The serials such as The Perils of Pauline, The Adventures of Kathlyn, and The Exploits of Elaine all helped to create the common convention of a particular kind of feminist heroine. Still wildly popular today (especially in the superhero genre in my opinion), this heroine pushes boundaries on what women can accomplish while her overall story and character maintain the importance of feminine presentation and the aesthetic of womanhood that audiences are comfortable with.
All of these heroines are complicated in that they cannot be blamed for not being progressive enough nor endlessly praised for accomplishing feminism. What I will argue is that there has been less change to this trope of heroine since its creation in comparison to others, which highlights in particular how America is comfortable with only a certain amount of female empowerment. This is seen in how Pauline seeks freedom but is constantly under the pressure of marriage and lack of power over her finances throughout the serial. In the end of the series it hardly feels like a choice for her to be married when the fact that she chose to be unmarried drove the entire plot.
You make really great points here, Rita! I really liked how you tied it all into modern day feminist heroes!
ReplyDeleteThis reflection is inspirational for me, I love how you make your point so brief and clear. Maybe the story of Pauline is trying to say that in the end, love is still the final choice of being happy, but why is that?
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading your reflection, I couldnt help but think about the most recent Wonder Woman film that was celebrated as a feminist masterpiece while having so many complicated dynamics around rescue that reflect the dynamics of The Perils of Pauline. It really makes you wonder how far we have come and where we are going, if anywhere....
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