Gender Roles In Ship Of Fools

In the 1960s, the film industry faced the growing feminist movement. Katherine Anne Porter published the novel Ship of Fools in 1962 and the film was released in 1965. Author Porter herself was a Southern woman who rejected the traditional image of the “lady,” marrying and divorcing multiple times. Director Stanley Kramer produced socially conscious films displaying the ills of society. Through Ship of Fools, he critiques the gender roles imposed upon women.
This feminist movement became an essential component of the decade’s rights revolution. The era sharply criticized gender roles and traditional relationships. Furthermore, the 1960s had a sexual revolution that liberated women from the role of procreator. For example, in 1960 “the pill,” an oral contraceptive for women, was released. This contraceptive allowed women to have more sexual liberty. Soon, sex transformed from an activity used solely for procreation to something “fun.” Baby boomers spoke out and questioned towards traditional gender roles because they valued self-expression independent from societal standards.
For instance, Vivien Leigh portrays the character of Mary Treadwell. She is a divorced woman who embodies the concept of the sexual revolution. As revolutions aim to refresh and renew old standards and traditions, Mary aims to refresh and renew her sexual life by drinking and flirting. Therefore, Porter and Kramer normalize the idea that a woman can divorce a man she does not want to be with. Porter and Kramer liberate Mary, allowing her, despite her age, to enjoy the freedom that the 1960s sexual revolution ushered in for