Marilyn Monroe – metaphor talking about WOMEN

Posted by agnusia on March 28, 2011 · 1 Comment 

1950s. Swinging her sexy hips very slowly and rhythmically, with gracefully outstretched chest, eyes closed slightly, and open like willing to say something lips she enters through the front door: the most desirable, most famous and sexiest American actress, model, singer and of course driving all the men crazy and making every woman jealous, but at the same time, making them adore her – Marilyn Monroe. This is the woman who does not need to speak, her movement, expression, manner of dressing and self presentation speaks for itself.

Marilyn Monroe – a legend. She is like a metaphor, telling about entity of women and what are women after all. Psychoanalyst Jaques Lacan states that people perceive the world through differences: if we did not know what a man is – we would not know what a woman is. If never in our lives we would have seen the black sisters’ – night, we would never know what a day is.

I would add a little something to Lacans’ statement and say the following: if you do not know who Marilyn Monroe is – you don’t know what a woman is.

Norma Jean Mortensen avant Marilyn Monroe

Norma Jean Mortensen, later famous by her nickname Marilyn Monroe, was born in June 1st, 1926, in Los Angeles, California. Her life, from the very beginning, was followed by tragedies and disasters. When her mother fell ill with schizophrenia, Marilyn spent most of her adolescence in foster home, later she married a man that she did not love, and few years later got divorced. Then followed two more unsuccessful marriages numerous miscariages and abortions. And of course her tragic death, that shook the whole world and still is surrounded by many myths and secrets.However today we are talking not about her tragic life, but about her heady and hipnotyzing beauty, sexuality and femininity. Maybe Norma Jean Mortensen would not have become so famous if not for her spectacular body and beauty. First pictures of nude Marilyn Monroe appeared in legendary men‘s magazine „Playboy“. As Marilyn herself later said, she posed nude only because of lack of money. However most of us would agree that the lack of money has brought her millions, unfathomable glory and the titles of the sexiest, the most famous, the most beautiful, most wanted and legendary woman.

Mirroring Merilyn Monroe

Even now it is difficult to understand the phenomenal popularity of Marilyn Monroe, which we hear about even today. Of course today, Marilyn Monroe has become a commercial commodity as her face and body is used as a interior detail (pop art), her image is being printed on various clothes, cards or stationery, but perhaps most importantly what I should mention is never ending repetition and worshiping of her genius and iconic style. Even famous designers Dolce & Gabbana for the commercial of their perfume „Rose –The One“ chose the charming actress Scarlett Johannson, who embodies Marilyn Monroe. And there is no need to wonder, because every woman, at least for a moment, wants to put on a white, slightly shorten than appropriate dress, high-heel shoes, making her legs look more graceful, twist white silky hair curls, cover lips with blood-like red lipstick and hold a hand of a gentleman, certainly charming like Elvis Presley, who quietly whispers to her ear „I‘m so glad you‘re mine“.

Marilyn Monroe’s secrets of femininity
And yet, what is the secret of Marilyn Monroe‘s phenomenon, that up to these days she is still called the queen of style, embodyment of feminintiy and considered to be the icon of American culture? Whose merit is it: Marilyns‘ sensitive, emotional and sexy nature, or maybe femininity can be performed and socialy constructed? Theory of social constructionism states that changes between men and woman is biological and everything else is constructed. When a baby girl is born and doctor loudly announces „it‘s a girl!” the presents she gets are various dolls and pink dresses. In other words, when the baby is born he is “labeled” immediately, regardless of his or her decision. So, from the very first days of their lives, identity of boy or girl is contstructed for a baby. Girl is tought to make meals, clean the house, prank for the boys and be „feminine“. But still, what is „feminine“? Are all womans‘s movements, hip „swininging“ and muted voice timbre innate or is it just to learn?

Maybe Marilyn Monroe was just the great „student of life“ and in her heart she was completely different? After all you have probably heard a few stories about her gloomy way and lack of self-confidence. Is that really the woman of all woman? Or maye men are just looking for outer beauty which, according to theory of social constructionism, is constructed? I partly agree with the theory of constructionism that all womans‘ movements, manners and „tricks“ can be easily learned, but I also think that Marilyn Monroes‘ entity was not only „lessons well learned“, she was someone mysterious and unique. Even those, perhaps, stereotype called manners were something eclusive. But I am also not sure that the „uniqueness“ could fully match the concept of femininity. After all, modern women are different, not only do they dance, sing, smile for the cameras, but also go forward at the same pace as men. And certainly, I do not want to accept feminists ideas and say that we are the same as men and that we don‘t like to flirt and mention… well maybe point out to our boyfriends that „diamond are the grils‘ best friends“.

I would be more attracted to post feminist ideas, and agree that woman are independent and commanding, but by no means playing by the same rules as men. We are different – weaker, more dreamy, sometimes more irrational, but not more stupid. And, of course we just love clothes, and other nice baubles. Just like Marilyn Monroe. With her style and clothes she emphasized her femininity and grace. It is just impossible to be indifferent to her exclusive style of clothing – but at the same time a little naive and vulgar. And what is to say about men? I am definitely not surprised that they went crazy of every move or eye wink she made. After all, she was able to seduce the American president. Once, a reporter asked her: does anyone tell you to pose with your lips open and eyes slightly closed, and what do you think about when you do it? She answered: “Sometimes I’m thinking of men. Other times I’m thinking of some man in particular. It’s easier to look sexy when you’re thinking of some man in particular. As for my mouth being open all the time, I even sleep with it open. I knew, because it’s open when I wake up. I never consciously think of my mouth but I do consciously think of what I’m thinking“

Here we could oppose to the social constructionism  which states that femininity is staged and performed. I don’t think that everyone can be a good actor. A good actor is someone who has a talent, plays from his heart and the one who expresses his inner emotions and charisma through his body language and transmits it to the audiences. Perhaps a man, dressed as a woman, could technically replicate feminine movements or make his voice higher, but femininity is not only looks – femininity is emotion and talent.

In conclusion, I would like to quote words once said by B. Fontanel: “There is nothing more sad than the lives of woman, who could be just beautiful”. By no means do I want to say, that Marilyn is just beautiful. I say “is” because legends do not die. They live forever. And it does not matter that we only see her in magazines or movies. She will always be the most stylish, most feminine and most esoteric woman. I quoted B. Fontanel, because I want to wish beauty and fancy clothes would not be your only life escorts and that you would have feelings, emotions and wisdom by your side, as well.

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