Wonder Woman. Sexism Then, Feminism Now?

Seminar paper from the year 2016 in the subject Didactics for the subject English – Literature, Works, grade: A, language: English, abstract: For years, films and theatrical works have been used as a mirror of society, to reflect or even to influence people’s behavior. Films depicting heroes and heroines are used to represent an ideal world and to project fantasies. The comic world is filled with male heroes who either fight crime or are patriots fighting for the nation. The first comic heroine to make an appearance in a DC Comic book was Wonder Woman, created in 1941. Wonder Woman is one of the most visible and powerful superheroines. Born out of feminist ideals and concepts, she represents and embodies feminism and the strength of women. Her creation at the height of the turn of the 19th/20th century during an intense feminist movement was meant to resonate with women at a time when they were first beginning to get out of the kitchen to join the workforce. Although Wonder Woman’s story has changed over the years, her feminist background and ideals are still evident. There is no question that the 2009 film, when compared with the 1950s version, displays a story shaped by feminist ideas; however, the 2009 version of Wonder Woman also has a strong anti-feminist component. In this essay, I will discuss the feminist components in the Wonder Woman story in the 1950s and compare it to those depicted in the 2009 animated film featuring Wonder Woman. I will also look at the anti-feminist ideas incorporated in the animated film. This analysis is divided into six sections: the Introduction, Wonder Woman’s Historical Back-ground, Wonder Woman in the 1950s, Wonder Woman in 2009, Anti-Feminism in 2009 and Conclusion.