Feminist Film Criticism - Essay Example

16 December 2006 Feminist Film Criticism The vast spread of countless views on the of feminism in this age of information has, for the utmost part, given the women impartiality in dealing with their everyday lives. Feminism is perceptively intended to give a simplistic approach in understanding women in general, their values, ideology and the inherent power they have vis--vis the male population. The society has an extensive role in creating an acceptable notion especially in the representation of beauty in a woman. Memoirs of a Geisha: In the Academy-Award winning adaptation of a bestselling novel1, Memoirs of a Geisha, the spectators were enlightened on how the "Geisha" were then recognized in the Japanese cultural society in the early 1930's. The movie stars Zhang Ziyi, as the female protagonist Nitta Sayuri2, who, through a relentless desire to achieve her one and only goal in life3, has made it to the peak of her pursuit to be a geisha and eventually to become the mistress of the oki-ya4. The social position of the geisha is best described as something peculiar to the society of its source. This is so because their status in the traditional civilization is to some extent considered as indeterminate. This undefined portrayal of a geisha was successfully clarified in the film. As manifestly illustrated in the film, a geisha was given an unsurpassed status in the Japanese society. It evidently gave justice to the frequently mistaken position of a geisha with respect to their status in the populace. More often than not, a geisha is mistakenly perceived and identified as a "prostitute". However, this misconception was effectively dismissed as the film nearly reached its conclusion. The viewers correspondingly learned that a geisha is far more different from a prostitute. Although seen as somewhat rundown, the oki-ya is viewed as a house having significantly acceptable structure in the society. Comparatively similar to a boarding house, oki-ya is where the geisha and the geisha trainees stay and settle. As seen in the movie, a Geisha House is not as terrible and horrific as that of a brothel house where prostitutes are maintained. Its social structure as traditionally acknowledged in the Japanese culture gives a clear view how oki-ya is boldly accepted in the society. One becomes a geisha after an extensive training from the time she enters the oki-ya where she eventually turns into an apprentice, serving the mistress of the house by doing the domestic chores. Sayuri entered the oki-ya at the age of nine (9) and started as a servant for the "mother" of the house and to Hatsumomo5, the only geisha in the house. She was then prepared and trained to become a geisha with Pumpkin in a training school, learning the arduous arts of a geisha, which include, among others, dance and music; elaborate make-up of pale white faces and their enthralling red lips; wearing the kimono, pouring sake to reveal just a slight touch of the inner wrist, and the remarkable struggle with jealous rivals for the attention of men of the higher class. As the American anthropologist Dalby stated in her book, a geisha's position in the society is unavoidably vague. She wrote: "(m)arked as [a geisha] is by both high and low prestige, the Geisha and her place in Japanese culture remain elusively ambiguous." [172] The fundamental role of a geisha is to entertain men in business and politics in Japan. They were trained to function as the very amusing and gracious hostess, usually, in an important gathering which prominent men would throw. An essential part of bringing entertainment is through music and dancing where they show their talents as developed by the extensive training they underwent. "Each geisha is highly accomplished in particular skills such as playing the koto, dancing or singing, but they all train for years in the more general arts of caring for their guests (or, strictly speaking, clients). [Hendry, Taylor and Francis, 201] The geisha house or the oki-ya is controlled by the "mother" who invests her effort and money in raising a child to be a geisha. Usually bought or as payment for debts, a young Japanese, who serves in the oki-ya, will eventually become a geisha, after completing the training. The clients of a geisha are usually the rich and famous in the society. In the film, prominent clients of the geisha include the Baron, Chairman, a rich doctor and Nobu. However, strictly speaking, a Danna is considered the ultimate client for a geisha. He usually supports and pays for her living, but in return, he is granted an on tap sexual access to the geisha. These clients claim to geisha is purely entertainment and sometimes, prestige. This is so because, in getting the virginity of a geisha, one must bid the highest amount. The oki-ya economically continue to exist by earning the money paid to the geisha. The "mother" gets the income by taking the proceeds of the bid and bringing it to the oki-ya for its maintenance. An obvious give-and-take relationship exists between the "mother" and the geisha considering that the former pays for everything in preparation of becoming a full-fledged geisha, while the latter gives the whole amount of the proceeds of the highest bid to the "mother" for the preservation and continued existence of the oki-ya. Once an apprentice sells her virginity to the highest bidder, she would then be considered as having bought her debts. In the film, the relationship of the men and women, especially the geisha, is apparently exhibited. It is manifest in the film that men have a high regard to the geisha. They treat them as someone who is honorable and gracious. On the other hand, the roles of these various men are equally important for the geisha. Men are associated with both power and money. Therefore, getting the best man, who is both powerful and wealthy, is the best achievement a geisha could attain. Geisha are not really prostitutes. They have a higher status far greater than those of prostitutes. This is evident in the movie, when Hitsumomo was likened to a common prostitute and where Nobu exclaimed to Sayuri, when he saw the American whispering to Sayuri, that a geisha does not do what an ordinary whore would do. But more identified in the movie is the fact that a geisha is really an entertainer. They are called 'a moving work of art.' And, in addition to being an artist, Sayuri considered herself as a half-wife because she realizes that a geisha is not to free to feel and love. However, the movie made a great impact when it concluded a happy ending, i.e. Sayuri and the Chairman together. The film was made in an interesting narrative type, wherein a voice-over of the narrator, who is the female protagonist, was used. The method used in the film is worthy of applause as it gives an appropriate drama to the wholeness of the film. The idea of a flashback of memories was well depicted by the voice-over of the protagonist, who, as she spoke, is noticeably older. Pretty Woman: In the American romantic movie Pretty Woman, difference in power between the male and the female gender is depicted by showing how Vivian6 became dependent with her feelings for Edward7. A woman's weakness was slightly made visible when it was shown that Vivian became a bit needy of a man through the character of Edward, a dream of having a fairy-tale, live-happily-ever-after romance. A man was depicted as someone wealthy, powerful, and has all the material success in life, but was illustrated as someone sad, lonely and sometimes vulnerable. A feminist critique of this film would reveal that it made a description of a woman, particularly a prostitute, as someone who has also a masculine side in her. However, a woman was still seen as defenseless and weak. This is apparent in the scene where Phil, Edward's lawyer best friend, tried to rape Vivian and in fact hit her in the face, until Edward came and rescued her. This exemplifies how women are viewed as the weaker gender. The film always creates a distinct idea that women are supposed to be weak and susceptible to getting into danger and menace. Another example is the scene where Edward goes with Vivian to the shop which previously turned the latter down. In this scene, Vivian was again saved by Edward by redeeming her esteem back. The film made a social impact on how the American society view and regard the prostitutes. Just like how Phil reacted to the status of Vivian, many Americans think that prostitutes are the lowest creature in the globe. They vulgarly think of prostitutes as unworthy of a place in the society. This goes to both men and women. Not only the males view prostitutes as someone having a low status, females likewise regard the prostitutes as unworthy and disgraceful. This is obvious when the sales persons in the expensive and posh shop looked arrogantly at Vivian and presumed that Vivian does not have the money to buy such luxurious attire they sell. In this movie, the prostitution portrayed is one where women pick up their customers in the bar and in the streets. Vivian said that she became a prostitute because her room mate describes the job as something fun. She did not finish school and started living independently of her parents. Usually, women who become prostitutes are those who do not want to give their families trouble or problem. They think that living on their own and earning fast money could be the only hope for them. The film did not really get into details on how one is trained to be a professional prostitute. However, a scene in the movie depicted that the skills and talent natural to a prostitute is learned through their mentor. In the movie, Vivian was being taught by her room mate on how to act and function as a prostitute. Within the American society, being the setting of the film, it is easily noticeable how a prostitute is treated with prejudice and utter discrimination. For the most part, Phil and the sales girl in the shop are two of the best instance on how the society in America sees a prostitute, i.e. contemptible and undeserving. As with other movies of the same kind and plot, this film uses a "client" for the prostitute in the character of a wealthy, successful, powerful and kind man who would, as often, save the prostitute from her disreputable status, as a prince would save a damsel in distress. Edward's only claim for Vivian is for her to accompany and to escort him in special gatherings that he would attend to. On the other hand, Vivian's only claim is the money. Although in the end, the two learned to like and love each other, that they have actually set aside their one's own interest. A prostitute generally gets her income from going out at night and picking up men who would pay them fat money in exchange for a sexual intercourse. They come by with their economic dilemma by doing what they need to do, entertain their clients and engage in a sexual relation with them. In the movie, getting a huge income from Edward, Vivian extended her help with her room mate by giving the latter some money to pay for her debts. The relationship between men and women in the film was one of a knight in shining armor and a damsel waiting to be rescued. A Woman is usually viewed as someone who would always cling on to men for her status. She is constantly dependent on a man, to make her happy, to give everything she needs and most especially, to save her from troubles. Women are always seen as the weaker gender because women, although skillful and talented, would always go behind their men's shadow. They are always predestined to be in a lesser positions to their men who are big factors in women's achievement. In reality, however ugly it would seem, the treatment of the society to prostitutes as lowly and disgraceful may have an effect in improving the society in general in order to eliminate the growing number of prostitutes. As Breen and Peters, citing the Swedish Social Democrat Ulla Peterson, put it: By accepting prostitution, society tolerates a humiliating perception of women. The view that women can be bought for money expresses a disdain for women as human beings. [43] Works Cited Breen, Margaret Sonser and Peters, Fiona. Genealogies of Identity: Interdisciplinary Readings on Sex and Sexuality. Rodopi Publications, 2005. Dalby, Liza Crihfield. Geisha. US: University of California, 1998. Hendry, Joy, Taylor and Francis. Understanding Japanese Society. UK: Routledge, 2003 Read More