Victorian Maleness

Annotation: 

 Marketing and advertising have evolved into not just presenting the objects to be sold but have become psychological strategies to play on gender roles and historical traditions. In this advertisement there is a clear emotional play between male and female. In a way this advertisement harkens back to the Victorian idea of maleness. Within the body langue of this text the body langue is very imporant in the body language we find more passivity from the female.  Her arms are slack and she is slumped against the wall.  Her body language clearly says she wants no part of this man’s affections yet there is no resisting. This is where the Victorian ideal woman is presented in the purity of the female. The assumption being she doesn’t know how or even think to deflect this obviously ideal man and as a woman of course she doesn’t want his advances because she’s not suppose to.   The idea of Victorian maleness often comes with the assumption that all women will want that perfect Victorian male. In this advertisement the male’s body language in his hand clasping her face suggests that he is perhaps going to force her to kiss him.  This invasion of her personal space indicates that he thinks he belongs there or even that it is his right to be there and have her. There is a confidence in the man’s stance that appears rather frightening as if he is just playing nice for now but later it will be different.