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This was a project I did for my access course back in 2002.
N.B The pictures haven't transferred too well.
Marilyn Monroe And Representations Of Femininity.
Introduction
The infamous screen icon of the 1950’s, Marilyn Monroe, represents to many feminists an example of what they are trying to eliminate from society; a woman being valued purely for outward appearance and expected to look a certain way to fit in with the expectations of society. The media’s portrayal of women as sex symbols is an ever-debatable issue amongst sociologists, historians and feminists. In this project I want to look more closely at the ways in which Norma Jeane Baker (her real name) was transformed into what we know as the persona which is Marilyn Monroe and how her life experiences may have affected her rise to fame and finally her demise. I will look at how the movie roles she was given added to her portrayal as a sex symbol and screen icon, in particular in the film ‘The Seven Year Itch’. I hope that the project will assist in the answering of the following questions: what kind of role model was she to women? Was she a victim of a male run media society? How did she represent what being a woman means and what do feminists make of her? How does Marilyn Monroe compare to sex symbols and actresses of today and does the amount of power the actress holds and the types of roles made for women now offer many differences or similarities.
Marilyn Monroe rose to fame during the early 1950’s; these were times during which society was greatly changing with regard its views toward sexuality, indeed she was the first nude centrefold in the first ever edition of Hugh Hefner’s Playboy magazine. By looking at the changes that had occurred over this time, I hope to gain a further insight into Marilyn Monroe’s phenomenal rise to fame. Her popularity remains despite having died when she was 36, with countless books still being produced on her life and also the conspiracy theories surrounding her death and her photographs and pictures are still very much in demand.
For my research I will be using autobiographies on Marilyn Monroe. I will also be using books written about her from particular perspectives e.g. her friends and colleagues. I will use feminist and other sociological studies to look at how sexuality and the media are viewed from these theories. The subject matter will be historical and sociological. I will also be using the internet as a means of researching as this will offer a good way to gather lots of pieces of information and should ensure I can clarify certain things by comparing different articles. I will use photographs of her and try to look at what these images are trying to represent.
Introduction
The infamous screen icon of the 1950’s, Marilyn Monroe, represents to many feminists an example of what they are trying to eliminate from society; a woman being valued purely for outward appearance and expected to look a certain way to fit in with the expectations of society. The media’s portrayal of women as sex symbols is an ever-debatable issue amongst sociologists, historians and feminists. In this project I want to look more closely at the ways in which Norma Jeane Baker (her real name) was transformed into what we know as the persona which is Marilyn Monroe and how her life experiences may have affected her rise to fame and finally her demise. I will look at how the movie roles she was given added to her portrayal as a sex symbol and screen icon, in particular in the film ‘The Seven Year Itch’. I hope that the project will assist in the answering of the following questions: what kind of role model was she to women? Was she a victim of a male run media society? How did she represent what being a woman means and what do feminists make of her? How does Marilyn Monroe compare to sex symbols and actresses of today and does the amount of power the actress holds and the types of roles made for women now offer many differences or similarities.
Marilyn Monroe rose to fame during the early 1950’s; these were times during which society was greatly changing with regard its views toward sexuality, indeed she was the first nude centrefold in the first ever edition of Hugh Hefner’s Playboy magazine. By looking at the changes that had occurred over this time, I hope to gain a further insight into Marilyn Monroe’s phenomenal rise to fame. Her popularity remains despite having died when she was 36, with countless books still being produced on her life and also the conspiracy theories surrounding her death and her photographs and pictures are still very much in demand.
For my research I will be using autobiographies on Marilyn Monroe. I will also be using books written about her from particular perspectives e.g. her friends and colleagues. I will use feminist and other sociological studies to look at how sexuality and the media are viewed from these theories. The subject matter will be historical and sociological. I will also be using the internet as a means of researching as this will offer a good way to gather lots of pieces of information and should ensure I can clarify certain things by comparing different articles. I will use photographs of her and try to look at what these images are trying to represent.
Emphasized Femininity and Status
The sociologist R.W.Connell who wrote Gender and Power (1987) and Masculinities (1995) referred to Marilyn Monroe as both ‘archetype and satirist of emphasised femininity’ (Giddens.A, 2002, p.120).
Connell sees the stratification (layering) of the sexes within society as a hierarchy of which hegemonic masculinity is at the top. Hegemonic masculinity is ‘a socially constructed set of characteristics that define an “ideal type” of masculinity, based on physical power, brute force, total rationality, and a lack of emotion. It is an artificial image, based on cultural icons rather than reflecting the reality of most men’s lives. (www-personal.ksu.edu) Examples of hegemonic masculinity include Sylvester Stallone (below) and Jean-Claude van Damme. In Connell’s theory, hegemonic masculinity is dominant over all other masculinities and femininities in society.
The sociologist R.W.Connell who wrote Gender and Power (1987) and Masculinities (1995) referred to Marilyn Monroe as both ‘archetype and satirist of emphasised femininity’ (Giddens.A, 2002, p.120).
Connell sees the stratification (layering) of the sexes within society as a hierarchy of which hegemonic masculinity is at the top. Hegemonic masculinity is ‘a socially constructed set of characteristics that define an “ideal type” of masculinity, based on physical power, brute force, total rationality, and a lack of emotion. It is an artificial image, based on cultural icons rather than reflecting the reality of most men’s lives. (www-personal.ksu.edu) Examples of hegemonic masculinity include Sylvester Stallone (below) and Jean-Claude van Damme. In Connell’s theory, hegemonic masculinity is dominant over all other masculinities and femininities in society.
Sylvester Stallone, an example of hegemonic masculinity
‘Emphasised femininity is an important compliment to hegemonic masculinity / It is orientated to accommodating the interests and desires of men and is characterised by ‘compliance, nurturance and empathy.’ (Giddens.A, 2002, p.120) These are certainly qualities, which have been attributed to Marilyn Monroe both on and off screen. In current times, it would be difficult to show an example of emphasised femininity in the role of actress, as Marilyn Monroe was, to try to compare them. Emphasised femininity has somehow shifted and is now more often seen in the glamour and porn industry, although this portrayal of femininity doesn’t encompass all the necessary qualities that Connell describes. The way in which Connell also describes Marilyn as satirical suggests that he feels that she encompasses the very idea of emphasised feminism, so much so that it is almost comical. Indeed, as one movie producer’s friend told him: ‘You’re making realism with a very unreal girl. She’s a complete storybook character. And you’re trying to make real movies.’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p.62) This observation shows how Marilyn’s appearance and the impression that she gave made her seem somehow inhuman. Arthur Miller, who would become her husband, wrote of his first impressions of her: ‘…the quintessential dumb blonde…almost ludicrously provocative.’(Morley.S, 1997, p.49) Here was another view on the unnaturalness viewed by onlookers of Marilyn Monroe. Of course Arthur Miller must have , one would assume, changed his views as he did eventually end up marrying her. Certainly the image of Marilyn is household, that is there would be few who would not recognise it, hence its usage by artists, for example Andy Warhol.
Two of Andy Warhol’s prints of Marilyn
Without knowing what Warhol was trying to represent in the way he presented Marilyn through his art, I feel that the way she is just blocks of colour reinforces the somewhat shallow way beauty is portrayed by western society. Yellow hair, blue lidded eyes and red full lips are the classic things associated with Marilyn Monroe. She presented an image that never changed, when she played a role in a movie she would have that same look as she had when being photographed and whilst out socially. . This is in contrast to other actresses, who do indeed drastically change their appearances for different roles. For example Sigourney Weaver, star of the Alien and Ghostbusters movies and Gorillas in the Mist amongst other major roles who had to shave her entire head for one part.
Connell argues that because of emphasised femininity and the fact that this is the kind most often seen as the norm of society, then this causes the resistant femininities to become overlooked. Examples of resistant femininities are feminists, lesbians, spinsters, manual workers and prostitutes. To put this in context, Marilyn Monroe because she represented the ‘interests and desires of men’ became popular, rich, hugely sought after by the media and used by the media to sell more copies, and became the icon that she is now seen as almost 52 years after her death. She achieved these things by, feminists may argue, becoming subservient to men, both publicly and privately; the image she adopted, the nude photo shoots, the many affairs; often with married men all associate with her striving to being what a men wanted and desired.
Connell argues that because of emphasised femininity and the fact that this is the kind most often seen as the norm of society, then this causes the resistant femininities to become overlooked. Examples of resistant femininities are feminists, lesbians, spinsters, manual workers and prostitutes. To put this in context, Marilyn Monroe because she represented the ‘interests and desires of men’ became popular, rich, hugely sought after by the media and used by the media to sell more copies, and became the icon that she is now seen as almost 52 years after her death. She achieved these things by, feminists may argue, becoming subservient to men, both publicly and privately; the image she adopted, the nude photo shoots, the many affairs; often with married men all associate with her striving to being what a men wanted and desired.
Marilyn with her husband Arthur Miller, we can notice here her submissive look of devotion and admiration, all things associated with emphasised femininity.
Connell argues that ‘emphasised femininity remains highly prevalent in media, advertising and marketing campaigns.’ (Giddens.A, 2002, p.120) It certainly appears that this is so, with sexuality being used to sell ‘everything from brassieres to monkey wrenches.’ (Jacobson.M.F & Mazer.L.A, 1995, p.74-87) and the quest for perfection sold to society, particularly women, with endless advertisements for beautifying products designed to deter ageing and make us ideal. ‘One effect of such ads is to give women unrealistic notions of what they should look like. After instilling anxiety and insecurity in women, the ads imply that buying consumer products can correct practically any defect, real or imagined.’ (Jacobson.M.F &Mazer.L.A, 1995, p.74-87)
Advertisements featuring Marilyn Monroe.
Goffman and some other sociologists who have studied social interaction see social life as a theatre play with people taking on different roles or statuses. This is known as the dramaturgical model. Impression management is the way people put on a particular impression in order to influence other people’s views of them. Ascribed status, that which society gives you on grounds of, for example: your race or age compares to achieved status, that which the individual has earned, for example: teacher or athlete. The making of one status a priority over another’s is what sociologists call the master status. Marilyn Monroe’s status of sex symbol could be put under either heading. Certainly her position was ascribed by the fact that the image she presented was what was required of her, that was the image that the large heads of the patriarchal organisations which made Marilyn a star demanded of her, and she wasn’t encouraged to change as they felt it was a winning formula. But also it was achieved, she spent hours with a voice coach and worked very hard to achieve her status, even if it did involve sometimes having to be subservient to men. It could be argued that she used impression management to a very high degree in order to present herself to the world, particularly with her facial expressions and the way she spoke which were both very individual to her.
The Seven Year Itch
It would be difficult to argue against Marilyn Monroe being an example of emphasised femininity. The persona that we know as Marilyn Monroe is largely made up of images, stills and drawings that have become renown. In particular, this image is probably the one most commonly thought of when thinking of Marilyn.
It would be difficult to argue against Marilyn Monroe being an example of emphasised femininity. The persona that we know as Marilyn Monroe is largely made up of images, stills and drawings that have become renown. In particular, this image is probably the one most commonly thought of when thinking of Marilyn.
Marilyn Monroe, a still from the film The Seven Year Itch
‘There is no more potent image in American cinema than Marilyn, her white halter dress billowing in the breeze of a Manhattan subway grate. She is luminous in this lusty 1950s time capsule about a doughy, middle-aged husband, liberated for the summer from his wife and son, who daydreams about the va-va-voom neighbour upstairs.’ (Moviediva.com) This statement describes this still taken from film The Seven Year Itch.
It could be said that this picture represents very well Marilyn’s appeal to men and women. Here she hasn’t, in the viewer’s eye, set out to be caught on camera. In the picture we see that she has on a white dress, white representing goodness and purity, and has been caught unawares having fun in a pose that is tantalising and revealing. The way she is laughing shows that this woman is fun loving and her holding down her skirt from blowing any higher demonstrates modesty, these two qualities combined with the fact that she is on an everyday street where people could and can relate to, have proven to make this shot her most famously printed and copied pose.
One of the play writers on The Seven Year Itch said: ‘Marilyn once told me that playing the part had helped her to find out who she was…it seemed to her like the story of her life’ (Shaw.S, p.52) This seems a little over dramatic and could, of course, have been Marilyn trying to maintain her image as the confused, needy, dumb blonde which seemed to hold such acclaimed appeal. The unusual thing that sets Marilyn Monroe apart from other actresses then and now is that the looks she portrayed in her films was the same kind of look that she had in her normal life too. In this way, one can understand that Connell sees her as the ‘archetype of emphasised femininity’.
It could be said that this picture represents very well Marilyn’s appeal to men and women. Here she hasn’t, in the viewer’s eye, set out to be caught on camera. In the picture we see that she has on a white dress, white representing goodness and purity, and has been caught unawares having fun in a pose that is tantalising and revealing. The way she is laughing shows that this woman is fun loving and her holding down her skirt from blowing any higher demonstrates modesty, these two qualities combined with the fact that she is on an everyday street where people could and can relate to, have proven to make this shot her most famously printed and copied pose.
One of the play writers on The Seven Year Itch said: ‘Marilyn once told me that playing the part had helped her to find out who she was…it seemed to her like the story of her life’ (Shaw.S, p.52) This seems a little over dramatic and could, of course, have been Marilyn trying to maintain her image as the confused, needy, dumb blonde which seemed to hold such acclaimed appeal. The unusual thing that sets Marilyn Monroe apart from other actresses then and now is that the looks she portrayed in her films was the same kind of look that she had in her normal life too. In this way, one can understand that Connell sees her as the ‘archetype of emphasised femininity’.
The Creation of Marilyn Monroe
Norma Jean Baker was discovered in 1945 working in an assembly line in a munitions factory during the war, whilst her husband whom she had married at 16 was away serving as a Marine. During World War II most of the men were off fighting and it became necessary for women to work in order for the economy to remain stable. Army photographers who were filming ‘women in war work’ were the first to set Marilyn aside form the others. This was a lucky break for Marilyn.
Norma Jean Baker was discovered in 1945 working in an assembly line in a munitions factory during the war, whilst her husband whom she had married at 16 was away serving as a Marine. During World War II most of the men were off fighting and it became necessary for women to work in order for the economy to remain stable. Army photographers who were filming ‘women in war work’ were the first to set Marilyn aside form the others. This was a lucky break for Marilyn.
One of Marilyn early photographs, we can notice here the naturalness of her pose, clothes and smile.
From here, she joined a modelling agency and then went on to do a screen test for twentieth century fox, this happening within a year of the army photographers taking her picture. Within the year she had also divorced her husband and changed her name to Marilyn Monroe. She had married this husband at 16 under the instruction of her aunt and to all accounts she strived to be the dutiful textbook wife. When he returned she had already changed her life and it would seem he was not part of her plan anymore, there was not a place in her career for a husband who expected her to be the quintessential housewife and mother. . The strength of this first marriage was limited regardless of Marilyn’s career aspirations, as she herself said: 'We hardly spoke to each other, and when we did we realised we had nothing at all in common.' (Morley.S, 1997, p.5) The reasons for this marriage break-up are also reported to include his dismay at returning home from serving in the war to find, amongst other things, her nude calendars were distributed in abundance all over the country.
Marilyn’s life took an enormous turn during this year without her husband, but for many ordinary women just going out to work and becoming independent affected their marriages once the war was over:
After World War II "married female employment, specially that of young mothers, had burgeoned and the proportion of marriages expected to end in divorce approached fifty percent" (Sptize, 1985). Traditional ideas such as appropriate roles for each sex and how serious it was to disrupt a marriage were challenged. Women's increased involvement in the work force has allotted for more independence for women. (http://wi.essortment.com)
One can see from her childhood further reasons as to why Marilyn was attracted to such a lifestyle as beckoned her at this start of her career. Marilyn or rather Norma Jeane was taken to an orphanage at aged nine, her mother was in and out of mental institutions as was her grandmother too. During this time, a relative of hers, Grace, would visit and: ‘…she brought gifts of lipstick and rouge. Before Norma Jeane was ten, she had grown accustomed to being coiffed and made up by grace as though she were an adult… harping on the fact that Norma Jean resembled a little movie star…she inculcated the child with a powerful sense of what her future must be.’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p.12) Here is the case of a female reinforcing the ‘popular concepts of beauty and sexuality’ which are ‘imposed by men on women in order to produce a certain type of femininity.’ (Giddens.A, 2002, p.115) Also in the orphanage, young Norma Jeane would see the water tower of RKO Pictures from her window, ‘it was a symbol of the glittering fairy-tale kingdom’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p.12).
She was allegedly sexually abused in many of her foster homes and this would usually result in her being thrown out of these homes making the abuse seem as something she had done wrong for which she had to be punished. Her mother, who often told Marilyn that it was her acting provocatively which had caused these incidents, also ‘encouraged her to believe that it was precisely her beauty and sexuality that would eventually win her better treatment’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p13). These examples of Marilyn’s early socialisation experiences give an insight into her incredible determination to succeed as an actress. They also give an insight into how the type of person she was and into problems that she faced. The fact that it was her looks or rather the look she adopted, which brought her the admiration and attention that she sought, reinforced these childhood teachings. Wollstonecraft made an interesting observation on the problems of introducing children to the concepts of beauty amongst other things: ‘…females, who are made women of when they are mere children…then perceive that it is only through their address to excite emotions in men, that pleasure and power are to be obtained.’ (Wollstonecraft.M, 2001 Ed, p.114-115) Here Wollstonecraft is emphasising the dangers of women relying solely on their looks for fulfilment in their lives.
Throughout her approximately 18 years of super stardom, Marilyn was connected with many men. Aside from her three marriages, she was involved with many, many more men. During her first signing at Twentieth Century Fox it is alleged that: ‘certainly the job description was taken to include the sexual servicing of any studio executive or important out-of-town distributor who took a fancy to her obvious charms.’(Morley.S, 1997, p.9) Many stars have told in their autobiographies about their casting couch experiences. Betty Page a ‘famous and admired American pin-up model of the 1950's…. appeared in countless men's magazines (including Playboy), mail order photos, ads, paperback and album covers, and a few films and TV shows until 1957,’ blamed her lack of movie success on the fact that: ‘she simply would not lie down on the casting couch!’ (www.lawrencegallagher.com) Marilyn Monroe was associated with many producers and members of the movie world. Her male companions were often men in their fifties and sixties. This could be argued as her seeking a father figure, having never had a proper one in her life, a reason often given for women being attracted by far older men than themselves or alternatively it could have been an extension of the casting couch. For example, Johnny Hyde, one of the most influential agents in the country was thirty-three years older than Marilyn, yet she allegedly was sleeping with him in early 1950, and he spent a lot of time and energy in getting her auditions and her career ‘properly launched’. (Morley.S, 1997, p.13) Her childhood experiences of abuse and abandonment by her mother left her hungry for affection. The way in which she got the attention she so craved was by using her looks and personality that got her so much adoration from men who she encountered and those who idolised her from afar.
Role Model or Victim?
Feminists can see Marilyn Monroe as a bad role model for women. One thing most feminists share, no matter which feminist strand they agree with, is the view that patriarchy or male dominance is wrong. Marilyn’s outstanding array of photographs all represent sexuality. The most commonly photographed poses being a parted red pout and half closed eyes are seen as erotic and sexually appealing, particularly to the heterosexual male in western societies. She didn’t appear nude in any movies, unlike: ‘her continental counterpart, Brigitte Bardot…’ who ‘could be counted on for some nudity in almost every one of her films.’(Peterson.J, 1999, p.244) yet she was came across as a provocateur. However, she did play parts that reinforced societies views on the roles of women. Of course, we must remember that this was during the fifties, which was a transitional period of sexual revolution with Kinsey’s report on sexual behaviours playing a big part in these changes.
Marilyn Monroe represented something different to what the media now most commonly uses as emphasised femininity. Certainly, she was a size 14 yet in today’s society models in magazines and fashion and indeed actresses are rarely above a size 10. This pressure on women from the media that to be thin is the norm has been attributed to the increase in eating disorders in young girls. In this respect it could be argued that Marilyn Monroe represented real womanhood with her curves, as opposed to today’s commonly seen unhealthily thin models and celebrities. But had she been presented in today’s society would she have achieved the same acclaim? This is impossible to answer but when compared to, for example, Jordan, the famous glamour model, would she have stood out as much? Of course, plastic surgery is now far more accessible to society and Jordan’s popularity is attributable to this. Also, sexual images are far more widely accessible. It has been argued that due to the greater availability of erotic materials that this has caused expectations to increase. This is owing to the spread of television and indeed the permitted content and array of channels and programs that are now shown. And of course, the new information highway the worldwide web. This is in vast comparison to the 1950’s where: ‘television, from the start, reflected Victorian main stream middle class morality…(Peterson.J.R, 1999, p.206) The media has changed in that it is more likely for women to be given the leading role in a film now and the accreditation enjoyed by today’s actresses is a far cry from when Marilyn was in Hollywood.
The way she was presented as the ideal woman made her somehow detached from normality. Marilyn happily engulfed the attention she received through the early years of her career. However, towards the end of her life, through increased barbiturate usage, unhappy relationships, increased absences from work and fury and also paranoia, Marilyn’s dream of the ‘fairy-tale kingdom’ doesn’t seem to have come true. Interestingly, in 1872 Wollstonecraft made an observation about when a woman starts to lose her looks having relied on them alone for one’s happiness and this can be applied to Marilyn when studying how she behaved during her last few months.
‘I have frequently seen this exemplified in woman whose beauty could no longer be repaired. They have retired from the noisy scenes of dissipation; but, unless they become Methodists, the solitude of the select society of their family connections or acquaintance, has presented only a fearful void; consequently, nervous complaints, and all the vaporish train of idleness, rendered them quite as useless, and far more unhappy, than when they joined the giddy throng.’ (Wollstonecraft.M, 2001 Ed, p.119)
Bowlby (1953) argued the effects on a lack of a mother figure or separation from a mother figure in a child’s early years, known as maternal deprivation: ‘the child runs the risk if being inadequately socialised. This can lead to serious social and psychological difficulties later in life, including social anti-social and psychopathic tendencies.’ (Giddens.A, 2001, p.114) From her behaviours toward the end of her life this could be the attributing factor to her demise, aside from the conspiracy theories surrounding her death, doubtlessly she had become increasingly depressed and mentally unstable during this time. Marilyn Monroe died at thirty-six; the official cause of death was suicide. Previously when she was indeed very ill, 2 days after her thirty-second birthday she had: ‘wept that her life wasn’t worth living. She said she was ugly. She said she was unloved. She complained of being used. She agonised about never having had a baby.’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p.412) Her doctor, a Hollywood psychiatrist, told the studio who were annoyed at her lack of commitment to the movie she was making, that: ‘I am convinced that she can finish this picture in the normal course.’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p.413) Here we see the enormous pressures put upon Marilyn, that even whilst visibly extremely depressed, all that mattered was the movie or, as what was the result of the finished movie would be, the money. Her health was a secondary issue for the directors, doctor, and other actors.
Taking into consideration all the facts and allegations made during and since, about Marilyn’s life, one could argue that she was a victim. Her mother and the men she met praised her beauty, and indeed for many years this was enough for Marilyn but the way she declined emotionally and physically suggests that she wanted more. This quote by Rosemary Tong could be used to describe what happened to Norma Jeane or Marilyn Monroe: ‘rather that assuming responsibility for her own development and growing into a mighty although gnarled redwood, she forsakes her freedom and lets others make of her a stunted although beautiful bonsai tree’ (Tong.R, p.16) Here Tong suggests that a woman must develop herself in all areas of life in order to grow as a person and be happy in her own self. It could be argued that Marilyn Monroe did not develop as she may have wished to upon reflection.
Marilyn’s life took an enormous turn during this year without her husband, but for many ordinary women just going out to work and becoming independent affected their marriages once the war was over:
After World War II "married female employment, specially that of young mothers, had burgeoned and the proportion of marriages expected to end in divorce approached fifty percent" (Sptize, 1985). Traditional ideas such as appropriate roles for each sex and how serious it was to disrupt a marriage were challenged. Women's increased involvement in the work force has allotted for more independence for women. (http://wi.essortment.com)
One can see from her childhood further reasons as to why Marilyn was attracted to such a lifestyle as beckoned her at this start of her career. Marilyn or rather Norma Jeane was taken to an orphanage at aged nine, her mother was in and out of mental institutions as was her grandmother too. During this time, a relative of hers, Grace, would visit and: ‘…she brought gifts of lipstick and rouge. Before Norma Jeane was ten, she had grown accustomed to being coiffed and made up by grace as though she were an adult… harping on the fact that Norma Jean resembled a little movie star…she inculcated the child with a powerful sense of what her future must be.’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p.12) Here is the case of a female reinforcing the ‘popular concepts of beauty and sexuality’ which are ‘imposed by men on women in order to produce a certain type of femininity.’ (Giddens.A, 2002, p.115) Also in the orphanage, young Norma Jeane would see the water tower of RKO Pictures from her window, ‘it was a symbol of the glittering fairy-tale kingdom’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p.12).
She was allegedly sexually abused in many of her foster homes and this would usually result in her being thrown out of these homes making the abuse seem as something she had done wrong for which she had to be punished. Her mother, who often told Marilyn that it was her acting provocatively which had caused these incidents, also ‘encouraged her to believe that it was precisely her beauty and sexuality that would eventually win her better treatment’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p13). These examples of Marilyn’s early socialisation experiences give an insight into her incredible determination to succeed as an actress. They also give an insight into how the type of person she was and into problems that she faced. The fact that it was her looks or rather the look she adopted, which brought her the admiration and attention that she sought, reinforced these childhood teachings. Wollstonecraft made an interesting observation on the problems of introducing children to the concepts of beauty amongst other things: ‘…females, who are made women of when they are mere children…then perceive that it is only through their address to excite emotions in men, that pleasure and power are to be obtained.’ (Wollstonecraft.M, 2001 Ed, p.114-115) Here Wollstonecraft is emphasising the dangers of women relying solely on their looks for fulfilment in their lives.
Throughout her approximately 18 years of super stardom, Marilyn was connected with many men. Aside from her three marriages, she was involved with many, many more men. During her first signing at Twentieth Century Fox it is alleged that: ‘certainly the job description was taken to include the sexual servicing of any studio executive or important out-of-town distributor who took a fancy to her obvious charms.’(Morley.S, 1997, p.9) Many stars have told in their autobiographies about their casting couch experiences. Betty Page a ‘famous and admired American pin-up model of the 1950's…. appeared in countless men's magazines (including Playboy), mail order photos, ads, paperback and album covers, and a few films and TV shows until 1957,’ blamed her lack of movie success on the fact that: ‘she simply would not lie down on the casting couch!’ (www.lawrencegallagher.com) Marilyn Monroe was associated with many producers and members of the movie world. Her male companions were often men in their fifties and sixties. This could be argued as her seeking a father figure, having never had a proper one in her life, a reason often given for women being attracted by far older men than themselves or alternatively it could have been an extension of the casting couch. For example, Johnny Hyde, one of the most influential agents in the country was thirty-three years older than Marilyn, yet she allegedly was sleeping with him in early 1950, and he spent a lot of time and energy in getting her auditions and her career ‘properly launched’. (Morley.S, 1997, p.13) Her childhood experiences of abuse and abandonment by her mother left her hungry for affection. The way in which she got the attention she so craved was by using her looks and personality that got her so much adoration from men who she encountered and those who idolised her from afar.
Role Model or Victim?
Feminists can see Marilyn Monroe as a bad role model for women. One thing most feminists share, no matter which feminist strand they agree with, is the view that patriarchy or male dominance is wrong. Marilyn’s outstanding array of photographs all represent sexuality. The most commonly photographed poses being a parted red pout and half closed eyes are seen as erotic and sexually appealing, particularly to the heterosexual male in western societies. She didn’t appear nude in any movies, unlike: ‘her continental counterpart, Brigitte Bardot…’ who ‘could be counted on for some nudity in almost every one of her films.’(Peterson.J, 1999, p.244) yet she was came across as a provocateur. However, she did play parts that reinforced societies views on the roles of women. Of course, we must remember that this was during the fifties, which was a transitional period of sexual revolution with Kinsey’s report on sexual behaviours playing a big part in these changes.
Marilyn Monroe represented something different to what the media now most commonly uses as emphasised femininity. Certainly, she was a size 14 yet in today’s society models in magazines and fashion and indeed actresses are rarely above a size 10. This pressure on women from the media that to be thin is the norm has been attributed to the increase in eating disorders in young girls. In this respect it could be argued that Marilyn Monroe represented real womanhood with her curves, as opposed to today’s commonly seen unhealthily thin models and celebrities. But had she been presented in today’s society would she have achieved the same acclaim? This is impossible to answer but when compared to, for example, Jordan, the famous glamour model, would she have stood out as much? Of course, plastic surgery is now far more accessible to society and Jordan’s popularity is attributable to this. Also, sexual images are far more widely accessible. It has been argued that due to the greater availability of erotic materials that this has caused expectations to increase. This is owing to the spread of television and indeed the permitted content and array of channels and programs that are now shown. And of course, the new information highway the worldwide web. This is in vast comparison to the 1950’s where: ‘television, from the start, reflected Victorian main stream middle class morality…(Peterson.J.R, 1999, p.206) The media has changed in that it is more likely for women to be given the leading role in a film now and the accreditation enjoyed by today’s actresses is a far cry from when Marilyn was in Hollywood.
The way she was presented as the ideal woman made her somehow detached from normality. Marilyn happily engulfed the attention she received through the early years of her career. However, towards the end of her life, through increased barbiturate usage, unhappy relationships, increased absences from work and fury and also paranoia, Marilyn’s dream of the ‘fairy-tale kingdom’ doesn’t seem to have come true. Interestingly, in 1872 Wollstonecraft made an observation about when a woman starts to lose her looks having relied on them alone for one’s happiness and this can be applied to Marilyn when studying how she behaved during her last few months.
‘I have frequently seen this exemplified in woman whose beauty could no longer be repaired. They have retired from the noisy scenes of dissipation; but, unless they become Methodists, the solitude of the select society of their family connections or acquaintance, has presented only a fearful void; consequently, nervous complaints, and all the vaporish train of idleness, rendered them quite as useless, and far more unhappy, than when they joined the giddy throng.’ (Wollstonecraft.M, 2001 Ed, p.119)
Bowlby (1953) argued the effects on a lack of a mother figure or separation from a mother figure in a child’s early years, known as maternal deprivation: ‘the child runs the risk if being inadequately socialised. This can lead to serious social and psychological difficulties later in life, including social anti-social and psychopathic tendencies.’ (Giddens.A, 2001, p.114) From her behaviours toward the end of her life this could be the attributing factor to her demise, aside from the conspiracy theories surrounding her death, doubtlessly she had become increasingly depressed and mentally unstable during this time. Marilyn Monroe died at thirty-six; the official cause of death was suicide. Previously when she was indeed very ill, 2 days after her thirty-second birthday she had: ‘wept that her life wasn’t worth living. She said she was ugly. She said she was unloved. She complained of being used. She agonised about never having had a baby.’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p.412) Her doctor, a Hollywood psychiatrist, told the studio who were annoyed at her lack of commitment to the movie she was making, that: ‘I am convinced that she can finish this picture in the normal course.’ (Leaming.B, 1998, p.413) Here we see the enormous pressures put upon Marilyn, that even whilst visibly extremely depressed, all that mattered was the movie or, as what was the result of the finished movie would be, the money. Her health was a secondary issue for the directors, doctor, and other actors.
Taking into consideration all the facts and allegations made during and since, about Marilyn’s life, one could argue that she was a victim. Her mother and the men she met praised her beauty, and indeed for many years this was enough for Marilyn but the way she declined emotionally and physically suggests that she wanted more. This quote by Rosemary Tong could be used to describe what happened to Norma Jeane or Marilyn Monroe: ‘rather that assuming responsibility for her own development and growing into a mighty although gnarled redwood, she forsakes her freedom and lets others make of her a stunted although beautiful bonsai tree’ (Tong.R, p.16) Here Tong suggests that a woman must develop herself in all areas of life in order to grow as a person and be happy in her own self. It could be argued that Marilyn Monroe did not develop as she may have wished to upon reflection.
Evaluation
This project involved a great deal of reading. There are vast numbers of books written about Marilyn Monroe. I did not have an actual autobiography of Marilyn Monroe so relied totally on biographies of her for the information I gathered. As with any secondary source there is always doubt as to the accuracy of the information found unless it is fully referenced. One has to take into account that the writers of the books would have held their own opinions and views upon your subject and therefore one needs to be aware of this. The sociological part of the project was very interesting and much work done by sociologists particularly feminists, was very relevant to my subject. Particularly surprising to me was Mary Wollstonecraft’s work from the late eighteenth century in A Vindication of the Rights of Women and how one can relate her work from then to issues which affect women today.
I tried to keep from telling Marilyn Monroe’s life story although this was necessary in part in order to see the reasons I came to for the Marilyn phenomena. It was difficult to establish a title for this research as it encompassed several different things. However, I feel that by looking at the issues which I had mentioned in my introduction that ‘representations of femininity’ was the main overall focus of my research.
With Marilyn Monroe there is a seemingly endless amount of pictures of her to use when doing a project like this. With Marilyn Monroe being a visual woman who’s name conjures images that one has seen via the media, I tried to only use those photographs /pictures which were of greatest value to my work.
It was difficult to keep from becoming psychological in analysis of her, but to try to keep to the two chosen subjects of history and sociology. I would have liked to look more into her life during the war whilst working in the munitions factory. These facts seem to be omitted from most of the books that I looked at, of course, there may be no records of this kind but it would be a fascinating insight.
I could have looked more closely at modern film stars and also into Hollywood during the nineteen fifties and comparing to present times. However, this would have been difficult to discuss within the constraints of this project, as it would be a large subject.
This project involved a great deal of reading. There are vast numbers of books written about Marilyn Monroe. I did not have an actual autobiography of Marilyn Monroe so relied totally on biographies of her for the information I gathered. As with any secondary source there is always doubt as to the accuracy of the information found unless it is fully referenced. One has to take into account that the writers of the books would have held their own opinions and views upon your subject and therefore one needs to be aware of this. The sociological part of the project was very interesting and much work done by sociologists particularly feminists, was very relevant to my subject. Particularly surprising to me was Mary Wollstonecraft’s work from the late eighteenth century in A Vindication of the Rights of Women and how one can relate her work from then to issues which affect women today.
I tried to keep from telling Marilyn Monroe’s life story although this was necessary in part in order to see the reasons I came to for the Marilyn phenomena. It was difficult to establish a title for this research as it encompassed several different things. However, I feel that by looking at the issues which I had mentioned in my introduction that ‘representations of femininity’ was the main overall focus of my research.
With Marilyn Monroe there is a seemingly endless amount of pictures of her to use when doing a project like this. With Marilyn Monroe being a visual woman who’s name conjures images that one has seen via the media, I tried to only use those photographs /pictures which were of greatest value to my work.
It was difficult to keep from becoming psychological in analysis of her, but to try to keep to the two chosen subjects of history and sociology. I would have liked to look more into her life during the war whilst working in the munitions factory. These facts seem to be omitted from most of the books that I looked at, of course, there may be no records of this kind but it would be a fascinating insight.
I could have looked more closely at modern film stars and also into Hollywood during the nineteen fifties and comparing to present times. However, this would have been difficult to discuss within the constraints of this project, as it would be a large subject.
Bibliography
Anderson.J, 1994, Marilyn Monroe - Quote Unquote, Parragon, Bristol
Brown.P & Barham.P, 1992, Marilyn – The Last Take, Heinemann, London
Crossland.S, 2002, Great Sexual Scandals, Robson Books, London
Giddens.A, 2002, Sociology 4th Ed, Polity, Cambridge
Griffin.V, 1999, The Mistress, Bloomsbury, London
Jacobson.M.F & Mazur.L.A, 1995, Sexism and sexuality in advertising (pp. 74-87), Boulder, Westview Press.
Leaming.B, 1998, Marilyn Monroe, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London
Marwick.A, 1998, The Sixties, Oxford University Press
Moore.S, Chapman.S, Aiken.D, 2001, Sociology for AS-Level, Collins, London
Morley.S & Leon.R, 1997, Marilyn Monroe, Sutton, Gloucestershire
Peterson.J.R, 1999, The Century of Sex, Grove Press, New York
Pilcher.J, 1999, Women in Contemporary Britain, Routledge, London
Shaw.S & Rosten.N, 1987, Marilyn among friends, Bloomsbury, London
Summers.A, 1985, Goddess- The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Indigo, London
Tong.R, 1989, Feminist Thought, Routledge
Wollstonecraft.M, 2001 Ed, A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Random House, New York
Websites visited
http://www.moviediva.com/MD_root/reviewpages/MDSevenYearItch.htm
http://www.personal.kent.edu/~glhanson/readings/advertising/womeninads.htm
http://www.imagemakers.mb.ca/pinups/movie-stars/monroe/mm002.jpg
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~lswilli/women2biology.htm
http://wi.essortment.com/genderrolesoc_rivr.htm
http://www.lawrencegallagher.com/betti_story.html
Anderson.J, 1994, Marilyn Monroe - Quote Unquote, Parragon, Bristol
Brown.P & Barham.P, 1992, Marilyn – The Last Take, Heinemann, London
Crossland.S, 2002, Great Sexual Scandals, Robson Books, London
Giddens.A, 2002, Sociology 4th Ed, Polity, Cambridge
Griffin.V, 1999, The Mistress, Bloomsbury, London
Jacobson.M.F & Mazur.L.A, 1995, Sexism and sexuality in advertising (pp. 74-87), Boulder, Westview Press.
Leaming.B, 1998, Marilyn Monroe, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London
Marwick.A, 1998, The Sixties, Oxford University Press
Moore.S, Chapman.S, Aiken.D, 2001, Sociology for AS-Level, Collins, London
Morley.S & Leon.R, 1997, Marilyn Monroe, Sutton, Gloucestershire
Peterson.J.R, 1999, The Century of Sex, Grove Press, New York
Pilcher.J, 1999, Women in Contemporary Britain, Routledge, London
Shaw.S & Rosten.N, 1987, Marilyn among friends, Bloomsbury, London
Summers.A, 1985, Goddess- The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe, Indigo, London
Tong.R, 1989, Feminist Thought, Routledge
Wollstonecraft.M, 2001 Ed, A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Random House, New York
Websites visited
http://www.moviediva.com/MD_root/reviewpages/MDSevenYearItch.htm
http://www.personal.kent.edu/~glhanson/readings/advertising/womeninads.htm
http://www.imagemakers.mb.ca/pinups/movie-stars/monroe/mm002.jpg
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~lswilli/women2biology.htm
http://wi.essortment.com/genderrolesoc_rivr.htm
http://www.lawrencegallagher.com/betti_story.html