A GAZE INTO THE PAST: EXPLORING POMPEII’S SOCIETAL STRUCTURES THROUGH THE MALE GAZE THEORY

A Gaze into the Past explores the evolution of Laura Mulvey's influential theory of the male gaze from its cinematic origins to its expansion into broader societal contexts, offering fresh perspectives on gender, sexuality, and societal hierarchies. Marlieke van der Veer researches through two case studies of collections of erotic art in Pompeii, namely the Lupanar and the House of Vettii, the application of the gaze theory to Roman society, focusing on the second half of the first century CE. The analysis reveals that the dominant Roman gaze was aiming at the masculinity a Roman man was expected to embody, instead of gender itself. Therefore, the Roman male gaze was specified as the masculine gaze. This gaze revolved for a large part around the active versus passive roles in sexual intercourse. The study also explored a female gaze, presenting the idealized image of the "femina bona" in contrast to the antagonist, the prostitute, with women finding subtle ways of resistance....Show moreA Gaze into the Past explores the evolution of Laura Mulvey's influential theory of the male gaze from its cinematic origins to its expansion into broader societal contexts, offering fresh perspectives on gender, sexuality, and societal hierarchies. Marlieke van der Veer researches through two case studies of collections of erotic art in Pompeii, namely the Lupanar and the House of Vettii, the application of the gaze theory to Roman society, focusing on the second half of the first century CE. The analysis reveals that the dominant Roman gaze was aiming at the masculinity a Roman man was expected to embody, instead of gender itself. Therefore, the Roman male gaze was specified as the masculine gaze. This gaze revolved for a large part around the active versus passive roles in sexual intercourse. The study also explored a female gaze, presenting the idealized image of the "femina bona" in contrast to the antagonist, the prostitute, with women finding subtle ways of resistance. Additionally, she introduces the intersectional gaze, inspired by Kimberlé Crenshaw's modern intersectionality framework, demonstrating how intersecting features of gender, sexuality, age, and class shaped one's position in the In-group or Out-group and highlighting moments of power for marginalized groups. In conclusion, this research offers a comprehensive understanding of how the gaze theory can be applied beyond its cinematic origins, shedding light on the complexities of societal dynamics in Roman Antiquity and potentially other historical periods.Show less

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A GAZE INTO THE PAST: EXPLORING POMPEII’S SOCIETAL STRUCTURES THROUGH THE MALE GAZE THEORY