Sexy. Fair. Young : the beauty ideal through culture and the media

Abstract

Beauty is a complex construct that has affected women throughout history, critiquing them and changing them in order to fit what Western patriarchal society would deem as being beautiful. This dissertation analyses different aspects of the beauty ideal including sexualisation, ‘fairness’ and age versus youth. From an introduction of the beauty ideal and liberal feminism’s aims to liberate women from it, the first chapter focuses on Ian Fleming’s 007 novels and their film adaptations. Through Mulvey’s notion of the male gaze, it analyses how the sexualisation of the Bond Girl and secondary female characters make them an object of desire for men. The progression towards the first female 007 in No Time to Die (2021) is also discussed as proof of a feminist change within the media. The second chapter turns its attention to four Disney Princesses, presenting a sequence of feminist progression. From Snow White being the perfect ‘fair’ and passive woman and ending with the feminist independent Merida from Brave (2012), the analysis shows how each princess’ story reacts to the beauty ideal of being ‘fair’. This is analysed through Gilbert and Gubar’s Angel’ and ‘Monster’ and the Lacanian Mirror. through an analysis of various sub-topics such as the cougar in Cougar Town (2009), the crone in Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty (2008) and Howl’s Moving Castle (1986) (Anime version 2004), and a focus on notable older actresses such as Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren and Betty White. The aim is to provide an account of how older women are tied to the beauty ideal of looking youthful and how they have to work harder in order to reach the same level as their male counterparts in media.