Marilyn Monroe Analysis Essay Example

This cultural myth relies on the belief that men are the breadwinners who have the supposed right to monopolize and dominate females. Media industries were controlled by males; therefore Marilyn Monroe's image served the interests of men by legitimizing their power. This creates a marketable image aimed at a well defined audience that is male. Classing Marilyn Monroe as merely 'Entertainment for Men' contributes to behavioral ideologies in society for women to act as objects for male desires.The myths drawn from such slogans creates for females a sense of inferiority, where in Monroe's case, her body and sexual allure were her only resources.

The ideologies circulating in society naturalized Monroe's image as being the cultural norm and something which women should aspire to be for the benefit of males. Marilyn Monroe established her temptress image through multiples of publicity shots. An important element contributing to this image, which is clearly displayed in this magazine cover, is her facial expression.Marilyn Monroe established a universally familiar expression, her face raised, mouth open and bared teeth, which became vital to her image. These peculiarities of her facial expression are signifiers which help to create her marketable and sexual image.

The open mouth and bared teeth become overt signs of sexual allure, playfulness and seductiveness. This contributes to the beliefs that females have to appear as a sexual object to remain a marketable image in society. Marilyn looking upwards, together with the photograph taken from a camera below her (angled upwards), becomes a sign of a male's superiority over a female.Marilyn Monroe's way of tilting her head implies she is looking upwards seductively at a male reader. This is

significant as it becomes a super-real embodiment of a male's desire, where the reader is made to feel superior over her. Her expression plays on the text that she is 'Entertainment for Men' reinforcing the ideological discourse of females as being subversive in the 1950's.

Body language such as that displayed on the Playboy magazine cover is a key signifier to Marilyn Monroe's cult status. Her gesture as if waving to an audience is a connotation that she was constantly on show.Such gestures as waving, places her on as high a pedestal to which royalty is also placed. This is significant as it indicates she is public property open for consumption or as the slogan denotes 'Entertainment for Men'. Marilyn Monroe’s celebrity image is naturalized through her body language as it suggests she is fond of the limelight endorsing the ideology that males are superior to females.

Monroe's naturalized image of being a male's plaything contributes to the acceptance of male dominance in the 1950's.This therefore leads to the rejection of the myth that Hollywood means success. Marilyn's commercialization where she was constantly on show for the benefit of the public led to her exploitation. It displays her playful screen image of the naive airhead, free of woes and cares.

The reality was that many young actresses at that time were thought of as male prey. The extremely low-cut and revealing dress Marilyn Monroe wore in multiple photographs is a sign which can be categorized as a symbol as its relationship to its referent is arbitrary.The signs (her dress and gold earrings) refer to glamour and an unequivocally sexual image. Her slinky evening dress, the

fur wrap she is sitting on and the revealing of bare skin, all combine to create an invitation for male readers to view her solely as a sex object. This once again draws on a society's social construction which underpins the worth of females.

The key coloring of white is a signifier of innocence, virginity and goodness. As a sign, color can be classed as a symbol as it is merely a conventional and traditional link in society that white signifies purity.The myth of girlishness and innocence can be rejected, as the magazine specifically known for sexual exploitation obviously features Marilyn Monroe as a sex symbol. However, viewed diachronically that fact she was exploited as a star only reinforces the myth of innocence. The black dress in contrast to the overall whiteness of the magazine cover repudiates her image of purity.

The black dress places focus on her body as a sexual asset which defies innocence. Lighting placed on Marilyn's face and emphasis on her white coloring and blonde hair, becomes a sign of the ultimate American female icon.This sign relies on the ideologies of the Aryan race where white people epitomized goodness and purity while black people were considered the dirty and inferior race. The lighting placed on Marilyn Monroe's face also becomes a signifier of a perfect life which bares no dark side. Playboy magazine is known controversially for its portrayal of females as sexual objects.

In terms of Marilyn Monroe's popularity, the representation of her image in magazines such as Playboy, worked in her favor.She satisfied the social reality of women being classed as inferior and brainless objects, thus providing meaning as

to why she was such a cultural sensation and a universally adored icon. Her image does not reflect today's role of women in society however it does provide significant meaning and cultural understanding of the social construction in society. Marilyn Monroe as the prototypal sex symbol of the 1950s does illustrate social construction and ideologies upheld in that period. Society was encouraged by Hollywood as an institution to approve of and accept values associated with the Marilyn Monroe persona.Monroe's image naturalizes the dominating discourse in the 1950's of females as sex objects where for a woman to be successful she had to be beautiful.

The myth that utilitarianism and Hollywood equates to success and happiness can be rejected by deconstructing Marilyn Monroe's image to justify that a star is merely a commercial package. As more people challenged ideologies and rejected a dominant discourse of females as sexual objects, an image has emerged which portrays women as more powerful and independent, thus reflecting the changing role of women in society.