One way in which Liesbet Van Zoonen’s theory that women's bodies are to be looked at in western patriarchal culture is supported by Bridget Jones Diary is the repetitive comments, almost plotline, throughout the film regarding Bridget Jones weight. In western patriarchal culture, women are expected to conform to the idea that their bodies should look a certain way, such as being slim. This is acknowledged in the film by Bridget Jones herself, her friends and even strangers commenting on her body. For example, when Bridget Jones catches Daniel Cleaver cheating on her with a woman named Laura who says ‘I thought you said she was thin’ regarding Bridget and talking down on her to her face. This supports Liesbet Van Zoonens theory that the display of women's bodies are objects to be looked at in western patriarchal culture as women comply to this patriarchal culture/rule.
Similarly to this, when Mark Darcy claims he likes Bridget just as she is, her friends are genuinely shocked, replying ‘Just as you are? Not thinner? Not cleverer? Not with slightly bigger breasts or slightly smaller nose?’. Not only do Bridget's friends subtly criticise Bridget for being unintelligent, but they repeatedly critisise parts of her body, pointing them out and how they can be improved. This supports Liesbet Van Zoonens theory as the comments from Bridget's friends imply that there is an ideal way to look in western patriarchal culture and that women should look that way in order to attract men, suggested by their shock that Mark Darcy likes Bridget the way she is.
Even further, as throughout the film Bridget Jones talks negatively about her weight, with the film showing the audience her exact weight and it acting as an obstacle that she has to overcome in order to feel better about herself and her relationships with men. Not only does this reinforce Liesbet Van Zoonens theory regarding women's bodies having to look a certain way for western patriarchal culture, but the film also puts forward the idea that Bridget is her happiest once validated by Mark Darcy claiming he likes her the way she is, also reinforcing the male gaze theory and the idea that the meaning of gender varies according to cultural contexts, the context being that Mark Darcy does not comment on Bridget Jones weight therefore meaning it is all of a sudden not acting as an obstacle for Bridget to find love which was previously suggested.
Another way in which Bridget Jones Diarysupports the idea that the meaning of gender varies according to historical and cultural context is evident when Mark Darcy describes Bridget Jones to be ‘a verbally incontinent spinster who smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish, and dresses like her mother’. The comment that Bridget is a spinster isa sexist term for women who are older than the ‘prime age’ to be married, and therefore are unlikely to ever marry. Not only does the term spinster imply that women's only value in life is to marry a man, but that if a woman does not marry a man that it is something negative to be independent and unmarried. This therefore supports Liesbet Van Zoonens theory that gender varies on historical and cultural context, as in the film the word spinster is used to negatively describe a woman who is not married.
Comments