Changing Images of the Arab and American Women in the Hollywood Films
Arab women portrayal in the Hollywood movies stands in a sharp contrast to what the American women are portrayed over the same period of time. In the article, “Tramps vs. Sweethearts: Changing Images of the Arab and American Women in the Hollywood Films”, the author examines some of the vital American films over the last 100 years while describing the American and Arab women characters through the five political-historical phases of the US international relations that defines their varied Hollywood images. The phases include; pre-World War II, from the World War II to the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s to the September 11, 2001 and the post 9/11 respectively.
The author’s analysis reveals some of the archetypes for both the American and Arab women. However, the main finding shows a limited role of the American women and the near absence of the Arab women in the Hollywood movies. In highlighting the changing images of the American and Arab women in the Hollywood movies, the author states that although it’s easier to find the Hollywood stereotypes of the Arab men (as terrorists) as opposed to that of the women because they are largely absent from the silver screen.
The article further highlights that despite the limited appearance that the Arab females make in the Hollywood movies; their archetype has greatly changed-more than the Arab male counterpart. The author states the absence of the Arab women from the big screen because the films dehumanize only the bad guy-the Arab man. The American women on the other hand at the Pre-World War II are portrayed as the dutiful sidekicks to the major plot. However, the Hollywood did not create the prototype of Arab female. Instead the film has borrowed it straight from the Arabian Nights. Various movies highlighted in the article such as the Birth of the Nation (1915), portrays the female domination majorly from the western woman. The article takes us through the various stereotypes that the Hollywood movies draw between the Arab women and the American women. It explores the various phases as noted above especially in regard to the women.
