| چکیده انگلیسی مقاله |
The Butlerian theory of performativity and subversive performative acts has been always helped to consider the situation of female gender construction in the heteronormative cultures. The situation of male gender identity and roles in the bipolar cultures has not yet been studied and the hegemonic functional context of the heterosexuality was not considered to be effective in the construction of male gender identity and roles. In the light of Judith Butler’s theory, different male individuals are coming into consideration and the complimentary parts to the theory of performativity will be revealed. The present research is the first study of the male gender identities and roles in the light of the Butlerian theory of performativity to understand whether these individuals follow the same constructive elements and react performatively and subversively or not. The importance of the present research is that the representative of the matrix of power, as depicted by Williams, can be female individuals as well as male identities. In these cases, female characters attempt to oblige male gender identities to remain under the control of the heterosexism and understand the binaries that differentiates two intelligible gender identities. On the other hand, the variety of male gender identities that Williams illustrates, provide the opportunity to consider how male gender identity and roles react to the parodic acts and construct their identity through performative acts or subversive performativity. Another significant finding in this research is that to the time that homosexual male gender identities keep their lack of continuity among sex, gender, and sexual desire, they are allowed to live in the cultural context without receiving any harms.
Introduction Judith Butler's theory of performativity and subversive performative acts has significantly contributed to the understanding of female gender identity construction within heteronormative cultures. Her groundbreaking work has illuminated how gender is not an inherent identity but rather a series of actions and behaviors continuously performed based on societal expectations. However, there has been a noticeable gap in the application of Butler's theories to the analysis of male gender identity and roles, particularly within the bipolar cultural framework that rigidly distinguishes between masculinity and femininity. This study aims to bridge that gap by exploring how male identities are constructed, performed, and potentially subverted in heteronormative contexts. By analyzing male characters in Tennessee Williams's plays, this research will reveal the complementary aspects of Butler's theory and provide insights into the performative nature of male gender identities.
Literature Review The cornerstone of this study is Judith Butler's Gender Trouble (1990), where she first introduced the concepts of gender performativity and subversion. Butler's theory posits that gender identity is not a fixed trait but rather an ongoing performance dictated by cultural norms and expectations. Her subsequent works, Bodies That Matter (1993) and Excitable Speech (1997), further elaborate on these ideas, examining how language and societal norms contribute to the construction and regulation of gender identities. These texts are essential for understanding the theoretical framework of this study.
Butler's theories are deeply influenced by earlier critical works from philosophers and theorists such as G.W.F. Hegel, Sigmund Freud, Simone de Beauvoir, Louis Althusser, and Michel Foucault. Hegel's dialectics, Freud's psychoanalysis, de Beauvoir's existential feminism, Althusser's concept of interpellation, and Foucault's discourse on power and sexuality collectively inform Butler's understanding of gender as a performative act.
While previous scholarship on Tennessee Williams's plays has predominantly focused on female characters, analyzing them through the lens of second-wave feminism and the patriarchal social hierarchy, this study shifts the focus to male characters. It investigates how Williams's male characters perform their gender identities and whether they conform to or subvert the heteronormative expectations imposed upon them. This research is pioneering in its systematic application of Butlerian performativity to male characters in Williams's dramatic works, offering a novel perspective on gender construction and performance.
Methodology and Argument The methodology of this study involves a detailed textual analysis of male characters in selected plays by Tennessee Williams. The plays chosen for this analysis include A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and The Glass Menagerie. These works feature a variety of male characters—heterosexual, homosexual, and gigolo—whose gender identities and roles are constructed through their interactions and performative acts within heterosexist cultures.
Using Butler's theory of performativity as the analytical framework, this study examines how these male characters engage in repetitive acts that constitute their gender identities. These acts, dictated by the binarized matrix of power, often conform to the expectations of heteronormativity but also contain potential for subversion. The analysis focuses on how these characters navigate their identities through performative acts, either reinforcing or challenging the hegemonic norms.
For instance, the character of Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof exemplifies the struggle with heteronormative expectations of masculinity. Brick's ambivalence towards his own sexuality and his performative acts of repression and denial highlight the tensions between societal expectations and personal identity. Similarly, the character of Tom in The Glass Menagerie grapples with the constraints of his gender role, performing acts of rebellion that ultimately reveal the fluidity and instability of gender norms.
The study also explores how female characters in these plays occasionally assume the role of enforcing heteronormativity, attempting to define and control the gender identities and roles of male characters. For example, Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire seeks to impose traditional gender roles on her brother-in-law, Stanley, while simultaneously challenging his authority and masculinity. This dynamic illustrates the complex interplay of power, gender, and performativity in Williams's works.
Findings and Discussion The analysis of male characters in Tennessee Williams's plays reveals that the hegemony of a binarized culture exerts significant control over the construction of male gender identity and roles, mirroring the control it exerts over female gender identity. The performative acts of male characters, dictated by societal norms, often aim to uphold the heteronormative order. However, these acts also possess the potential for subversion, as even slight deviations from the norm can disrupt the established binary.
One significant finding is that male characters in Williams's plays frequently engage in performative acts that challenge the coherence of the bipolar gender system. For instance, the character of Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire performs hypermasculinity to assert his dominance, yet his actions also expose the fragility of such constructed identities. His aggressive behavior, while reinforcing traditional masculine traits, simultaneously reveals the performative nature of gender and its susceptibility to disruption.
Moreover, the study highlights how homosexual male characters in Williams's plays navigate their identities within the heteronormative framework. Characters like Brick and Tom illustrate the discontinuity between sex, gender, and sexual desire, maintaining a space for subversive performativity. This discontinuity allows them to exist within the cultural context without fully conforming to its expectations, thereby challenging the stability of heteronormative identities.
Another important observation is the role of female characters as representatives of the matrix of power, enforcing heteronormative roles onto male characters. This dynamic is particularly evident in the interactions between Blanche and Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire, where Blanche's attempts to impose traditional gender norms on Stanley ultimately underscore the performative and fluid nature of gender identities.
Conclusion In conclusion, the application of Judith Butler's theory of performativity to the analysis of male characters in Tennessee Williams's plays reveals the pervasive influence of heteronormative culture on gender identity construction. The study demonstrates that the binarized cultural framework controls male gender identity and roles similarly to female gender identity, through performative acts that both uphold and potentially subvert the established norms.
The findings of this research contribute to a deeper understanding of gender construction and the interplay of power within theatrical representations. By examining how male characters in Williams's plays perform and subvert their gender identities, this study highlights the fluidity and complexity of gender and the potential for subversive acts to challenge the hegemony of heteronormativity.
Overall, this research underscores the importance of considering male gender identities in the context of Butlerian performativity, providing new insights into the ways in which gender is constructed, performed, and contested within heteronormative cultures. Through the analysis of Williams's diverse male characters, this study offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing discourse on gender, identity, and power.
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