The Depiction of Women in 1950s Television Sitcoms

Term Paper # 1280

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Communication > Television
Film > Television

A look at the extent to which the role of women in 1950s TV sitcoms is a parallel of popular culture of the time.

2,440 words () | 10 sources | 2000 | United States

Published on: Feb 17, 2003

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the images of women that were portrayed in 1950s TV sitcoms and examines to what extent these images give us an insight into popular culture of the time.

From the Paper:

"The most stereotypical portrayals of gender are spread through communication media, especially television. Often, trends in television give us insight into the shifting meanings of gender in popular culture. For example, television in the fifties portrayed a wonderful world of perfect homes in a perfect America. In this world the mothers never worked, the families were happy, and problems were always solved within a half hour. Women had a clearly defined, fixed role, says Spigel, "The essential function of women was that of caretaker, mother, and sexual partner. The domestic woman needed to save her energy for housekeeping, childrearing, and an active (monogamous) sex life with her husband"

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APA Citation:

The Depiction of Women in 1950s Television Sitcoms (2012, April 01). Retrieved May 24, 2012, from http://www.academon.com/Term-Paper-The-Depiction-of-Women-in-1950s-Television-Sitcoms/1280

MLA Citation:

"The Depiction of Women in 1950s Television Sitcoms" 01 April 2012. Web. 24 May. 2012. <http://www.academon.com/Term-Paper-The-Depiction-of-Women-in-1950s-Television-Sitcoms/1280>