The male gaze (1975) theory

1. The male gaze (1975) theory
Rihanna S&M
By Harry Box

2. 1. The representation of women as a sexual fantasy and
from a heterosexual male point of view.
2. Scotophillia- the pleasure involved in looking at other
peoples bodies and objectification of female characters.
This screenshot shows the camera pointing at where
the man would probably be looking in this situation
living up to the male gaze theory. This also shows the
woman off to be a sexual fantasy from the male
perspective. Most the music video lives up to the first
and second part of this theory as most of the video
shows off various parts of the female body, this
objectifies the female characters in the video.

3. 3. Patriarchal society
In this music video it is very much the
opposite of a patriarchal society as the main
actor in the music video Rihanna seems to
have power over most of the men. A prime
example of this is the screenshot I have
chosen, this shows Rihanna walking and
man with a collar and a lead on, this
therefore signifies that she is the owner of
this man and he will do as she says.
Therefore this music video does not live up
to the third part of the ‘Male gaze theory’.

4. 4. Objectification of the female
characters
The objectification in this music video is very
different from what the theory suggests as
most of the video shows the woman being in
control over the men therefore this suggests
that the music video does not live up to the
theory. However in a part of the music video
Rihanna is rolling around on a table and there
is loads of men around her taking pictures as if
she is an item in a museum, this objectifies the
woman therefore partly being true to the forth
part of this theory.

5. 5. Active male and passive female.
6. Men- controlling subjects.
In the most part of this music video the woman seems
to be the active ones whilst the men are the ones
being controlled therefore this goes against the fifth
part of this theory. This screenshot is a prime example
of how much it goes against the theory as all the men
are tied up and the woman is literally in control of
what they say and do. They use an establishing shot to
show where and what is about to happen next in the
music video. This part of the music video also
challenges the sixth part of the male gaze theory as the
woman is clearly the controlling subject throughout
the music video as shown in this screenshot.

6. 7. Women as an image
In this music video Rihanna is seen as an image as she always seems to be wearing
minimal clothing this can be seen as seductive therefore Rihanna is seen as an
image in this music video therefore living up to the seventh part of the male gaze
theory. As well as being a image in this music video she is also the singer and this
tends to happen in moist female artists music videos.

7. 8. Men do the looking and the
women are there to be looked at.
In Rihanna’s S&M music video the eighth part to the male gaze theory couldn’t be more
wrong as the gender doing the looking are the women and the ones being there to be
looked at are the girls as shown in this screenshot of the music video. This proves it as
all the men are tapped up and Rihanna has the control in this part of the music video as
she is freely just walking round them and tormenting them and being slightly seductive
towards them as she has minimal clothing on, therefore living up to the eighth part of
the theory.

8. 9. Needs of the male ego.
The music video definitely lives up to the ninth part of the male
gaze theory, as in the majority of the music video shows Rihanna
being very seductive and wearing minimal clothing therefore this
more naturally attract the male viewer watching the music video
at home.