The
film production She’s the Man
directed by Andy Fickman, although more heavily focused on the Ganymede (Viola/Sebastian)
aspect, also strongly plays out the common practice of debutantes. Viola, the stereotypical tomboy, is dragged
unwillingly into the entire affair although she finds it “archaic”. In Viola’s social class this is customary for
young women about to become a “lady” to have a “coming out” ceremony and be
introduced to society proclaiming herself a fully-fledged lady, while on the
arm of a male usher. Debutante
ceremonies were a means for the sovereign to view the ladies of higher nobility
who were bachelorettes entering the social season and ready to be married.
In Viola’s case, the debutante tradition
was carried on by the Junior League and every woman was expected to participate
although it was not required. What is
interesting about such a tradition is that another term for it is a “coming out”
ceremony. And was a question posed to
the ladies of Viola’s Junior League, “Who’s ready to come out?” Although the audience knows what the director
of the ceremony was referring to, the phrase “coming out” is a modern term used
to describe someone who is “coming out” into their homosexual preference. Viola, being a tomboy, has or projects what
is considered more masculine characteristics, therefore the debutante tradition
could be a symbol of Violas “coming out”, although not into her sexuality, but
into her true identity and her mother’s acceptance of that. However at the end of the film, Viola did
give in to wearing a dress, a thin and sleek one and chose to be presented on
her own terms but was still presented to be in accordance with her mother’s
wishes. Since Viola kissed Duke at the
presentation, she lets every man there know that she is “taken” and socially
unavailable to them. Therefore, the debutante
tradition, for Viola acts as a presentation of herself as a tomboyish woman who
loves soccer, to everyone she knows within her social circle.
What I find most irritating about the debutante ending is that it is completely irrelevant to the original text of Twelfth Night. If She's the Man were to end at the soccer game, it would make more sense. However, I feel that the addition of the debutante ball is a way to make this kind of cross-dressing gender-blending plot socially acceptable in today's society. It makes the ending seem like Viola has gotten over her gender-bending shenanigans and fully come to terms with her inherent femininity. Her place is society is thus deemed as a woman, to be paraded around on a handsome man's arm. Although I appreciate that she sticks out from the other girls - in her dress and "tomboyish" mannerisms - she still ends up being labeled as a girl "come of age" or "come out."
ReplyDeleteI agree. If the end goal (no pun intended) for Viola was to simply beat Cornwall at soccer, and defeat her misogynist ex-boyfriend it wouldn't have been as disappointing because her original aim was to challenge society not to succumb to hetero-normative gender roles. I do think that the debutante ball fits in with the original "Twelfth Night" as further representation of her rebellion against outdated "female" rituals, but I see the "coming out" as a symbol of her submitting to society, not a acceptance of self, but conversely women can be athletic and feminine at the same time, and her participating in the debutante ball is her saying she can do it all, but the showing that she is taken is a statement that says 'I am tamed, look! I have a boyfriend... I am not a lesbian." Great Blog Post!
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