What do you think about the representation of gender in Skyfall?
What do you think about the representation of gender in Skyfall?
As much detail as possible, thanks
As much detail as possible, thanks
Sounds like a homework question - we're not really meant to answer them for you. 
However, to get you started;
Women
- Clearly there's the contrast (as in other Bond films) between Bond's disposable young girlfriends and the character of M, who is the cold-hearted leader of a male dominated world. (She lets Bond get shot, but she also leaves him the china dog, so it's not that she's humourless or insensitive, it's that she does what needs to be done).
- However, characters like Moneypenny (clearly a reference to previous films which I haven't seen, so I can only comment on Skyfall) are not just victims either. The film also touches on the issue of the child sex trade.
- Daniel Craig's Bond isn't actually a womanising misogynist - I think he does care quite a lot, but he does his job and moves on, as he does with the male agent who gets shot at the start.
- M is referred to at least once as 'mother'. Make of that what you will.
Men
- You have the new character of Q, who is an almost adolescent boy compared to Craig's archetypal alpha male. Could this be a nod to the fact that in an age driven by technology it's not necessarily strength or charisma that drives power?
- Similarly, the new 'M' is seen by Bond as a bureaucrat until he finds out he fought in Northern Ireland. To be seen as a 'man' he needs to have physically proven himself.
- Bond is more than happy to kill numerous male assailants. However, we never see him kill a woman, even though plenty have betrayed him - they always commit suicide or get killed by someone else. Clearly this is because it would lower sympathy for the character, but could it be seen as ingrained anti-male sexism?
I'm not saying whether or not agree with all these points, but they're worth considering.
However, to get you started;
Women
- Clearly there's the contrast (as in other Bond films) between Bond's disposable young girlfriends and the character of M, who is the cold-hearted leader of a male dominated world. (She lets Bond get shot, but she also leaves him the china dog, so it's not that she's humourless or insensitive, it's that she does what needs to be done).
- However, characters like Moneypenny (clearly a reference to previous films which I haven't seen, so I can only comment on Skyfall) are not just victims either. The film also touches on the issue of the child sex trade.
- Daniel Craig's Bond isn't actually a womanising misogynist - I think he does care quite a lot, but he does his job and moves on, as he does with the male agent who gets shot at the start.
- M is referred to at least once as 'mother'. Make of that what you will.
Men
- You have the new character of Q, who is an almost adolescent boy compared to Craig's archetypal alpha male. Could this be a nod to the fact that in an age driven by technology it's not necessarily strength or charisma that drives power?
- Similarly, the new 'M' is seen by Bond as a bureaucrat until he finds out he fought in Northern Ireland. To be seen as a 'man' he needs to have physically proven himself.
- Bond is more than happy to kill numerous male assailants. However, we never see him kill a woman, even though plenty have betrayed him - they always commit suicide or get killed by someone else. Clearly this is because it would lower sympathy for the character, but could it be seen as ingrained anti-male sexism?
I'm not saying whether or not agree with all these points, but they're worth considering.
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