Between Gazes

Camelia Elias

StereotypesStereotypes

““A fixed general image, A fixed general image, characteristic, etc. that a lot of characteristic, etc. that a lot of people believe to represent a people believe to represent a particular type of person or thing.”particular type of person or thing.”

(Collins Cobuild Dictionary)(Collins Cobuild Dictionary)

StereotypingStereotyping

When someone claims that members When someone claims that members of another culture all share the same, of another culture all share the same, often inferior or offensive often inferior or offensive characteristics.characteristics.

Types of stereotypesTypes of stereotypes

racial e.g. Red Indians in cowboy films are racial e.g. Red Indians in cowboy films are seen as bloodthirsty savagesseen as bloodthirsty savages

gender e.g. women are bad drivers gender e.g. women are bad drivers age e.g. old people are said to be very age e.g. old people are said to be very

forgetfulforgetful religion e.g. Catholics families have a lot of religion e.g. Catholics families have a lot of

childrenchildren profession e.g. all lawyers are greedyprofession e.g. all lawyers are greedy

Heaven and HellHeaven and Hell

HeavenHeaven is where the police are is where the police are British, the cooks are French, the British, the cooks are French, the mechanics are German, the lovers mechanics are German, the lovers are Italian and it is all organised by are Italian and it is all organised by the Swiss. the Swiss.

HellHell is where the police are German, is where the police are German, the cooks are English, the mechanics the cooks are English, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss, and are French, the lovers are Swiss, and it is all organised by the Italians.it is all organised by the Italians.

The typical FrenchmanThe typical Frenchman

Historical basisHistorical basis

The typical EnglishmanThe typical Englishman

Basis in fictionBasis in fiction

Where do stereotypes come from?Where do stereotypes come from?

familial environmentfamilial environment the mediathe media friendsfriends education (school, university)education (school, university) traveltravel lazinesslaziness fearfear envyenvy a sense of superioritya sense of superiority lack of experience of people, etc.lack of experience of people, etc.

stereotype threatstereotype threat

unpleasant apprehension arising unpleasant apprehension arising from the awareness of a negative from the awareness of a negative ability stereotype in a situation ability stereotype in a situation where the stereotype is relevant, and where the stereotype is relevant, and thus confirmable.thus confirmable.

(“Stereotype threat and the intellectual test performance of African (“Stereotype threat and the intellectual test performance of African Americans". Americans".

Steele & Aronson, 1995)Steele & Aronson, 1995)

Orientalism – a discourse of Orientalism – a discourse of ‘Othering’‘Othering’

The production of the East as the West’s ‘other’ The production of the East as the West’s ‘other’ Bhabha – ‘othering as a form of pathological Bhabha – ‘othering as a form of pathological

disorder at state level’disorder at state level’ Intense desire and fearIntense desire and fear Colonised countries become invested with Colonised countries become invested with

sexualitysexuality The objects of fetishism as colonial countries become The objects of fetishism as colonial countries become

invested with sexuality exoticisminvested with sexuality exoticism The eroticized gaze turns colonial countries into The eroticized gaze turns colonial countries into

spectaclespectacle Mark Currie: ‘the condition of otherness is not a Mark Currie: ‘the condition of otherness is not a

logical relation as much as a power relation’logical relation as much as a power relation’

discursive frameworks for analysisdiscursive frameworks for analysis

HOMOGENEITYHOMOGENEITYGeneralisations and categoriesGeneralisations and categoriesSubhuman elementsSubhuman elementsPronouns –’he’, ‘they’Pronouns –’he’, ‘they’Pronouns and verb forms in the 3rd person Pronouns and verb forms in the 3rd person

mark an Other outside the dialoguemark an Other outside the dialogue Help Help constructconstruct a sense of a sense of spectaclespectacle

esp. 19th c. anthropology and travel esp. 19th c. anthropology and travel writingwriting

OtherOther

the opposite of Onethe opposite of One a secondary identity a secondary identity ‘altered’ or contaminated ‘altered’ or contaminated

identityidentity a natural complement to differencea natural complement to difference

three senses:three senses: quasi-oppositionalityquasi-oppositionality implicit inferiority or secondarinessimplicit inferiority or secondariness unknowability, or ineffabilityunknowability, or ineffability these characteristics are accounts of identity as a these characteristics are accounts of identity as a

kind of relation or exchange with the Otherkind of relation or exchange with the Other

mimicrymimicry

imitation as camouflageimitation as camouflage repeats rather than represents (Bhabha) repeats rather than represents (Bhabha) Portia:Portia:

imitates men, dresses like a lawyer, talks like imitates men, dresses like a lawyer, talks like oneone

ShylockShylock mimicry is forced upon himmimicry is forced upon him

BassanioBassanio as a gay representative, he mimics the straight as a gay representative, he mimics the straight

guy by wooing and marrying a woman guy by wooing and marrying a woman

civilization vs. ‘civilization’civilization vs. ‘civilization’

Ghandhi’s visit to Britain:Ghandhi’s visit to Britain:

Reporter: “What do you Reporter: “What do you think of modern civilisation think of modern civilisation Mr Gandhi?”Mr Gandhi?”

Gandhi: “I think it would be Gandhi: “I think it would be a good idea”a good idea”

in other renditions: in other renditions: ‘‘what do you think of what do you think of

civilization in England?civilization in England? ‘‘I think that it would be I think that it would be

something worth trying!’something worth trying!’

theatrical conventions in Shakespeare’s timetheatrical conventions in Shakespeare’s time

suspension of suspension of realityreality

no electricityno electricity women forbidden women forbidden

to act on stageto act on stage minimal minimal

contemporary contemporary costumecostume

minimal sceneryminimal scenery

all these control the all these control the dialoguedialogue

dialogue and types of speechdialogue and types of speech

soliloquysoliloquy asideaside

The playwright used poetic dialogue:The playwright used poetic dialogue: to paint a picture of the sceneto paint a picture of the scene to establish the time and the place of the actionto establish the time and the place of the action to familiarize the audience both with the to familiarize the audience both with the

characters’ identities and their physical characters’ identities and their physical appearances appearances

Soliloquies and asides were also used to Soliloquies and asides were also used to compensate for the absence of an elaborate stagecompensate for the absence of an elaborate stage

stagingstaging

blood and goreblood and gore use of supernaturaluse of supernatural

the audience demands to be scaredthe audience demands to be scared

stage costumes stage costumes

communicate the communicate the message of the message of the character, show character, show his/her social status, his/her social status, professionprofession

a company's costumes a company's costumes were among its most were among its most important item. important item.

individual costumes individual costumes often cost more than often cost more than the outright purchase the outright purchase of a play. of a play.

historical accuracy historical accuracy

accurate information concerning the accurate information concerning the clothes worn in the early productions clothes worn in the early productions is very lacking. is very lacking.

it is believed that even in a play set it is believed that even in a play set in ancient Rome the actors wore in ancient Rome the actors wore contemporary dress. contemporary dress.

there was very little attempt to there was very little attempt to present historical accuracy. present historical accuracy.

Merchant of Venice - clipsMerchant of Venice - clips

Prince of MorrocoPrince of Morroco monologuemonologue TrialTrial cuttingcutting

setting: two worldssetting: two worlds

• VeniceVenice• Language of Language of

money, commercemoney, commerce• Male friendshipMale friendship• Justice / letter of Justice / letter of

lawlaw

• BelmontBelmont• Poetic languagePoetic language• Love / marriage Love / marriage

bondsbonds• Mercy / spirit of Mercy / spirit of

lawlaw

background:background:Old vs. New TestamentOld vs. New Testament

• JudaismJudaism• Justice / RetributionJustice / Retribution• Letter of LawLetter of Law• ““A Daniel come to A Daniel come to

judgment”judgment”

• ChristianityChristianity• Mercy / Mercy /

ForgivenessForgiveness• Spirit of LawSpirit of Law• ““Quality of Mercy is Quality of Mercy is

not strained”not strained”

three plotsthree plots

• Casket plot Casket plot • (Act I – III) Resolved with marriage of (Act I – III) Resolved with marriage of

Portia and BassanioPortia and Bassanio

• Pound of Flesh plot Pound of Flesh plot • (Act I – IV) Resolved with Court scene(Act I – IV) Resolved with Court scene

• Ring plot Ring plot • (Act III – V) Resolved with (Act III – V) Resolved with

reconciliation scene between Portia reconciliation scene between Portia and Bassanio, Nerissa and Gratianoand Bassanio, Nerissa and Gratiano

Potential conflict for Bassanio’s lovePotential conflict for Bassanio’s love

AntonioAntonio PortiaPortia

BassanioBassanio

Potential conflictPotential conflictLove

/ Fr

iend

ship

Love

/ Fr

iend

ship Love / M

arriage

Love / Marriage

the Jew

the Jew

Bassanio’s bondsBassanio’s bonds

• Father/Son-like and/or friendship Father/Son-like and/or friendship relationship with Antonio relationship with Antonio

• Father of Portia/Suitor bond through Father of Portia/Suitor bond through Casket choiceCasket choice

• Husband/Wife bond with PortiaHusband/Wife bond with Portia• Love bond/promise through acceptance of Love bond/promise through acceptance of

ringring• Gratitude bond with Ballerio (Portia in Gratitude bond with Ballerio (Portia in

disguise as Doctor of Law)disguise as Doctor of Law)

Who was the Merchant of Venice?Who was the Merchant of Venice?

• AntonioAntonio• Has many ships in various parts of the Has many ships in various parts of the

worldworld

• ShylockShylock• Lends out money for profitLends out money for profit

• BassanioBassanio• Gentleman, but the one who ends up Gentleman, but the one who ends up

with the “Golden Fleece”: Portia, her with the “Golden Fleece”: Portia, her father’s fortunefather’s fortune

Shylock’s conversion to ChristianityShylock’s conversion to Christianity

From Christians’ point of viewFrom Christians’ point of view Shylock cannot be “saved” without ChristShylock cannot be “saved” without Christ They are doing him a favorThey are doing him a favor

From Jews’ point of viewFrom Jews’ point of view Shylock is condemned to be without societyShylock is condemned to be without society

He cannot associate with other JewsHe cannot associate with other JewsThe Christians won’t really accept himThe Christians won’t really accept him

The law is imposing a penalty worse than The law is imposing a penalty worse than losing all the moneylosing all the money

the law enforcers the law enforcers more merciless than more merciless than ShylockShylock

themesthemes

love vs. wealthlove vs. wealth choices – greed vs. willingness to give, risk, choices – greed vs. willingness to give, risk,

venturingventuring mercy vs. revengemercy vs. revenge harmony vs. disorderharmony vs. disorder friendship vs. homosexual lovefriendship vs. homosexual love appearance vs. realityappearance vs. reality bonds, covenants vs lossbonds, covenants vs loss boredom vs spectacle boredom vs spectacle justice vs forgivenessjustice vs forgiveness ‘‘true’ nature of love true’ nature of love