peaky blinders

• what may bell hooks say about representation of feminism in PB?


  that the feminism in PB is primarily concerned with m/c & w/c white women; liberation not necessarily for all women
• aunt polly - gender representation


  -dresses more masculine, eg. in suits

  ->BUTLER would link this into her theory of gender as a performance

  ->links to women in 1919 who had to adhere to masculine styles in order to work in professional environments

  -she holds a lot of influence as a matriarch despite her official status being taken away when men returned from the war
• ada shelby - gender representation


  -she defies her brother's wishes and decides to get with Freddie - shows either a degree of independence or naiivety

  -usually dressed in 1920s flapper style - typical of era
• grace - gender representation


  -multi-faceted character, working undercover with Inspector but also building relations with the Shelbys

  -adds depth and provides representation of a complex female character; she is not just a 'siren' figure (evidenced by her singing and beauty)

  -green dress contrasts dank b'ham streets, highlights her significance

  ->the green also symbolises her country of origin, Ireland
• van zoonen - how is femininity usually represented?


  'femininity is about care, nurturance and compassion'

  ->Polly is seen to deeply care about the family, and acts as a guide, eg church scene

  -however, Tommy can also be seen to be quite compassionate, saves Danny Whizz-Bang from getting murdered and helps him escape
• van zoonen - how is masculinity usually represented?

  'masculinity is about efficiency, rationality and individuality'

  ->Tommy and Arthur's individuality is stark, often leading them into conflict

  ->Tommy's efficiency is also seen in his plan to help Danny Whizz-Bang

  -however, Polly is also seen to be all 3 of these traits, eg in the church scene, and Grace's individuality is marked by her complexity
• stephen knight:

  'women were incredibly...

  'i wanted to...

  ...powerful in w/c communities'

  ...reflect that and do justice to these women
• how can Butler's theory of gender performance be applied to peaky blinders?


  -Butler argues that gender is a social construct composed by appearance and behaviour rather than biologically determined characteristics

  ->seen in costume; PBs wear expensive suits (m/c) with flat caps (w/c) that turn into weapons (aggressive masculinity) - their masculinity is dominating and violent

  -Grace displays highly feminine characteristics (dresses, soft singing voice, 'too pretty') which are actually seen to just be part of her performance; she is secretly undercover

  -Polly seen wearing suits; typically masculine attire
• grace as a femme fatale


  -her beauty lures Tommy in

  -she is attempting to bring down the Shelbys

  -siren song -> lures all men in

  -she is also a victim of the Inspector
• one of the main criticisms of PB?

  its portrayal of toxic masculinity
• george s larke-walsh:

  the show is guilty of 'promoting...


  ...regressive masculine ideals, specifically British 'lad culture' and....associated concerns about the prevalence of toxic masculinity
• PB creative team response:

  'the story of PB invites viewers...


  ...to consider the effect of violence on men, and the terrible and long-lasting consequences on both men and women of gang violence, poverty and most of all armed conflict
• van zoonen - intradiegetic gaze


  -argues men are constructed more through other characters' perceptions of them

  ->this allows for narcissistic identification without erotic gaze

  -eg. Tommy in the opening scene; everyone is seen cowering behind buildings and silently watching him since he is so intimidating
• how does gauntlett's identity theory apply?


  -in modern media, 'we no longer get singular, straightforward messages about ideal types of male and female identities'

  ->this can be seen in the range of characters presented to us in the show: female audiences have much more complex representations and so can identify with a range of different characteristics, eg some may identify more with Polly's position as a matriarch while others may identify with ada's struggle between expectations and desires

  -seen in male characters too; Tommy is seen to be valued more for his intelligence, while while Arthur is more valued for his powerful position in the family
• significance of the Shelbys being w/c

  -tv series centred around w/c families are somewhat rare, so Stephen Knight offers important representation through this

  ->this is evidenced by the BBC shifting the series from BBC2 to primetime BBC1; its popularity was unexpected
• are there themes of class inequality?

  -m/c inspector presented as one of the key oppositional forces within the show, and his motives revolve around keeping w/c people in their 'lane'

  ->eg. he is keen to take down Freddie, who is communist and advocating for workers' strikes in episode 1
• how does the setting fit with representation?


  -establishing shots of industrialised 1919 w/c birmingham allow us insight into the environment the Shelbys lived in, despite being slightly wealthier than the people around them

  -costumes often involve poorly made/slightly grimy clothes for civilians, apart from the Shelbys who are usually dressed in smarter attire; demonstrates hierarchy even amongst the w/c
• significance of Knight's intention to convey the 'secret history of England' in peaky blinders?


  -Knight suggests that there is a darker, more violent view of British history which is often sanitised in media texts that portray it

  -there are very few, if any, representations of the aristocracy in the first season; it is entirely focused on working class people

  ->called HISTORICAL REVISIONISM; producers attempted to portray versions of a historical period through perspectives of people often overlooked
• how has Knight's mythologising of these communities affected its representation?


  -resulted in a fresh sense of pride within Birmingham

  -PB tours, theme pubs and events are frequent in the area, clearly demonstrating that the show filled a gap in the TV market and has had a wide impact on many communities, especially those in Birmingham