Preview

Wonder Woman

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2500 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman: the Iconic American Super-heroine
Approximately three billion women exist on our planet. Many of them show strength and wisdom while simultaneously demonstrating kindness, though some mistake this as weakness. Wonder Woman, superhero and symbolic female liberator, existed simply to contradict the beliefs of the ignorant and to assist in transforming America. She does more than fight fictional foes; she fights those still clinging to antiquated ideas of female inferiority. When created, Wonder Woman’s mission involved giving millions of women the power to step outside the comfortable realm of domestic bliss. As the first major super-heroine, she offered refreshing ideas to the comic book world. After time passed, Wonder Woman seemed to have an identity crisis. She even gave up her powers and morphed into a semi-proactive business owner, until protested against by the women of America. Now fully restored, Wonder Woman’s character and spirit have the potential to make a significant impact in modern society. In the Middle East, Wonder Woman could inspire all women to defend their human rights, and in a very real sense, Wonder Woman Day raises money for domestic violence victims. Though some consider superheroes as simply entertaining, Wonder Woman helped changed American perception of females and still serves as an inspiration for countless young girls.
In an era of masculine superiority, Wonder Woman had a gradual impact on the female population of the time and transformed into the ultimate feminist icon. William Moulten Martsen, the psychologist who created Wonder Woman, made her to empower the women of America. “Women’s strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman.” This statement, spoken by Martsen, shows his purpose in forming the legendary lady. When Martsen invented Wonder Woman, the time



Cited: Albert, Aaron. "Wonder Woman Day Profile." About.com Comic Books. Web. 20 Apr. 2013. "Amazon Archives." Amazon Archives Beatty, Scott, and Daniel Wallace. The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. New York: DK Pub., 2008. Print. Carter, Lynda Deeds, Chuck. "Comicbook Circe." Untitled Document. Cornell College. Web. 18 Apr. 2013. "Diana 's Memory Album." Dial B "Domestic Violence Statistics." EVE Foundation. Web. 20 Apr. 2013. "International Women 's Day." Women 's Rights "Snark Free Waters." Snark Free Waters. 23 Apr. 2005. Web. 18 Apr. 2013. "The State of Women 's Rights in the Middle East - The Takeaway." The Takeaway Tartakovsky, Margarita. "A Psychologist and A Superhero | World of Psychology." Psych Central.com. 17 May 2011. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. "Wonder Woman (American Comic-book Character)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 14 Mar. 2013. "Wonder Woman in Comics | DC Comics." DC Comics. Web. 14 Mar. 2013. "Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines." Independent Lens. PBS. 15 Apr. 2013. Television.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Third Wave Agenda Summary

    • 662 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The contributor Leigh Shoemaker examines feminist male identification which results from the fact that “second wave feminism had taught me that, as a girl, I could do anything I wanted to do, but the backlash let me know that this was possible only as long as I wasn’t a girl — as long as I wasn’t soft and feminine and weak” (115). In addition, Jennifer Reed discusses the identification with characters in media in order to create feminist identities using the example of Roseanne. Moreover, Carolyn Sorisio addresses the need to include feminist history in contemporary culture in order to appeal to a wider feminist community. In conclusion, the contributors to this section defined the influence of media on the creation of feminist identities and feminist…

    • 662 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout history every society has had their own heroes of myth and legend; from the Greek heroes of Hercules and Achilles, to the Medieval English heroes King Arthur and Lancelot, and the Early American heroes of Paul Bunyan and Daniel Boone, there have always been and there will always be heroes. Heroes are pillars of a societies values, what a society finds important is what will be found in the overall makeup of the heroes themselves. In today’s society, we have two heroes of comic book legend that stand above all others—Batman and Spider-Man.…

    • 901 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    "Psychologist." The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Health. Ed. Laurie J. Fundukian and Jeffrey Wilson. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2008. 929-931. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.…

    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the late 1970’s a time of national trouble that stemmed from the Vietnam War, the American-Iranian Hostage crisis and domestic economically strife, undermined long-held American cultural principles embodied in heroines such as “superman” as a representation of masculinity, America as the “good guys” and the American Dream. As a result these Idealistic dreams of were torn out of American hearts and replaced by more practical, logical “modern” principles reflected in the 1980’s which embraced the modern principles of materialism, consumerism, blockbuster movies and cable TV as an essential part of contemporary American culture. This era of change with heroines being replaced by their logical, “modern” counterparts, anti-heroes as relatable characters that appeal to the American economical dissention while keeping in toe with the principles of the American Dream.…

    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Nine Parts of Desire

    • 1250 Words
    • 4 Pages

    There are many political, religious, and cultural factors that shape the lives of Islamic women. Islam is one of the world’s fastest growing religions; however, Brooks argues that “Islam’s holiest texts have been misused to justify the repression of women, and how male pride and power have warped the original message of this once liberating faith.” The book also shows these factors have slowly been taking away women’s rights, rather than furthering them.…

    • 1250 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Batman: Dark Knight Returns, The. Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley. With an Introduction by Alan Moore. Originally published as Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1-4 (February-June 1986). DC Comics Inc., 1986. Print.…

    • 3224 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Within the worlds of “Blacksad” and “Watchmen” women are portrayed in a stereotypical way. They are not seen at the same scale as the men within their respective universes; instead, they are seen as symbols of sex. And through being viewed as sex symbols, the women gain their power. Although the women from their respective universes differ with how this power is used. Some use their sexuality to their advantage to try and gain something from those around them, while some are given this power of sexuality and it is used against them, creating negative biases or people misinterpreting their sexaulity, or it just does not work in their favor. “Blacksad” reveals how the power of sexuality works to benefit the women; while “Watchmen” uses the power…

    • 1426 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Women’s rights have been a highly controversial topic throughout Islamic history. Historians to this day argue whether Islam broadens or restricts them. Some argue that women’s rights have expanded because they are considered equals in God’s eyes, are allowed to vote, and the government has attempted to broaden women’s rights. However, previous women rights have been taken away, laws favor men, and women are commonly valued for appearances.…

    • 495 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    English 102

    • 3059 Words
    • 13 Pages

    X, Gospel. "The Race of Superheroes." multimediaculture. wordpress.com, n. d. Web. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://multimediaculture.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/the-race-of-superheroes/>…

    • 3059 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the many years of Superman comics, Lois Lane’s presence in them is a constant. While her personality varies over time, looking at the earliest version of Lois Lane we see that her characterization is quite progressive and whether intentional or not, Siegel and Schuster wrote a feminist character for the time they lived in. As they made Lois a determined, career-driven woman who strived to be taken seriously by her boss, she stood out against a sea of women who were used only as plot devices. This is no different in “Superman and the Dam” (Action Comic No. 5), originally published October 1938, in which Lois proves once more that she can be a better reporter than a man.…

    • 1285 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In this quote St. John is trying to connect with the reader and is attempting to show how previous perceptions of women, restrict them from moving forward and succeeding. In her essay, St. John attempts to show Wonder Woman as a reflection of America’s evolving attitudes towards gender, but does not do so effectively. Tannen’s argument regarding issues with gender in society is more concise and is strong throughout the entirety of her essay. Following her in depth depictions of the women in the conference, Tannen uses logos more effectively than Vendituoli in order to appeal to other aspects of the reader’s thoughts. Tannen concludes her essay going off on this concept of freedom and equality by introducing Fasold.…

    • 119 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The book The History of Wonder Woman states “Like every other superhero, Wonder Woman has a secret identity. Unlike every other superhero, she also has a secret history.” Wonder woman is an icon for feminism and is a crucial one. The book is about the history of William Moulton Marston, the creator of Wonder Woman. The book is more than an average story of a superhero that is seen in a comic strip. It gives outstanding information on the history of Wonder Woman.…

    • 412 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Women's Rights In Iraq

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages

    So in order to actually learn about women of the Middle East, one must have to navigate by understanding the practices of women who inhabit the Middle East while trying to eliminate any misconception about them. One stereotype made regarding Middle Eastern women was the harems which are part of a house designated for women only. After having a clear mind disregarding the stereotypes, one can learn about how women benefited from its state reforms in Egypt and in Iraq. Women in both of the countries benefited through education and political means but the women in Iraq suffered under the rule of Saddam Hussein. Leaders would build their nation through women and although after the reforms were taken away and some women got punished, women still benefited heavily which changed the way people view the Middle…

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Essay on Wonder Woman

    • 1468 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Her mission is to bring love, peace, and sexual equality to a world torn by the hatred of men. The heroine Princess Diana of Themyscira, more famously known as Wonder Woman, has gone through various reimagining and different retellings in both media and comic books. But all of these have the same basic origin. She was born and lived the majority of her life on the isolated paradise island of Themyscira, an island inhabited entirely of Amazonian women. Everything changed one day when pilot, Captain Steve Trevor crashed on the mysterious island. Soon after he crashed, as he was being held and treated on the island, Queen Hippilyta held a tournament to decide who would have the honor of escorting Captain Trevor back to the United States. Against her mother’s wishes, Princess Diana participated in said tournament and won. At this point the narrative diverges depending on its retelling. In the 1975 pilot, set in World War II, named, The New Original Wonder Woman directed by Leonard Horn, Wonder Woman fights Nazis during the World War II era soon after leaving the island. In the 2009 animated movie, Wonder Woman, directed by Lauren Montgomery, Wonder Woman fights to stop the reign of the Greek god of war, Ares and his army of undead Amazons. Wonder Woman has always been widely considered as a feminist icon, thus these movies are supposed to reflect such a message. Thus each movie shows how the times and sexual equality has changed over the years. These can be shown by the relationship between Princess Diana and Steve Trevor in which one movie portrays them fighting on equal footing against a common threat much like co-workers and the other not so much which is apparent in a multitude of fighting scenes; Wonder Woman’s behavior and personality through both movies but mostly with her passive behavior in one fight scene in the 1975 pilot and her aggressive behavior in the 2009 animated movie; and Steve Trevor’s difference in behavior and personality but…

    • 1468 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Stan Lee is an American comic book writer who had a very influential mark on the history of comic books and in many ways shaped their future in American culture. Stan Lee is unquestionably one of the great writers of all time, creating characters that people would look at for decades. In many ways Stan Lee revolutionized the comic book industry.…

    • 1459 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays