A Feminist Analysis Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Taking its origins from a poorly reviewed movie, the 1997 TV how by the same creator, Joss Whedon, brought to the screen a 16-year-old high school student whose destiny was to “stand against the vampires, the demons, the forces of darkness. She is the slayer” (Whedon, 1997). The introduction of Buffy The Vampire Slayer (BTVS), as a character, though not a new one, was revolutionary. Challenging the preconceptions of traditional horror, comedy, romance and teen movies, Whedon has created a character and a show that provide a postmodern, feminist hero for a generation of girls. With themes of monstrosity set up to represent human fears and the potential monstrosities of society itself, set up against a supernatural background, with the typically
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portrayed California girl as the protagonist, the show defies the rules of horror, masculine heroism, and gender roles.
As a concept, postmodernism is complicated at best to explain, in that there is no one true definition or understanding.
Not only do Whedon’s characters defy genres, the themes and concepts of episodes challenge the formula for a successful show. This essay will explore the themes, genres, and character traits to show how Buffy The Vampire Slayer engulfs postmodernism, and provides a much needed feminist hero that stands the test of time.
Challenging the notions of preconceived genres is an aspect that runs rife through any postmodern text, be it an art piece, or television show. BTVS combines horror, comedy, drama, and romance, deconstructing typical conventions of genres in a very playful manner. The audience is constantly forced into ignoring all the rules of these genres that they have known in traditional horror and comedy narratives. In true postmodern fashion, the series delivers each episode against the ironic backdrop of postmodern teens, dealing with premodern monsters, such as vampires and werewolves. In creating the character of Buffy, Whedon turns the horror genre on its head, stating that Certainly this is a noticeable element throughout the series where Buffy playfully engages with the vampires, who immediately see her ‘food’, instead of a threat. This scene will usually play out with sarcastic quips from Buffy, followed by the demon being killed.
From its opening moments in Welcome to the Hellmouth (S01xE01), the show flips all audience expectations. A young couple break into a high school, with the implication that they are there for sex. This is typical of horror movies showing the first victims of the monster or serial killer, engaging in sexual activity before their death. Nervous and slights reluctant, the female thinks she hears a noise, to which her male companion responds that “it’s nothing”, reassuring her that they are alone. As a typical horror movie audience, the assumption would be that the woman was in danger. She turns around, face distorted, revealing her, in fact, to be the vampire, the danger posed, and attacks the boy. The opening scenes paved the way for the introduction of the postmodern supernatural/horror genre.
Each episode is presented with several plotlines running concurrently, much the soap opera genre where the character operates in their real world, in an imagined setting.
The show makes very few references to real world events, but instead incorporates the concept of intertextuality, referencing real world objects and people, that are more timeless. In I Only have eyes for you, Buffy says, “You just went OJ on your girlfriend”, referring to the trial of O.J. Simpson, and in Earshot, Xander refers to a student about to gun down the high school, to which Cordelia replies “Because that never happens in American high schools.” The main characters of Buffy, Xander, Willow and Giles work to each of their strengths to defeat the villain of the deal, and the ‘big bad’-the villain of the season, referencing The Big Bad Wolf from Little Red Riding or the Three Little Pigs. The gang call themselves ‘The Scoobies’, referring to Scooby Doo and his friends. This particular reference shows Whedon’s brilliance, in that it also incorporates the idea that the demons represent the fears and failings of society. In Scooby Doo episodes, the villain is unmasked, revealing a human underneath all along. In Buffy, though the demons are usually human, the fear that they entice and the chaos that ensues are very real, and very human. It shows the need for power and control. The idea of demons wanting to bring about the Apocalypse so often can be a reference to many religious tales of ‘cleansing’ the human race. The episode The Puppet Show references Kubrick’s The Shining, with the famous phrase “Redrum! Redrum”, and in Normal Again, Jonathan exclaims that he is ‘going Jack Torrance in
here’.
Perhaps the biggest example of intertextuality portrayed in the series, is the opening episode of season 5, Buffy vs Dracula, which is a playful parody cross over with Bram Stoker’s iconic character. The episode opens with Buffy questioning the identity of new mysterious figure who has come to Sunnydale, which in itself is ridiculous, because even in the Buffyverse, Dracula is a known story and character. The genre of Buffy, and every other vampire series has stemmed from Bram Stokers Dracula, the concept of the vampire spawning from the original character. In writing this episode, the show acknowledges its origins, while using the postmodern tools of mockery and parody.
The idea that Dracula has heard of the slayer refers as much to the cult popularity of the show, as it does his characters popularity being references in the show. In perhaps the pivotal homage to Dracula, Buffy becomes enamoured and allows him to bite her. She becomes the quintessential damsel that is portayed in every version of Dracula, helpless against his charm and power, even if it is only temporary. Equally, Dracula is enamoured with the slayer, which comments on the cultural influence that both shows have on each other.
portrayed California girl as the protagonist, the show defies the rules of horror, masculine heroism, and gender roles.
As a concept, postmodernism is complicated at best to explain, in that there is no one true definition or understanding.
Not only do Whedon’s characters defy genres, the themes and concepts of episodes challenge the formula for a successful show. This essay will explore the themes, genres, and character traits to show how Buffy The Vampire Slayer engulfs postmodernism, and provides a much needed feminist hero that stands the test of time.
Challenging the notions of preconceived genres is an aspect that runs rife through any postmodern text, be it an art piece, or television show. BTVS combines horror, comedy, drama, and romance, deconstructing typical conventions of genres in a very playful manner. The audience is constantly forced into ignoring all the rules of these genres that they have known in traditional horror and comedy narratives. In true postmodern fashion, the series delivers each episode against the ironic backdrop of postmodern teens, dealing with premodern monsters, such as vampires and werewolves. In creating the character of Buffy, Whedon turns the horror genre on its head, stating that Certainly this is a noticeable element throughout the series where Buffy playfully engages with the vampires, who immediately see her ‘food’, instead of a threat. This scene will usually play out with sarcastic quips from Buffy, followed by the demon being killed.
From its opening moments in Welcome to the Hellmouth (S01xE01), the show flips all audience expectations. A young couple break into a high school, with the implication that they are there for sex. This is typical of horror movies showing the first victims of the monster or serial killer, engaging in sexual activity before their death. Nervous and slights reluctant, the female thinks she hears a noise, to which her male companion responds that “it’s nothing”, reassuring her that they are alone. As a typical horror movie audience, the assumption would be that the woman was in danger. She turns around, face distorted, revealing her, in fact, to be the vampire, the danger posed, and attacks the boy. The opening scenes paved the way for the introduction of the postmodern supernatural/horror genre.
Each episode is presented with several plotlines running concurrently, much the soap opera genre where the character operates in their real world, in an imagined setting.
The show makes very few references to real world events, but instead incorporates the concept of intertextuality, referencing real world objects and people, that are more timeless. In I Only have eyes for you, Buffy says, “You just went OJ on your girlfriend”, referring to the trial of O.J. Simpson, and in Earshot, Xander refers to a student about to gun down the high school, to which Cordelia replies “Because that never happens in American high schools.” The main characters of Buffy, Xander, Willow and Giles work to each of their strengths to defeat the villain of the deal, and the ‘big bad’-the villain of the season, referencing The Big Bad Wolf from Little Red Riding or the Three Little Pigs. The gang call themselves ‘The Scoobies’, referring to Scooby Doo and his friends. This particular reference shows Whedon’s brilliance, in that it also incorporates the idea that the demons represent the fears and failings of society. In Scooby Doo episodes, the villain is unmasked, revealing a human underneath all along. In Buffy, though the demons are usually human, the fear that they entice and the chaos that ensues are very real, and very human. It shows the need for power and control. The idea of demons wanting to bring about the Apocalypse so often can be a reference to many religious tales of ‘cleansing’ the human race. The episode The Puppet Show references Kubrick’s The Shining, with the famous phrase “Redrum! Redrum”, and in Normal Again, Jonathan exclaims that he is ‘going Jack Torrance in
here’.
Perhaps the biggest example of intertextuality portrayed in the series, is the opening episode of season 5, Buffy vs Dracula, which is a playful parody cross over with Bram Stoker’s iconic character. The episode opens with Buffy questioning the identity of new mysterious figure who has come to Sunnydale, which in itself is ridiculous, because even in the Buffyverse, Dracula is a known story and character. The genre of Buffy, and every other vampire series has stemmed from Bram Stokers Dracula, the concept of the vampire spawning from the original character. In writing this episode, the show acknowledges its origins, while using the postmodern tools of mockery and parody.
The idea that Dracula has heard of the slayer refers as much to the cult popularity of the show, as it does his characters popularity being references in the show. In perhaps the pivotal homage to Dracula, Buffy becomes enamoured and allows him to bite her. She becomes the quintessential damsel that is portayed in every version of Dracula, helpless against his charm and power, even if it is only temporary. Equally, Dracula is enamoured with the slayer, which comments on the cultural influence that both shows have on each other.