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Original poster

AIBU to think "Merlin" is a pile of sexist shite...

29 replies

Lessthanaballpark · 28/12/2012 16:09

and to think that the trope of the "power-crazed manipulative enchantress VS benevolent male leader " is a pretty common one?

Off the top of my head I can think of "Simba's pride", "Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Working Girl" where the female leaders are depicted as being scheming, vengeful and authoritarian in constrast to the male leader who is rational and democratic.

In fact I can't think of any where the reverse is shown. Help me think of one please!

OP posts:
RosemaryandThyme · 28/12/2012 17:44

Harry Potter - Hermione is clever rational and democratic, ginger boy a bit of a buffoon and Harry rather weak most of the time.

Buffy - goes without saying.

ummm - gosh got me thinking now, was pleased to end with Queen Gwen on the throne.

GreatCongas · 28/12/2012 17:38

Well the kingdom did finish up with a good queen

Original poster
Lessthanaballpark · 28/12/2012 17:22

Hmm well I waiting to see if they would allow Morgana to redeem herself at the end as in tradition she saves Arthur at the end. But no, Merlin does..

I do see of course that there are many power-crazed male villains but they are usually pitted against reasonable male leaders whereas I don't think that happens with female ones so much.

OP posts:
FloweryDrawers · 28/12/2012 16:25

I think there are a fair few power-crazed manipulative male villain tropes as well. Haven't seen Merlin but if it's Morgana you're talking about, then it's based on very old stories so would presumably have similar themes to fairy tales. One of those is the evil female figure. Whatever sexism is involved there, however, is intrinsic in the story rather than the BBC's fault for making the series that way, as I can't imagine an adaptation where Morgana isn't evil.

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