Titanic Research Paper

Bachelor of Media Arts
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Assessment Two – Research Essay
How do theories of gender inform my understanding of the film Titanic?

Tutor: Joe Citizen
Due date: 14 October 2011
Word count: 1229

Michelle Briffault

This essay will analyse the film Titanic (1997) in relation to theories of gender. It will also discuss aspects of narrative and identity theories. The narrative of the film is predominantly set in the early 1900s which results in the film representing ideologies of gender and class differences from that time, such as upper-class men being intellectual and their women being beneath them. In contrast, James Cameron, the writer and director of the film, has steered away from typical Hollywood conventions
Lehman and Hunt (1999, p. 93) state the attraction of this type of audience to the film is largely because it centralizes the feeling of entrapment in the upper-class heroine who strives to free herself from the social conventions of her lifestyle. This narrative attracted young female viewers because they could relate to this feeling of entrapment and wanting to break free in their own lives. “Cameron simply presumes the audience knows the dreads of such a life.” (Lehman & Hunt, 1999, p.93). An example which explains this is before Rose runs to the back of the ship with the voice-over of the old Rose “I saw my whole life as if I 'd already lived it. An endless parade of parties and cotillions, yachts and polo matches. Always the same narrow people, the same mindless chatter. I felt like I was standing at a great precipice, with no one to pull me back, no one who cared... or even noticed.” (Stuart, 1997). Rose is attracted to lower-class, free-spirited Jack which has the connotation of freedom and forbidden love. This encourages her to transcend the entrapment of her upper-class life in pursuit of equality. “Jack inspires Rose to see herself in the masculine spirit of the American Dream.” (Ouellette, p. 181). He convinces her by saying “They’ve got you trapped, Rose, and you’re going to die if you don’t break free.”
It also goes against the expectations of Hollywood films in its portrayal of gender, by casting Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio and by the personality of their characters. The film attracted a large young female audience which greatly resulted from the narrative of Rose’s journey of entrapment to freedom and eternal love. This tragic love story is appealing to females because the idea of finding true love, the perfect man and freedom is what they often