Marilyn Monroe's 100th birthday: Did she have the makings of an unexpected revolutionary?

 

Yesterday would have been Marilyn Monroe's 100th birthday. It is in tribute to the great feminist icon (who shares my love for bright red lipstick!) that I will write this post observing the many ways she shaped the last century's fashion, popular culture, and film, and, most of all, the way that women's presence in society could be regarded, surpassing all kinds of stereotypical ideation demonstrated through the presence of the male gaze, and other huge chauvinist attitudes that were apparent in the film industry in the US during this period. We can thus very clearly consider her as way more than just the perennial stereotype of the heavily sexualised glossy pop icon that she has for too long been portrayed as, and even go so far as to view her as, in her own rights, a true revolutionary and a good comrade.

When reflecting on the ways in which the stereotype of subservience, submission and reliance on men has been considered as an integral aspect of her character, however, we can see this alternate perspective as unfortunately heavily overshadowed. This can be observed through, not only the very obvious ways in which she has been seen to portray primarily young, attractive, gullible, and somewhat vulnerable females who appear unable to think for themselves. This is made apparent through her first husband's description of her as a "sweet generous religious girl" who "liked to be cuddled", as well as a "photographer's dream", clearly embodying the ideals of a patriarchal society in which attitudes such as these to women in society appeared commonplace. However, this would appear to only be a very superficial look at her, and one of her many clever means of demonstrating genuine feminist principles and modelling society of the time with clear distaste. As has been described in a report on Monroe by Joseph Walford of Oxford University, it can be seen that there was a clear sentiment that "If not afforded multi-dimensionality, Marilyn’s roles were never inconsequential" in their ironic and perhaps somewhat satirical representation of a woman's eye view on how heavily ingrained materialism, mass exploitation, and dehumanisation evident amongst the supposedly more easily marginalised groups including women within American society of the 1940s and 50s, these being materialised and illustrated through the "guilty pleasures" of "sexual temptation" and "reproachable materialism", which Monroe clearly embodied within her pieces. This can thus be seen as potentially acting as an implicit representation of moralistic socialism and the need for a more just and equal society built upon the crucial principles of equality of opportunities and fair representation through means other than class, gender and social standing.

While Monroe may not fully embody radical feminist principles as they were presented by Hegel, Marx and Engels which put a class-centred dimension with major emphasis on repression and exploitation through struggle amongst a hierarchical dynamic always to be observed in any relations between men and women, she clearly appeared an instrumental figure in the mobilisation of the masses and an inspiration in encouraging women to fight against oppression. Her ongoing legacy can be reflected through her instantly recognised trademark image which appears as a flagship symbol of iconic glamour and style amongst both the old and the young, and the many reproductions and representations of her pieces. It is through this that one can understand a lesser side to Monroe, and envisage her as a true comrade and sister to us, a side that needs to receive more attention.