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The Representation of Masculinity in Cinema and on

Television: An Analysis of Fictional Male Characters

Hasan Gürkan
Assist. Prof. Dr
Aybike Serttaş
Ass. Prof. Dr.

Abstract
Mass media, especially cinema and television, are important devices that build
and strengthen males and female roles in societies. The representation of
gender in media is crucial because individuals get to know gender roles in the
process of socialization. Besides the female identity, masculinity is also a
constructible element and fictional male characters produced both in cinema
and on television send messages about masculinity to the audience. In this
study, the male representation both in the television series and in films were
compared with this assumption and the question how male characters are
represented on the two different mass media is examined in Turkey.
Furthermore, the question "whether masculine representation reinforces the
existing patriarchal male image or produces an alternative male model" is in
the interest area of the study. The method of this study is reception analysis
and in-depth interviews were undertaken with audiences with different
demographic characteristics. As a result, it has been found that male
representations in cinema and television are produced with similar myths,
symbols, metaphors and messages, similar gender languages are used in
different media, and fictional male characters in cinema and television have
common characteristics.
Keywords: gender studies, masculinity studies, mass media, audience studies,
Turkey

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Introduction
Just as femininity, masculinity as an identity is produced by societies according to
gender approach; we can see that there are many femininities and masculinities
identities cyclically and culturally. This phenomenon is similar in Turkey just as the
other countries. Hegemonic masculinity is a kind of cultural structuring. The
characters of a man with particular ideal can be identified by the power domain
belonged to culture. The man with particular ideal in the modern societies where we
live must have these qualifications which serve to the institution of the social
structure. The man with particular ideal may be described as a productive man who
interiorises gender roles by following the social rules. However, on the other hand, it
is not possible to mention that there is only one masculinity definition. Masculinity is
shaped by the codes of every society.
Both cinema and television are the two of strongest mass media which reflect social
values. Films have plot which has the power both reflects and influences social values
system. The narration provides the identification. Besides cinema, television
illustrates the power of mass communication to inform, educate and influence the
public. While industry insiders often deny this power, saying television is just for
entertainment, it is clearly obvious that both adults and children learn a great deal
from watching television week after week. Some critics urge that television teaches
negative values such as stereotyping, consumerism, a superficial and trivial approach
to life.
In this study, the male representation both in the television series and in films were
compared with this assumption and the question how male characters are
represented on the two different mass media is examined in Turkey. Furthermore,
the question "whether masculine representation reinforces the existing patriarchal
male image or produces an alternative male model" is in the interest area of the study.
The method of this study is reception analysis and in-depth interviews were
undertaken with audiences with different demographic characteristics. As a result, it
has been found that male representations in cinema and television are produced with
similar myths, symbols, metaphors and messages, similar gender languages are used
in different media, and fictional male characters in cinema and television have
common characteristics.
Masculinity & Hegemonic Masculinity
Gender theory brought by the arising second-wave feminism has initiated the studies
on masculinity (Akca & Ergül, 2014). Feminism has begun to be supported by some

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men questioning gender inequality since 1970s. This concept, so called as pro-
feminist, has lead to the spreading of critical masculinity studies discussing the men
and masculinity by sticking to the feminist principles (Bozok, 2009). Critical studies
on men and masculinity has emerged from several criticisms and debates on gender
relations such as feminism in particular, and gay and queer studies. Moreover, critical
masculinity studies refer to a group of studies pointing out men critically in terms of
gendered power relations (Hearn, 2004). Masculinity which is developed with
hegemony notion generated by Gramsci, refers to the hierarchical relations among
the different masculinities. Multiple masculinities by Connel (2000: 216) tell that
gender has been generated with different ways in different cultures and different
eras, particularly in a culture such as at a school or a work place we may encounter
with these masculinities.
The first generation critical masculinity studies continued their discussions over an
ideal masculinity state. This concept continued to the end of 1970s and based on the
sex role paradigm minimized the masculinity to a role model (Akca & Tönel, 2011).
Accordingly, there is only one personality cluster characterizing the men, thus
describing masculinity. The same situation is valid for the women (Connell, 1998). In
1980s, the viewpoint that there are more than one form of masculinity has begun to
be widespread (Renkmen, 2016: 249). Accordingly, different cultures and different
historical eras create different gender regimes, so different patterns of masculinity
(Connell, 2002a: 141). That means masculinity is not static and eternal but it is
historical. Its meaning may vary due to the changes in time and people (Kimmel, 2005:
25). This viewpoint about masculinity also claims that several masculinities can be
produced within the same gender regime. These masculinities develop different
relations with each other and different power focuses and institutions, and they are
represented in various forms in various cultural products (Özbay & Baliç, 2004: 92-
93). Therefore, masculinity differentiates depending on some factors such as
historical, class, cultural, sexual identity, sexual orientation, religion, race, and
ethnicity, and as a result of this differentiation various inequalities emerge.
On the other hand, Connell and Messerschmidt (2005) state that the supporter of
hegemonic masculinity may not only act with the standards presented by the culture
of the society all the while, but also modernise gender relations and form the
masculinities over again. According to them, since gender relations are a kind of stress
field, an ascribed masculinity may stay as hegemonic during to solve for these
tensions. The authors do not base hegemonic masculinity on social reproduction
theory. In other words, they mention that gender theory cannot guess which pattern
wins within the hegemony struggling.

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Masculinity Forms in Popular Media in Turkey

Generally, it is possible to see that the social status of man as “new” and “changing” in
film genres. Many of films, figured in genres, are in a struggle for keeping order status
quo. Individualistic man profile dominates in film genres such as westerns, gangsters,
and detectives. Mannish images and iconographic tools such as knife, gun, telephone,
car which create a hero are essential elements of these films (Schatz, 1981).
Abisel (1984: 33) states that many of Turkish films move in the direction of keeping
order status quo. Even though traditional values are not valid, it is desired to be
sustained and reinforced. Certainly, the same fact obtains in terms of values related
man. When we analyse Turkish cinema, it is possible to see that Turkish cinema is
based on types. There is a cinema based on types opposite the cinema based on
characters.
Uluyağcı (2000)1 states the masculinity in Turkish cinema in her sightful article. In
Turkish cinema, it seems that there are male types that we can generally describe as
traditional until 1950 and 1980. However, after 1980s, a new type of male appears on
the screen. It is observed that though this type is out of “traditionality” is preserved
as it is, but preserves the existence of the traditional male image that existed before.
Whereas women are passive and trouble-maker, men are observed to have an
unlimited sense of courage, ambition and revenge in films. Therefore, it is possible to
state that masculinity is reproduced in every time on the screen.
For instance Yesilcam cinema2 cannot get a clear attitude when it fronts it (Ayça,
1987: 38). Thus, the values for the man come in the face of the viewer. In the Turkish
cinema, leading actors always play as “good men”. However, these are also divided
into groups among themselves. The actors who act a role for the viewer with the “hard
male type” are better suited to the traditional Turkish man type both physically and
behaviourally. The so-called romantic boys separated from the more traditional male
image. In the mid-1980s and early 1990s, new male image appeared in mass media.
The changing male image emphasizes that the traditional values are no longer valid
and that the more emotional type of the man of contemporary world of that time
should be well-groomed, briefly more contemporary, and closer to the female type.
Moreover Oktan (2008) states that it is possible to see the representations of
masculinity presented in a significant part of the films made in the Turkish cinema

1 On the other hand, Uluyağcı states in both Turkish cinema and in other cinemas such as Hollywood and some other countries’ cinema
masculinity type is similar to each other.
2
Yesilcam refers to the 1950-1960 era in Turkish cinema.

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since the second half of 1990s as a demonstration that there is a threat perception in
terms of masculinity. In the most of these films, which are the subject of friendship
with male men, male domination, which maintains its weight in Turkish cinema in
general, is dominant. However, in these films made in the 1990s, masculinity is rather
problematic, depressed, fragile, diseased, prone to extreme violence to women and
homosexuals, constantly depressing has a pessimistic, guilty, insecure qualities.
On the other hand, Gürbüz (2016) states that after the 2000s in Turkish cinema,
various masculinity situations began to appear. This representation of masculinity
has become a story of a crisis stemming from the change in the values of gender roles
in a few films. Moreover, in some movies it was created in such a way as to allow us
to criticize these values directly.
Masculinity representation on television in Turkey is not different from cinema. The
academic scholars indicate that the heterosexual neo-liberal entrepreneur has
become a hegemonic male in the world and in Turkey. Akça and Ergül (2014) state
that the presentation of leading male characters as a hegemonic man in the series in
Turkey shows that despite the change in the hegemonic masculinity, the traditional
masculinity patterns still remain in Turkey and this change only reveals a hybrid
structure.
Reception Analysis
Each of audiences will decode texts in ways that reflect their personal biographies,
their own histories. The researchers have attempted to link the social position of the
audience with their readings of media texts. They also place an emphasis on the idea
of ‘pleasures’ and ‘audience interpretation’. This theory is very popular in cultural
studies and would describe watching television as a cultural practice (Morley, 1980,
Buckingham 1993, Ang 1989). Reception analysis is one significant critique of the
field has questioned the extent to which audiences are free to interpret texts in
different ways. Emphasising the interaction between text and reader, combined with
an integration of micro and macro levels of analysis, offers a response to the attack on
the concept of the audience. In brief, this attack is critical of the tendency to adopt the
broadcasters' concept of audience (Livingstone, 1998). According to Hall (1993, 101)
there are three different positions receivers take in order to decode the meanings
within cultural texts, particularly televisual discourses. These are the dominant-
hegemonic position, the negotiated position and the oppositional position.

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Receptions of the Audience

The aim of the study is to determine how the Turkish cinema audience and the
audience of Turkish television serials have receipted the main male characters in
those productions physically, psychologically and socially and compare these
characters with the male characters in daily life. In this context, selected audiences
are asked to answer these questions without any limitations by asking three open
ended questions.
To provide information on the participant profile, audiences can be included in the
middle class and upper-middle class social categories. The audiences' age range is 18-
50. Five of them are women, and four are men. The aim of the work is not just how
the audience see the male characters in the series and movies they watch, but also
how these characters are in harmony with real life. Similar findings of different
audiences were not reported in the study. The page limit of the search is considered
and we as the researchers intended not to repeat similar info.
Each participant in the study is coded with the letter A and listed starting at number
one.
In Turkish films, male characters in the comedy films such as Recep İvedik, Sabit
Kanca, Olur Olur, Dedemin Fişi are vulgar, brutal, hairy, distant from civilization, fat
and ugly people. They are trying to do comedy with profanity, rudeness, and
disgusting behaviour. These can in fact be interpreted as the hidden aspects of some
men. When we look at the romantic Turkish films, all the male actors seem to have
popped out of modelling competitions. All men are handsome, muscular, bearded,
skin smooth, tall. Some are brunette and some are blonde. They have no physical
defects, their self-confidence is high. They oppress the other characters in the line and
judge them. This character absolutely falls in love with a very beautiful woman and
gets her. In this process, he overcomes all kinds of difficulties and is always perfect.
He is absolutely rich and has luxurious houses and cars. He belongs to the upper class
and is the owner of the holding. There are similar issues in the Turkish series. The
main characters are handsome and fit men. They are rich, well-educated and high-
class members. They usually fall in love with a crowded, tribal family member and an
urban girl who does not fit into the family. All male characters put pressure on
everyone. There are no such characters in everyday life. The perfected characters are
the profiles that do not fit in everyday life. None of us meet a rich, handsome, holding
boss, a suit in a cage or on the road.

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There are two types of men in Turkish films: Firstly, they are overly in love with their
love, they are extremely romantic and emotional men. These profiles are usually
handsome and rich or handsome and poor. They are charismatic and beautiful smiles.
They are physically sporty, muscular. The other male type is malicious, bad physics.
In the Turkish series men are physically well. They are sporty, well-fed, muscular
men. Either a dark or coloured eyed or blond and coloured eyed. These people are all
sensitive, helpful, modern, quality time passers.
The men we communicate with in daily life are men in the opposite direction of these
sequences and films. People, who use slang, do not pay attention to style; do not know
where to act. His clothes and his physics are not like in the series and movies. We are
usually full-bodied, short-lived, and full of people who do not pay attention to their
nutrition and who cannot communicate with women. They are not tied to their
houses, their families, like the men in the series, the movies.
Generally, male characters in Turkish movies are handsome, rich and business man.
The types that people admire as characters, which seem unconcerned. They live in
good homes; they have good car bins and want to have what they want. Unlike the
films in the Turkish series, all the main characters belong to a company, an agency, a
holding. They live in the scenic houses. All the women in their surroundings tolerate
them, but they choose a single woman. He runs after the woman he wants at every
opportunity, doing everything to get it.
In our everyday life, while such types are admired for some, they are unnecessary
professions for me.
Male characters acting according to patriarchal ideology are generally good-natured,
holding-holding people with excellent qualities. There's no flaw in their character. In
these constructions the physical and characteristic features are given in contrast.
Poor - fat, rich - poor qualities are transmitted with different characters. The main
character never dies. He never has a tragic incident either.
In Turkish films, male main characters usually appear as two types: first type is
overweighed, coarse, dark and patriarchal mannered. Other type is stylish, muscular,
handsome and romantic. These types (second) are mostly seen in romantic movies.
In the Turkish series, the main characters usually play a role in the network. Women
around him are in love. There is a wife and a woman he loves. The actors are all
models.
In real life, there are no men who pay attention to clothing and fitness. With the
influence of these series, men may have started to play sports. The male characters

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we saw on the series apologize for making mistakes against their wives. However,
there are even those who kill their wives in everyday life.
The main characters in Turkish movies are different according to the film style.
Romantic movies have charming, charismatic, emotional, tall, cute male characters.
She has the ability to express herself. They look like one of us in comedy movies.
They're usually fat. Tall, muscular, mysterious characters are selected in action and
similar genre films.
In the series, the male characters are rich, handsome, and know what they want. Their
financial situation is good. Self-confidence is high.
In real life, we do not see the characters we see in movies and series. Comedy-type
productions are full of characters from us, but the male characters in romantic
productions are unlikely to come out.
Physically handsome men are used in romantic movies. These characters are rich at
the same time. The audience is satisfied by seeing things that are not in them. The
diction of these characters is flat, rich, envied by others. They attach importance to
family relationships. They appeal to the traditional audience. They do not look like
brand fans, but the brand is highlighted in the movie they own. In comedy films,
people are made fun of ignorant people. Physically very fat or very weak people are
used. I do not find it similar to real life.
In Turkish movies, male main characters generally vary by genre, but there are mostly
muscular, handsome, attractive, powerful men. In the Turkish series, we see rich,
handsome, strong characters. The male characters we encounter in the Turkish film
and series do not resemble the people we communicate in everyday life. On the
contrary, some people move away from their natural state by trying to resemble those
characters.
In romantic movies, the male character has to be absolutely handsome. The character
and appearance of this man is perfect. He's in the perfect male profile. If there is a
problem, this character definitely solves that problem. It's like Superman's unflying
state. In comedy films, there is the opposite. An ugly male character is used as
possible. We see fat, hairy, bald, vulgar or stupid men.
In everyday life, I see men who try to resemble characters in movies and series. As a
character, there is no one who can be exposed to such evil and approach the events
with goodness.

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Conclusion and Analysis

Being a man in society is as difficult as being a woman which is a process that carries
big responsibilities and burdens. Men have been socializing with a number of codes
in society since they were born. This socialization, which started in family at first,
continues with other ideological apparatus of the state. Mass media such as films,
television are effective on this process. Masculinity does not exist on its own.
Although their ideal masculinity characteristics change over time, men can appear in
society with these qualities.
It is possible to state that the most people do not meet these standards but are
influenced by these standards. In this study, which uses the method of reception
analysis when asked how the cinema and television viewers evaluated the male
characters in these productions, two stereotypes appeared. The first one is
romantic, handsome, rich and powerful in every sense. The latter is funny, simple,
rude and frustrating. It is as if the two characters reflected in inner appearance.
According to the common perception of the receptions, both in Turkish TV series
and in Turkish films, women are the second plunge. The role of the woman in the
narrative is to be with the male character, to be loved and protected by him. Male
fights against life, overcomes difficulties and protects his woman. All gender roles
are strictly distinct from one another. In all these constructions men are described
by their external appearance. Wealth is a very important element. These
productions create a pressure on how the men in the real world should be and also
an expectation of how woman’s ideal man should be. Consequently the face-to-face
interviews in this work show that the male characters on television and in the
cinema are not convincing.
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