Female Objectification in Contemporary Films from Different Origins Research Paper

Female Objectification in Contemporary Films from Different Origins - Research Paper Example This is due to the fact that individuals are physical beings and thus present themselves to others as objects via their behavior and dressing (Caterina 709). Objectification is an issue because of its frequency among women especially as portrayed by the media. Contemporary examples of women objectification as sexual beings are reflected through various films. This research paper uses the feminist theory of gender equality to give critical discussion of women objectification as portrayed in three contemporary films. The research is based on different film productions to achieve sufficient analysis and discussion of female objectification within contemporary films that emanate from different social cultural origins. The research is specifically an investigation into the roles and objectification that is revealed by female characters within the films. The way female characters in the films are labeled is used to discuss the influence it has on the manner men treat women in relationships . A qualitative research methodology is employed in the research. The presentation of research findings will specifically apply psychoanalysis, semiotics, ideological analysis and historical and rhetorical models. The movie Pretty Woman was directed by Garry Marshall and became one of the most successful romantic comedies in the history of cinematic production (Hulse 23). The movie depicts implausible romantic relationship between Edward and Vivian. The disparity between the two is presented by the fact that while Edward is a multimillionaire in the wheeler-dealing business, Vivian is a Hollywood prostitute (Hulse 23). The film How Much Do You Love Me on the other hand is a French production which also has same thematic as Pretty Woman. In the film How Much Do You Love Me, the themes of love, money and desire are presented through a relationship between Francois and Daniela (Clark 15). Daniela is an Italian prostitute while Francois is portrayed as a regular who earns just enough fo r expenses and rent. The Movie Moulin Rouge is British production directed by Baz Luhrmann. On the other hand, the movie Moulin Rouge is about Christian, a British poet who meets a seductive courtesan called Satine in a night club and falls in love with her (Business Wire 1). The three films have a commonality in themes and the fact that female objectification is apparent as they unfold. The feminist theory as postulated by feminist scholars argues that female objectification emanates from the disregard of intellectual abilities of women. This leads to labeling women as instruments of physical pleasure through sexual encounters with men (Felicia 178). The movie Pretty Woman rankle feminists. This is due to the fact that Vivian objectifies herself by presenting herself as a commodity (Turner B1). Feminists are most likely disappointed by the manner in which Vivian dehumanizes herself. Vivian is also portrayed as yearning for a knight who would rescue her. The objectification that is represented by the manner Vivian is dressed, behaves and talks is a requirement for her line of work is not definitely acceptable by the proponents of feminism. It is evident that women are labeled as sexual objects within the movie Pretty Woman especially in its early scenes. Pre-feminists are represented by a historical view of the role of women within the society. Pre-feminists stand against labeling a woman as a mother who stayed at home and acted as submissive wife (Fredrickson and Tomi-Ann 173). Watching the

If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants Essay

If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants - Essay Example Leonardo’s father was one of the traders who traded in Bugia; a Mediterranean port found in North Eastern Algeria. He always accompanied his father on his journeys across North Africa, and through travelling, he gained valuable knowledge of the mathematical systems that were popular in the countries they visited. After travelling for fifteen years, he quit his long travels and went back to his hometown (Robertson & O’Connor, www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk). While in Pisa, his hometown; Leonardo decided to write books based on his mathematical foundation. Examples of these books include; Liber Abaci, Practica Geometricae, Flos, Liber Quadratorum, among others. Influences from Indian, Arabian and Greek mathematicians can be detected in his methods. Therefore, it is correct to say that Leonardo’s works represents the developments of results he acquired from his predecessors. Leonardo’s published his first work, Liber Abaci (Book of Abacus), in 1202. The Book of Abacus was based on algebra and calculations that he accumulated during his several voyages. The book introduced the use of Arabic numerals and the Hindu-Arabic place value system into Europe: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0 (Robertson & O’Connor, www-history.mcs.st-and.ac.uk). Prior to this time, Roman numerals were being used in Europe, and they were extremely awkward for arithmetic. For example, I =1, V=5, X =10, among others. Leonardo also described in Latin the rules being learnt at elementary schools for subtracting, adding, dividing and multiplying numbers. Several arithmetic problems handled in the book were similar to the ones that appeared in the Arab sources. Liber Abaci’s second section contained several mathematical problems faced by merchants. These problems related to the pricing of goods, how profit calculations were to be conducted, how currencies used in the Mediterranean countries were to be converted, and problems that had originated from China. The third section