After reviewing the material and readings from weeks one and two, I was able to compile my notes and summarize what we learned about the Hollywood icon, Marilyn Monroe. During the first two weeks we watched Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and read excerpts from The Building of Popular Images and Monroe and Sexuality. I was very excited to learn about Marilyn Monroe because I did not know much about how she was marketed to the public eye and how she quickly became a star.
In the first reading “The Building of Popular Images” Thomas Harris discusses the procedures and steps needed to produce a star, like Marilyn Monroe, to the public eyes. Harris talked about how each star has their own image which will be carried out throughout their entire career. He stated that this idea of producing a star was done through magazine features, television appearance, and personal interviews. I was able to learn very quickly how Marilyn Monroe was introduced to the public. She was marketed as a sexual symbol.
During the early fifties, the film industry portrayed women in a very conservative and reserved manner. A woman’s role was often in the household and there was not much freedom for a woman in film. However, we were able to see a change in this narrative when we watch Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Monroe was a desired woman who was often seen as a sex symbol for men. In this film she was sought after and fantasized about. She was notorious for being the sexiest women of all time and she was advertised as the ideal play mate. I cannot help but empathize with Monroe because she was always cast to play the same character. In most of her films, Monroe was either a showgirl or an actress who was always a “dumb blonde” character. It was really hard for Monroe to move away from this image because she was mainly produced for the male eye. I think that if Monroe tried to go somewhere else with her acting career, she would fail. Her image was and still is a sexual symbol. Because men and women perceived her as an extremely sexual person, she was unable to break away from this narrative.
There is often the question of whether Marilyn Monroe was an empowering female role model for her audience. I would argue that Marilyn Monroe did empower women to embrace their own sexuality. Before Monroe, there were not many female role models who would embrace their sexuality. Marilyn strived to break the taboo of sex. Her naturalistic approach to sex and confidence gave her a sense of empowerment. I argue that because Monroe was aware of what men wanted from her, she was able to get whatever she wanted. She knew that if she smiled a certain way or even made a certain movement, she could get any guy she wanted. Because of this, Monroe possessed a great deal of power. She was an inspiration for many women who were afraid to embrace their sexuality in a time where it was not often talked about and because of that, I do feel like she is an empowering figure for female audiences.