Gender, splitting and non-recognition in Mad Men

Area of Science:

• Cultural Studies
• Media Analysis
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Mad Men depicts 1960s American culture with a focus on surface-level interactions and repression.
• Superficially, the series appears to reinforce traditional gender roles, with men possessing agency and women lacking desire.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the complex gender dynamics within the television series Mad Men.
• To challenge the initial perception of a clear subject-object split based on gender.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of character interactions and narrative themes in Mad Men.
• Examination of the concept of the subject-object split in relation to gender and desire.

Main Results:

• Contrary to initial appearances, Mad Men deconstructs the gendered subject-object split.
• Men in the series, like women, are depicted as objects to themselves and others, lacking true agency.
• The series illustrates a failure in reciprocal recognition between characters.

Conclusions:

• Mad Men offers a nuanced critique of 1960s gender roles, subverting traditional expectations.
• The lack of mutual recognition is presented as a key factor in interpersonal and erotic failures within the show's narrative.