A Brief Analysis of Embodiment of Feminism in 007 Movie Series

Abstract

Watching movies is a way of entertainment that can help us spend idle time on our study or daily life. The majority of people like seeing films about heroism. Both men and women are easy to admire the hero’s braveness, smart and handsome. But the plot and the characteristics of figures constructed in this kind of films intangibly influence people’s perception. The hero’s performances conceal female roles. So the social gender identity reflecting from those movies is worth to research.

Based on the feminism and media criticism theory, this article uses the content analysis as research method in order to have a brief analysis of embodiment of feminism in 007 movie series. In this article, first of all, it points out the turning point of the female fate in 007 movie series and divides 007 movies into three stages by listing four movies as the representations for each stage. For the third stages, this article chooses two movies. Secondly, this article analyzes the Bond Girls’ characteristics in the four movies from the perspectives of figures’ language, behaviors and environment in order to find the trace of embodiment of feminism. Thirdly, based on the figures’ characteristics, it gives an analysis about the change of gender identity in the movies. This kind of identity change goes through discrimination and rejection, gender identity and reconciliation to finish certain task.

The result of this thesis will be a supplement to the research on feminism and mass media and be able to provide some analysis basis for the appeal that how society promotes female social gender identity.

Key words: mass media, media criticism, social gender identity, feminism, female role