masculinity. Bmj, 317(7165), 1072-1075. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.317.7165.1072
Mulvey, L. (2006). Visual pleasure and narrative cinema. Media and cultural studies: Keyworks, 342-352. http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/19445/1/203pdf.pdf
Peberdy, D. (2011). Masculinity and film performance: Male angst in contemporary American cinema. Springer.
Popa, D., & Gavriliu, D. (2015). Gender representations and digital media. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 180, 1199-1206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.244
Pryzgoda, J., & Chrisler, J. C. (2000). Definitions of gender and sex: The subtleties of meaning. Sex roles, 43, 553-570. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007123617636
Rochlen, A. B., & Mahalik, J. R. (2004). Women’s perceptions of male partners’ gender role conflict as predictors of psychological well-being and relationship satisfaction. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 5, 147–157. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/1524-9220.5.2.147
Shaver, P. R., & Hazan, C. (1988). A biased overview of the study of love. Journal of Social and Personal relationships, 5(4), 473-501. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407588054005
Thomas, L. (2004). Language, society and power: An introduction. Psychology Press.
Travers, B. (2024, May 13). Is ‘Bridgerton’ Netflix’s Most Valuable TV Franchise? IndieWire. https://www.indiewire.com/features/commentary/bridgerton-netflix-most-valuable-tv-series-1235002809/
Van Dusen, C. (2020). Get to Know the Brains Behind Shondaland’s ‘Bridgerton’ Series, Showrunner Chris Van Dusen. Sondaland. Https://www.shondaland.com/shondaland-series/shondaland-inventing-anna/a348
60495/bridgerton-showrunner-chris-van-dusen/
Weems, C. M. (1995). Constructing masculinity (No. 11). Psychology Press.
Westbrook, L., & Saperstein, A. (2015). New categories are not enough: Rethinking the measurement of sex and gender in social surveys. Gender & Society, 29(4), 534-560. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243215584758
Wood, J. T. (1994). Gendered media: The influence of media on views of gender. Gendered lives: Communication, gender, and culture, 9, 231-244. www1.udel.edu/comm245/readings/GenderedMedia.pdf