Angelus is the only truly masculine character on the show (and I'll explain that in later metas), and his masculinity is both threatening and a parody of normal male drives.
Oddly, the Mayor of Sunnydale's masculinity - his urge to be a father-figure for Faith - is portrayed as humanizing and sympathetic trait, and one that is taken positively by most viewers. His negative traits, of wanting to eat people, is perceived more as general evil than as 'masculinized'.
Perhaps, as a male viewer, I should be particularly attuned to misandry in writing but I don't usually feel it. Riley Finn, though not loved much by fans, is given complex and not unsympathetic treatment in terms of his masculinity. And clearly was held in higher esteem by the writing staff than the viewership. Although, here, we're dipping into the meta on gaps between the message the writers aimed to put across, and their level of effectiveness in actually doing so.
I will say that the running theme throughout the show was of the soul as a free pass. Much is made of having a soul, as if it were the only thing that decided between someone being good or evil.
Again, something I don't particularly agree with. This would be like me saying that because I am not tall, I am therefore short. It is possible to be neither short nor tall.
Absence of a soul was portrayed as precluding one from being good. But possession of a soul was not portrayed as a guarantor that one was good. There are too many instances of souled beings committing evil acts.
However, the treatment of Willow after the murder of Warren Meers would indicate that Whedon does not subscribe to the Utilitarian belief that the one's actions should be judged on the outcome. On the other hand, the narrative of needing redemption and achieving redemption through good acts seems to suggest otherwise.
How so? Redemption isn't really a Utilitarian concept. Mostly, you're just supposed to refine the calculus.
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ninetydegrees
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on 2007-08-31 04:59 am (UTC)Oddly, the Mayor of Sunnydale's masculinity - his urge to be a father-figure for Faith - is portrayed as humanizing and sympathetic trait, and one that is taken positively by most viewers. His negative traits, of wanting to eat people, is perceived more as general evil than as 'masculinized'.
Perhaps, as a male viewer, I should be particularly attuned to misandry in writing but I don't usually feel it. Riley Finn, though not loved much by fans, is given complex and not unsympathetic treatment in terms of his masculinity. And clearly was held in higher esteem by the writing staff than the viewership. Although, here, we're dipping into the meta on gaps between the message the writers aimed to put across, and their level of effectiveness in actually doing so.
I will say that the running theme throughout the show was of the soul as a free pass. Much is made of having a soul, as if it were the only thing that decided between someone being good or evil.
Again, something I don't particularly agree with. This would be like me saying that because I am not tall, I am therefore short. It is possible to be neither short nor tall.
Absence of a soul was portrayed as precluding one from being good. But possession of a soul was not portrayed as a guarantor that one was good. There are too many instances of souled beings committing evil acts.
However, the treatment of Willow after the murder of Warren Meers would indicate that Whedon does not subscribe to the Utilitarian belief that the one's actions should be judged on the outcome. On the other hand, the narrative of needing redemption and achieving redemption through good acts seems to suggest otherwise.
How so? Redemption isn't really a Utilitarian concept. Mostly, you're just supposed to refine the calculus.