Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema

"Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" is an influential essay by Laura Mulvey that analyzes how mainstream films often depict women as objects of desire to please male viewers. She argues that cinema, especially classical Hollywood films, tends to reinforce gender stereotypes by illustrating women through voyeuristic camera techniques and narrative focus that prioritize male viewpoints. This creates a dynamic where male spectators are encouraged to identify with the male protagonist and derive pleasure from visualizing women as objects. Mulvey's work highlights the ways cinema shapes gender perceptions and calls for greater awareness of these underlying power dynamics.