Throughout The Returned, we see how the different male characters are represented. they are all represented to be violent in some way. The main male characters, Victor, Simon, Thomas, Pierre, Jerome, all have some sort of violence in their storylines, in some cases
against strangers and in others against women.
An example of the way that masculinity is represented is through Victor's character. Victor is introduced as the bus Camille is on passes him in the first episode, and he is stood alone on the road. This is what introduces his creepy aura, and gives us n uneasy and untrustworthy sense about him. He comes across as a violent character, which can be reinforced through the show as he kills Madame Payat and hands Toni the gun he uses to take his own life. However, Victor seems to favour and care for Julie, who takes care of him when he returns. His care for Julie is what leads him to kill Madame Payat, as she was threatening to take Victor away from Julie. He wanted to stay with Julie and was willing to kill anyone who prevented this, however Julie isn't aware that it was actually Victor who killed her until she finds a drawing he done of the scene. This is one example of violence, especially violence against women, as we see that the only murders we really hear of in the show are men against women and the men getting away with it.
This leads onto another male character who is especially violent, Serge. He commits murders in an underpass, and they are always against women. This represents the anger that a lot of the men in this series have an how they act on impulse as they cannot control it.
Thomas is a police man who is in a relationship with Adele. He seems to be possessive and controlling over Adele, as he has installed cameras in every room of their house and outside of her house and watches her when he is at work. This is how he finds out that Simon has returned, as he watches them on the cameras walk around the house. He also is seen following her to the library she works in through CCTV. He is basically stalking her and watching her every movement. Although this isn't physical violence, it shows how Thomas is very angry and confused, as he even goes to a church to speak to Pierre about the returned.
Simon is immediately introduced as violent when he very first returns as he approaches a diner. When he doesn't get served due to not having the right amount of money, he jumps over the counter and attacks the waiter. He is later called to the police station. He also attempts to get to Adele by trying to kick the bathroom door down. He is shown to be a very angry and impulsive character.
We can apply Judith Butler's theory to this as the men in returned are quite violent and impulsive which are stereotypical qualities of a man, especially when the violence is against women. The fact that men in the returned don't really know how to deal with their emotions or discuss their emotions is also stereotypical of men outside of the returned, as there is stigma around the idea of men talking to each other about their emotions.
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