Gender
For my last criticism post I have decided to
focus on Agent Peggy Carter and the gender issues that were presented throughout
the first and second season that she had to overcome. In the beginning of the
series she is seen as unequal to the men that she works with in an office. Because
she is a female, she is given work that typically is given to a woman, such as
secretarial work, instead of receiving work that is geared towards men which
those above her know she can accomplish. In Critical
Rhetoric: Theory and Praxis, McKerrow states “the focus of a critique of
domination is on the discourse of power which creates and sustains the social
practices which control the dominated. It is, more particularly, a critique of
ideologies, perceived as rhetorical creations” (92).
Scene where Agent Carter is surrounded by men proving that she
is capable of what they are.
Agent Carter is mainly given work that is
insignificant because the men around her do not like to recognize that a woman
is capable of what a man can achieve, therefore resulting in Agent Carter not
given the opportunity to show her capabilities. As the dominating gender, males
see a woman’s superior capabilities as superior because that can result in them
taking their jobs and receiving praise, as is the situation in Agent Carter.
Promo from season 2 showing how Agent Carter’s roles and
responsibilities changed from season 1 to season 2.
All of the defeat and humiliation left Agent
Carter with one resort, proving to her colleagues of what she was capable of
achieving without the resources that were readily available to them. Agent
Carter’s bravery created new possibilities for women in the workplace, that
they can achieve anything that a man can and just because you are put down so
many times does not mean that you should continue let yourself be put in that
situation. She also created the possibility that both women and men should be
equal and not be discriminated based on their gender of their capabilities.
Links to videos just in case they do not work:
This is a great example of critical rhetorical criticism! Nice work weaving in the various aspects here. You also set up the method clearly at the outset.
ReplyDeleteNice job with the videos and structure, as well.