Textual Analysis- Laura Mulvey 'Male Gaze'

Laura Mulvey - Male Gaze

Mulvey's theory depicts the vast majority of media productions to be constructed for the consumption of a 'heterosexual male' audience. The theorist describes how women tend to be shown within media to be products of the male character. The key points within her theory, illustrated in 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema' are: 

1.The representation of women as a sexual fantasy and from a heterosexual male point of view

2.Scopophilia- the pleasure involved in looking at other peoples bodies 3) Objectification of female characters

3.Patriarchal society

4.Objectification of female characters

5.Active male and passive female

6.Men – controlling subjects

7.Women as an image

8.Men do the looking and the women are there to be looked at

9.Needs of the male ego 

The video begins by showing a male as a controlling subject over a female as he physically restrains her whilst she tries to break free. This is furthered by the lyrics "You're hogging her". The word 'hogging' implies that the female is an object to be used by males and that in this instance the controlling male subject is using her too much and not allowing for the other males within the video to use her as well- I liken this to a group of dribbling 4-year-olds fighting over a Playmobile truck. 

One of the final shots of the music video shows a male riding a motorbike into the sunset with a female on the back- this fulfills the need of the male ego as they are often shown within cinema to be hyper-masculine, slick and cool, seemingly impartial to the attention of other males and solely interested in speed, possessions, attractive women (could be listed under possessions) and designer brands. It makes me queasy. 

The video also adheres to the 8th criteria of the Male Gaze: 'Men do the looking and the women are there to be looked at'. This is shown via an eye match that shows a close-up of Pharell Williams as he sings "Look at your girl- she loves it" followed by a cutaway to a close-up of the female subject dancing in the middle of a revolving stage: epitomising the notion that females in cinema are 'on show' to the male audience. As harmless as this may seem, these conventions have indoctrinated society into believing that women need to expect the attention and objectification of males and have also brainwashed men into believing that there is little consequence in treating a female as a possession or a prize. But there are consequences- a full can of lager over the top of them being one of many.