Discuss the way in which in which the extract constructs the representation of gender?

In this essay I will be analysing the extract from Doctor Who and identifying how gender is represented. I will be demonstrating it, and how, the extract uses archetypes, generic types and stereotypes and applying Levi-Strauss’ concept of binary opposition.

First of all I will talk about the Mise En Scene in the extract from Doctor Who and how it constructs the representation of gender. In the extract the lady at the top of the stairs is wearing a red dress which could be seen that she is a sex object of the master. The red dress could also have been seen as a sign of danger. Also the men in suits behind the master at the top of the stairs are seen as powerful and in control as they are all wearing suits and seen as the more dominating gender. Additionally the women who are maids are seen as rather scruffy and dirty and also very vulnerable compared to the men who are seen as powerful and in control. Overall Mise En Scene constructs the representation of gender in this film as women as rather weak and vulnerable and the men as the ones in control and powerful.

 Moving on from Mise En Scene, I will now talk about how the camera constructs the representation of gender. In this extract the camera is looking up at the master with the camera at a low angle. This makes him look like a powerful man who is strong and in control where as when the camera is looking at Martha the camera is looking down at her from a high angle. This does the opposite and makes Martha look insignificant and vulnerable. It also does this when the camera is towards the doctor as he is in a cage and very weak. Although once the doctor becomes more powerful this changes and the doctor is shown from a low angle to make him look powerful and the master is shown from a high angle to make him look weak and vulnerable. The cameras in the extract also show signs of a binary opposition between men and women and in particulary Martha against the master. Overall in relation to the cameras in this extract, gender is represented to make women look weak and men look powerful and strong as although the doctor is shown as weak at the start he eventually becomes more powerful where as Martha is always shown as weak throughout the extract.

I will discuss how gender is represented in this extract with regards to sound. In the extract there is much diagetic sound which represents gender. First of all the master begins to shouting instructions which shows his authority as a man. Also he calls Martha her child which could indicate that he thinks he is some sort of God which could also be represented to gender as it could indicate that men think they are God like.  Although, further into the extract Martha laughs whilst the master is talking which at that point indicates the change in power between men and women as the man does not know why she is laughing and that Martha seems to know what is going on. Apart from the diagetic sounds there were some non-diagetic sounds such as the heroic music once the balance in power between the master and Martha changes and also there was a sound which indicated there was going to be a flashback. Overall from the topic of sound it represents that from the diagetic sounds in this extract it represents that men where more powerful and stronger but as the extract progressed the balance in power changed towards women which shows that they are more intelligent than men. For example when Martha laughs at the master, the balance in power changes.

The final topic is how the editing represents gender in this extract. In this extract there is ellipses’ which show that there is a flashback occurring, in this case when Martha was spreading the word of the doctor. Also there was an eye line match within the extract. Overall there is real distinction of editing representing gender in this extract.

Overall I have come to the conclusion that the representation of gender is shown in different ways in this extracts. With regards to Mise En Scene women are represented and more vulnerable and weaker compared to men who are shown as powerful and strong. This was also shown in the camera shots in this film. Although with regards to sound men are shown as powerful at the start of the extract but during the extract the balance of power changes towards women who are shown as more intelligent than the men.