Steven Marshall ;xNLx;Mr. Anderson;xNLx;History 102;xNLx;Period 6
Norma Jean was born in L.A
The war made the industry perfect for Marilyn's arrival. Men coming home from war expected to settle down and have their fill of American superiority. This started an age where all the women were expected to find a man and become homemakers. The people wanted to look good and decent on the surface acting as if they were keeping with the good values of an older time. There definitely was not any adult themes portrayed on television and the children of the day were kept away from anything that had to do with it. Though it looked like this on the surface in reality, there was a lot of sexuality going on away from prying eyes. Marilyn being a very openly sexual person rocked the entertainment world. She was something different on screen and was like a breath of fresh air to the stuffy innocence that was so popular. Men of the day loved for her beauty and sexual appeal. No other actress had the same pull Monroe did. She became famous at the perfect time where she was able to use this to her advantage. Men coming back from the war had a very specific body type they were looking for. All the Gi's wanted to settle down and have many kids as this was made possible by America's economic boom. Because of this want of children men looked for a bustier body type. Whether instinctual or just by coincidence women with wider hips and a large bust were seen as better stock for having good healthy children. This is what defined beauty in women back then. Marilyn was in every man's eyes a perfect iteration of their bodily desires. Once again, she rose to fame at a perfect time when her specific body type was in high demand. She being of a busty nature was desired greatly and she knew this. She used her own sexuality to her advantage and it landed her as one of the most famous actresses of the time.
During the 50's conformity was on the rise. Due to a fear of communism being different was seen as strange. Most people tried to keep up with their neighbors and have similar things as them. No one went against the social constructs that were put up for all to follow. No one but the baby boom generation. Due to the attempt to keep everyone similar and the attack against impurity, the young children of the decade became more aware to what was going on. They could see through the façade their parents had put up. They started to realize that they have bodies and that the bodies were meant to be used. This would eventually lead to the big sexual revolution where the tension is finally released and the children of the 50's are now young adults of the 60's and are now more sexually loose than the generation before. Marilyn being so open about her sexuality helped the young teens break from their oppressive chains much like Elvis helped them.
When Playboy was first released it was undated because it was unknown if it would have another issue, well it did. In fact, it had many more to come, but Playboy meant more than pleasure back then. In a time where sexual topics were not discussed openly, Playboy was like a slap in the face. It was a form of expression that was not very often seen during those times. This was just another indication that there was sexual tension brewing beneath the surface. Marilyn was on the first cover and spread of Playboy. When men for the first time saw this magazine, this expression of sexuality they saw Marilyn at the forefront. This most likely stayed with them for years to come and finally helped the tension release from them during the 60's.
Women were often paired with products and appliances. Not only was this a marketing ploy to get men to buy the object , but also an incredibly sexist view of women as a form of property. This affected women socially and politically where they had less than optimal condtions to live in. In the "7 Year Itch " Monroe was often paired with appliances like air-conditioners and refrigerators as a means of a social commentary of the 50's.
Height of Monroe's fame
Marilyn could be considered one of the first feminist of the time. She did things no other woman would dare. When she felt like she was going to be type casted, she left and created her own production company. That takes a lot of courage even when you are the biggest actress in America. She also garnered a lot of respect from many people also unheard of during this time. During the 60's, a second wave of feminism hit. Women felt more empowered now that the 50's, a time of repression for females, was now over. They also had a bit more support than before with the counterculture-moving fast behind them. It was generally successful in fighting against domesticity. Feminists like Betty Friedan attacked the patriarchy with her argument that placing women only at home limited their talents whether it be in the workplace or out somewhere in the world. By becoming a strong woman in the eyes of not only the industry she loved but in the eyes of men everywhere she made women realize what could be possible through their independence.
During the mid-sixties, a new movement started to take form called Free Love. After the 50's all of that sexual tension burst. When it finally did, people believed that sexuality was okay. They started to realize that they had bodies and that sex was a beautiful thing. The hippie movement started with the growing popularity of counterculture. Thousands of young, spiritually free people all advocating for sexual liberation and the beauty. They rejected any form of bondage due from sexual constructs such as marriage. The movement went against everything that the 50's stood for. Marriage was a sacred social construct back then. Not to be married and to be so openly sexual was so taboo back then. The main purpose of the Free Love movement was to have State separate from all affairs involving love and sex. Again, the counterculture is going against the 50's. In the 50's , the government had say in what you could and could not do with your bodies. Take for example the ban on contraceptives and abortions. The Free Love movement was against that and said that those decisions should be left to the people and not the government.
She has had the longest run as a sex symbol in probably all of history. For someone who was famous decades ago to still be big in modern times are spectacular. She has inspired females from young and old to be more confident in themselves and to feel beautiful no matter who calls them out. She has become a symbol female strength now in modern times that has a significant impact on how females perceive themselves. For males, she has given them a vision of a woman who demands respect and can look vulnerable in doing so. No woman at this time was like that until she came along and inspired many other women to be their own person. She has kickstarted a change in the dynamic in how women are perceived in the film industry and in life. She was one of the first "modern women" who went against the domesticity of the 40's and 50's and became an independent strong working class woman.
Her Death has been shrouded in controversy ever since.
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