Gender Roles In Hannibal Lecter
Gender Roles in Slash Fiction: A Hannibal Case Study In almost every notable fandom, regardless of media popularity or media form, there is at least one popular “slash” relationship that rules the minds, hearts, and, occasionally, the genitals of its devoted fans. “Slash relationships”, in general, are constructed when fans of a media place two presumably. or explicitly, heterosexual characters of the same sex in a romantic relationship that generally has not been acknowledged within the source media. In season one of NBC’s psychological thriller Hannibal, this slash relationship first materialized in-fandom between horror icon Hannibal “the Cannibal” Lecter and Will Graham. Lecter, portrayed by Mads Mikkelsen, and Graham, portrayed by Hugh
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For the parameters of this paper, the feminine gender role typically portrayed by Will Graham will be defined as out of character fiction that explicitly ascribes Graham stereotypically “feminine” characteristics, with or without the authors express intention to do so. Conversely, the masculine portrayal of Hannibal Lecter will be defined as out of character fiction that exaggerates Lecter’s masculine …show more content…
This character is usually described in terms that either appoint him feminine characteristics or hyperbolize his existing feminine qualities. This may consist of describing the “feminine” man as smaller, weaker, and more emotional than the other half of the relationship. In contrast, the “masculine’ man is often described as larger, stronger, stoic, and capable. Overwhelmingly, in these fictions during a sex scene, the feminine character is portrayed as the more submissive, less assertive of the two, and is usually depicted as the “bottom” in the relationship as opposed to his masculine partner. Some have speculated that this trend is due to the all-too-common portrayal of women as submissive and men as dominant in a relationship that is often presented even today as the “natural” order of male/female relationships. Slash writers, who force characters out of their source characterizations and into rigid gender roles, seem to be responding to the idea of ingrained gender inequality in a “normal” relationship and express this belief through their fictions (Salmon
For the parameters of this paper, the feminine gender role typically portrayed by Will Graham will be defined as out of character fiction that explicitly ascribes Graham stereotypically “feminine” characteristics, with or without the authors express intention to do so. Conversely, the masculine portrayal of Hannibal Lecter will be defined as out of character fiction that exaggerates Lecter’s masculine …show more content…
This character is usually described in terms that either appoint him feminine characteristics or hyperbolize his existing feminine qualities. This may consist of describing the “feminine” man as smaller, weaker, and more emotional than the other half of the relationship. In contrast, the “masculine’ man is often described as larger, stronger, stoic, and capable. Overwhelmingly, in these fictions during a sex scene, the feminine character is portrayed as the more submissive, less assertive of the two, and is usually depicted as the “bottom” in the relationship as opposed to his masculine partner. Some have speculated that this trend is due to the all-too-common portrayal of women as submissive and men as dominant in a relationship that is often presented even today as the “natural” order of male/female relationships. Slash writers, who force characters out of their source characterizations and into rigid gender roles, seem to be responding to the idea of ingrained gender inequality in a “normal” relationship and express this belief through their fictions (Salmon