John Berger - Ways of Seeing 1972
When discussing Berger's theory, it is important to note that he takes a somewhat artistic approach to the way of which women can be, and are being represented. During his essay, “Ways of Seeing” Berger declares that "a woman must continually watch herself. She is almost continually accompanied by her own image of herself. Whilst she is walking across a room or whilst she is weeping at the death of her father, she can scarcely avoid envisaging herself walking or weeping" (Berger, J, 46:1972). This quote shows how Berger believes that women are cautious of themselves physically, and because of this physical awareness, they begin to understand their role in society as becoming an object of beauty and longing. In his essay ‘Ways of Seeing’ Berger states that ‘a woman is taught to “survey herself”, but most importantly to survey how she appears to man.’ (Berger, J, 46:1972). It is possible to argue that this is perhaps some sort of an inherited attribute that has been learned from her mother; therefore it would seem as if this attitude is a ‘normal’ feature of femininity. However, it is far more likely that this idea of women needing to be able to ‘survey herself, and how she appears to man, is to come from many other sources rather than her mother. For example, the pressures bestowed upon young and old women alike by the media to look a certain way, is far more likely to be a reason as to why women feel as if they need to present themselves a certain way for men.
The concept that woman is negative and man is positive; has been discussed endlessly by multiple feminist critics throughout past century or so, however, I would like to change the words negative and positive to ‘passive’ and ‘active'. By doing this is believe that you start to move away from negative words being attached to the female. For example, in reference to the male gaze, it is not that the men are seen as positive, but they are active as they are the ones doing the gazing. This also applies to the female involved in the male gaze as she is not being negative, she is being gazed at, hence she is inactive, or passive. However, this description of passive still comes with negative connotations as it showing women as inactive objects for the male gaze. This point is further emphasised by psychologists who have argued that women have become ‘othered’ in Patriarchal society. You could explain this otherring as a device which would protect the masculinity of this said patriarchal society, as keeping women as the passive and the other prevent the women from reversing form and becoming the actors and the masculine becoming acted upon. John Berger argued that “men act and women appear” (Berger, J, 47:1972), therefore further exemplifying that women are there for visual pleasure in order to be acted upon by men, whether this is through the male gaze or other means.
Berger also goes on to say that ‘Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women themselves. The surveyor of woman in herself is male: the surveyed female. Thus she turns herself into an object – and most particularly and object of vision: a sight.’ (Berger, J, 48:1972) Here what Berger is saying is that, as women survey themselves in order to see how she herself appears to men, yet by doing so, as the inner surveyor of women is a male, she is turning herself into an object to be looked upon by men, supporting the concept of the male gaze objectifying women offered to us by Mulvey. What is implied here is that women have an inner Male Gaze that they use to objectify themselves in order to see how she is appearing herself to men.
The concept that woman is negative and man is positive; has been discussed endlessly by multiple feminist critics throughout past century or so, however, I would like to change the words negative and positive to ‘passive’ and ‘active'. By doing this is believe that you start to move away from negative words being attached to the female. For example, in reference to the male gaze, it is not that the men are seen as positive, but they are active as they are the ones doing the gazing. This also applies to the female involved in the male gaze as she is not being negative, she is being gazed at, hence she is inactive, or passive. However, this description of passive still comes with negative connotations as it showing women as inactive objects for the male gaze. This point is further emphasised by psychologists who have argued that women have become ‘othered’ in Patriarchal society. You could explain this otherring as a device which would protect the masculinity of this said patriarchal society, as keeping women as the passive and the other prevent the women from reversing form and becoming the actors and the masculine becoming acted upon. John Berger argued that “men act and women appear” (Berger, J, 47:1972), therefore further exemplifying that women are there for visual pleasure in order to be acted upon by men, whether this is through the male gaze or other means.
Berger also goes on to say that ‘Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women themselves. The surveyor of woman in herself is male: the surveyed female. Thus she turns herself into an object – and most particularly and object of vision: a sight.’ (Berger, J, 48:1972) Here what Berger is saying is that, as women survey themselves in order to see how she herself appears to men, yet by doing so, as the inner surveyor of women is a male, she is turning herself into an object to be looked upon by men, supporting the concept of the male gaze objectifying women offered to us by Mulvey. What is implied here is that women have an inner Male Gaze that they use to objectify themselves in order to see how she is appearing herself to men.