There are no doubt multiple aspects of A Funny Thing that are sexist. First of all, there is the scene in which the girls from the brothel are paraded around in front of their prospective purchasers. This portrays these girls as sexual beings as nothing else. In addition to that, the men are shown as only seeing them as such. Hero and Pseudolus can barely even talk by the time the last girls has been shown. Then when Hero and Philia first meet, she sings a song about only knowing how to be lovely, she cannot count or read, all she knows is how to be around men. This is slightly ironic however considering that she is supposed to be a virgin.
In our society today there are still definite examples that sexism still exists. That being said there are less examples everyday and that trend does not seem like one that is likely to stop. This has been a problem for a long time though and realistically it will still exist even in a minor role for a long time to come. Much like racism, there will always be ignorant people who just do not think the same as the society around them on these issues.
One point that was left out was the wife and her shrewdness. She was not a piece of meat, but very opposite and showing very little skin. Though I agree many people are ignorant tot he fact sexism is still around, I do believe that it is slowly being driven away by the people who are aware of the fact.
ReplyDeleteI noticed too that the film was sexist in its portrayal of men. Any one considered to be a manly man, such as Miles Gloriosus, was extremely violent and aggressive, which enhanced the traditional sexist view of how men should behave.
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