Man and Masculinity - 1029 Words

Encarta dictionary defines masculinity as â€Å"those qualities conventionally supposed to make a man an excellent specimen†; but what exactly are those qualities? Many would say that physical strength, ability to compete in sports, or even the ability to hold liquor are all parts of masculinity. In ancient Greece, they called this quality andreia, literally meaning â€Å"manliness†. In truth, masculinity is a much deeper trait that can be viewed differently by a variety of people. Realistically, masculinity cannot be defined universally. A man who is considered masculine in France would most definitely not be considered masculine in the Middle East, simply because the cultures in those areas of the world are vastly different in their beliefs and†¦show more content†¦The other quality of a true masculine man, and the most important thing in any human’s life is honor. Honor is the conviction that a man has and the power it takes him to live for that convi ction. It is his belief and the action for that belief, no matter what it is. Famous men throughout history have proven their worth based on courage and honor: St. Patrick, who put his whole life and reputation on the line to educate the Irish into the way of living that he had a conviction for; Christopher Columbus, who journeyed into the most dangerous and unknown place of all to bring honor to his country; Abraham Lincoln, the man who stood up for what he believed in, stuck to his convictions, and cleansed our nation of a great injustice. These men knew the true meaning of andreia and that is why we remembered them today. There is a large misconception that a boy becomes a man when he first engages in sex with a female. Along with that goes the belief that the more partners a man has in bed, the more of a man he is. Having many sexual partners does not show true masculinity, nor does the first sexual act of a male make him a man. Any man who believes himself to be a man because o f these things, is guilty of pseudoandreia-false manliness. Not only do these ideas not apply to masculinity, but they break the rule of honor, which is so vital to the true being of a man. A real, masculine man understandsShow MoreRelatedMasculinity As A Man s Man2606 Words   |  11 Pagesfathers, because of the way that they tried to fit the picture of masculinity† (Steinem). This particular idea of masculinity is a much more modern interpretation that has changed drastically over the centuries. Masculinity used to be defined as a male who was a man’s man that exemplified President Theodore Roosevelt’s idea of pulling one’s self up by the bootstraps. Over the years, especially in literature, the evolution of masculinity can be directly traced through careful and considerate evaluationRead MoreMasculinity And The Ideal Man969 Words   |  4 PagesMasculinity and â€Å"the ideal man† are themes and ideas that have been explored in stories for cen turies. From ancient Greek epics to modern television programs, the theme of what it means to be a man has been developed repeatedly, with some of the core ideals remaining the same and others changing with modern societal perceptions. While the idea of activity over passivity persists as an accepted and ideal trait of masculinity, the ideal that men must be dominant over women to match the portrait ofRead MoreMasculinity, By William Faulkner And The Death Of A Man1191 Words   |  5 PagesMasculinity is a common theme in nearly all of Hemingway’s works. What makes Indian Camp unique is that it is about a young boy earning his masculinity, and all in one very eventful night. This story is about â€Å"becoming a man† so-to-speak, through enduring and overcoming two very difficult situations to view: the birth of a child and the death of a man. Barn Burning covers the same theme in a darker and more violent way. In William Faulkner’s story, Sarty’s father teaches him to become a man by teachingRead MoreMan s Conformity : Hegemonic Masculinity1427 Words   |  6 PagesMan’s Conformity to Hegemonic Masculinity The notion of hegemonic masculinity has altered the field of gender studies and many academic arenas. An idea popularized by R.W. Connell, hegemonic masculinity has played an integral role in the emotional development of American men, articulating the impact that this societal construction has had on the concept of American masculinity. It is a contested topic, yet the impacts that it has in terms of sexuality, struggles for power and political leadershipRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol On A Man s Masculinity1265 Words   |  6 PagesThis study was aimed at finding out the effects of alcohol on a man’s masculinity and how drinking makes men feel in comparison to when they are sober. Existing literature from Addis and Mahalik, (2003); Good, Schopp, Thomson, Hathaway, Mazurek Sanford-Martens (2008); Dempster (2011) has suggested that the impacts of alcohol on masculinity and often results in men feeling pressure to keep drinking to keep their masculinity credit. This study used 4 males from St. Mary’s University, TwickenhamRead MoreJohn Tosh s A Man s Place : Masculinity And The Middle Class Home932 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Tosh’s ‘‘A Man s Place: Masculinity and the Middle-Class Home in Victorian England’’, published in 1999 is an important contribution to the study of gender history, particularly within the Victorian period. His study of the connection between masculinity and domesticity, an area very much overlooked, helps to provide a balanced view on the role of gender in Victorian England. There has been a lot of study into the female experience of the transition from the private sphere into the public sphereRead MoreHegemonic Masculinity : Masculinity And Masculinity1092 Words   |  5 Pagesfocuses on ‘I Love You, Man’, and discusses about homosocial relationship between two men and explores ‘hegemonic masculinity’ and ‘the field of masculinity’ depic ted in this film. ‘Hegemonic masculinity’, which is proposed by Connell (1987), is assumed to ‘the pattern of practice (i.e., things done, not just a set of role expectations or an identity) that allowed men’s dominance over women to continue.’ (Connell and Messerschmidt 2005, p.832) However, hegemonic masculinity has strong influence notRead MoreHegemonic Masculinity : Characters And Plot Of The Popular Sitcom Two And A Half Men1720 Words   |  7 Pagesthe production of hegemonic masculinity and subordinate masculinity in the show reinforce the idea of hegemonic masculinity as the only real form of manliness accepted by society’s standards of an â€Å"ideal man.† Effeminate masculinity, a subordinate form of masculinity, is not represented in the show in a positive light rather, it is mocked. The characters that play these roles are Charlie, who plays the hyper masculine role, and Alan, who plays the effeminate masculinity role. Alan ’s role is inferiorRead MoreHegemonic Masculinity : Masculinity And Masculinity926 Words   |  4 PagesMultiple Masculinities The certain qualities a man processes plays into how masculine he is rated to be. The way he portrays himself in his looks, actions and everyday life paints a bigger picture for the type of male he is. Connell argues that hegemonic masculinity is the ultimate goal that men strive for. Hegemonic masculinity is the idea of men being powerful, strong and dominant. Not many people actually live up to this theory, but nearly all men strive to achieve it. Marginalized masculinity andRead MoreHomophobia in Society1323 Words   |  6 PagesExplain and critique masculinity as homophobia. Homophobia: -noun irrational fear of, aversion to, hatred of, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals. According to Merriam-Websters Medical Dictionary, that is the definition of homophobia. Interesting isnt it? to see homophobia on the same page as hepatitis, herpes, and HIV among others. Before this class I wouldnt have expected to find it there. I mean honestly