1. skyfall
Representation

2. How are women represented in Skyfall?
Learning Intentions
To identify how representations of gender are constructed in Skyfall
Starter
How are women represented in Skyfall?

3. Representation of women
How are women represented in Skyfall?

4. Moneypenny
Has her character evolved since the 1960’s?

5. History: Doesn’t participate in missions More sexually charged
No name (until now)
Small part – romantic tension
Understands Bond
Supporting role

6. Caroline Bliss – The living Daylights (1987) Moneypenny

8. Naomie Harris Skyfall (2012) MoneyPenny

9. task
In Skyfall, do you think Moneypenny empowers the representation of women in contemporary society? In pairs, discuss and write down your thoughts. Please explain your choice. Aim for a good paragraph.

10. Moneypenny
At the beginning of the film, Moneypenny (Eve) is Bond’s partner on a mission to recover the stolen hard drive. M instructs Moneypenny to shoot at Patrice on the train, yet Moneypenny is hesitant and instead hits Bond with her bullet. It could be argued this suggests Moneypenny is an incompetent agent. Moneypenny only appears a few more times in the film; as a potential seductress for Bond, rather than assisting him with his mission. At the end of the film, Moneypenny decides to retire as a field agent and instead work for Mallory as his secretary.

11. severine

12. severine
What are your thoughts on Severine and her representation? When Bond and Severine meet in the casino, her hands start shaking indicating her fear, suggesting she is vulnerable and in need of help. Severine was served as an object of sexual gratification for both men, Bond and Silva. Her character reinforces Laura Mulvey’s ‘male gaze’ concept (1975), arguing women are often presented as passive sexualised ‘objects’ for the pleasure of the male gaze.

13. Debate: Gender power
Which character is represented as being more dominant: M or Bond? Discuss your response. Please explain your choice.

14. M & bond
M may hold the highest position of power as the head of the Foreign Intelligence Wing, but she constantly makes poor decisions that cost numerous people their lives.
For example, Silva holds her responsible for being tortured by the Chinese and plans a cyber attack against her and MI6. M is also forced to go on trial to defend the competency of her programme.
M is asked to retire from her position, being informed she has become too old to handle matters properly. Her position is then filled by a presumably more capable man, Gareth Mallory.
Silva: “You’re smaller than I remembered”
Bond both kidnaps and recues M. This is surprising given M is Bond’s boss and in a superior position of power and authority.

15. Has the representation of
women
Has the representation of
women been empowered?
All three women were shown to be inept at their jobs and ended up dead or in a subservient position.
It could be argued that, although we see women in positions of authority, and fulfilling traditionally male roles at times, the women are positioned merely to be decorative foils for Bond’s masculinity.

16. The Representation of bond & Men

17. Representation of bond & Men
How are men represented in SkyFall?
Through Bond, hegemonic masculinity (the dominant position of men and the subordination of women) is often reinforced throughout the film.
In contrast to the representation of women, the male characters are portrayed as heroes (Bond, Mallory) and masterminds (Silva).
When Bond is questioned on ‘M’, he replies “bitch”, when stating the first word that comes into his head it could be argued that the women are represented in this way because we see the film mainly Bond’s perspective.
However, there are homoerotic undertones in the scene where Silva speaks with Bond on the island – the costume suggests they are similar, two sides of the same coin, but the way Silva seemingly flirts with Bond, who accepts that, does present a more subverted version of the traditionally masculine roles presented in Bond films, or action films in general.
However, Gamman & Marshment (1988) argued that men can also be positioned as sexualised objects for the pleasure of the female gaze – consider Daniel Craig's first publicity photos as Bond on the beach, or films like Magic Mike.

18. Representation of women
HOMEWORK: Discuss the representation of gender in ‘Skyfall’. Mini essay – 3 paragraphs and examples from the film in support. Due Wednesday 14th November