Images of Women in Film: Memoirs of A Geisha
Representation of Women in Memoirs of a Geisha
Analyzing through the early Hollywood films to the new ones, Asian women have usually been portrayed as either the “Dragon Lady” or the “Butterfly”. The movie Memoirs of a Geisha, by Rob Marshall, perfectly portrays both of the diverse roles of Asian American (Japanese) women in film. Chiyo/Sayuri is the protagonist of the film. She embodies a type of woman that can be described as reflexive, silent and elegant. She is also submissive, delicate, shy, exotic, mysterious and loyal to her honor; therefore, she is said to be representing Madame Butterfly. Sayuri’s enemy, Hatsumomo, on the other hand portrays the Dragon Lady. She is very talented; however lacks some of a geisha’s most valuable characteristics: she is proud, greedy, rebel and egocentric. The movie also gives a glimpse of the difference between Asian and western livings. The third most important woman in the film, Mameha who teaches Sayuri how to become a geisha, has an appearance and a life style of life associated with the West. From her luminous house to the furniture and decorations that could be found in any Western home today to her physical appearance, Mameha is the closest to Western lifestyle. While the movie is mostly concentrated on women, the male characters still play a very important role. The women in the film, geishas, are subjected to The Male Gaze. Male characters in the film are the ones who have the power of looking at women. The dancing scenes in the tea houses and in the theater, the parties with the Americans and etc. are clear examples of how men look at women and they confirm the male gaze theory. Due to all these reasons and different subject examinations in the movie, I believe Memoirs of a Geisha is a very good movie to be observed in the class.
Analyzing through the early Hollywood films to the new ones, Asian women have usually been portrayed as either the “Dragon Lady” or the “Butterfly”. The movie Memoirs of a Geisha, by Rob Marshall, perfectly portrays both of the diverse roles of Asian American (Japanese) women in film. Chiyo/Sayuri is the protagonist of the film. She embodies a type of woman that can be described as reflexive, silent and elegant. She is also submissive, delicate, shy, exotic, mysterious and loyal to her honor; therefore, she is said to be representing Madame Butterfly. Sayuri’s enemy, Hatsumomo, on the other hand portrays the Dragon Lady. She is very talented; however lacks some of a geisha’s most valuable characteristics: she is proud, greedy, rebel and egocentric. The movie also gives a glimpse of the difference between Asian and western livings. The third most important woman in the film, Mameha who teaches Sayuri how to become a geisha, has an appearance and a life style of life associated with the West. From her luminous house to the furniture and decorations that could be found in any Western home today to her physical appearance, Mameha is the closest to Western lifestyle. While the movie is mostly concentrated on women, the male characters still play a very important role. The women in the film, geishas, are subjected to The Male Gaze. Male characters in the film are the ones who have the power of looking at women. The dancing scenes in the tea houses and in the theater, the parties with the Americans and etc. are clear examples of how men look at women and they confirm the male gaze theory. Due to all these reasons and different subject examinations in the movie, I believe Memoirs of a Geisha is a very good movie to be observed in the class.