Is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Sexist?
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is not sexist because men and women are depicted as equally competent. For example, women are empowered when Gymnasia rescues Pseudolus. Generally women are the ones to be rescued by men, but in this scene, Pseudolus is in danger from an incompetent gladiator (also a man). However, Gymnasia is able to throw a trident with enough power and accuracy to immobilize the gladiator. This scene reverses the usual scenario of a damsel-in-distress and puts a woman as the rescuing character. However, there is also a scene with a man rescuing a woman (Hero saving Philia), thus balancing out the empowerment of men and women. This balance proves that A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is not sexist.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is sexist because many of the jokes and puns in the movie are told at the expense of a woman. For example, Philia’s song “I am Lovely.” In her song she essentially sings about how she is unable to do anything (sew, cook, clean) but can only be lovely. This song reveals that Philia is completely incompetent but also adds that her aesthetics make up for her lack of domestic skills. The sexism in this song is particularly noted, because stereotypically women are only supposed to be of use in domestic households and Philia’s inability to do even that portrays her as a complete subservient character to all men.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is not sexist because even though many of the jokes in the movie are told at the expense of women and many feminine stereotypes are addressed, men are also teased in the comedy. There are heterosexual love affairs and the overly masculine Miles Gloriosus actually pokes fun at men. The jokes about women in the movie are so exaggerated, they can be perceived as actually making fun of sexism because the jokes are so blown out of proportion. In light of the equality of both genders in the film and the over exaggeration of sexism in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, it is clear that A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is not sexist.
Interesting take I didn't take into account that Gymnasia saving Pseudolus is not sexist. However I feel like the rest of the movie is. I would be curious to see if you had more examples of the balancing of men and women in the film.
Isn't Hero just as dumb as Philia? Yes, he can remember her name, but otherwise? He certainly shows himself unable to learn from experience when he throws one dove after the other with a heavy writing tablet tied to their feet out of his window, even though they all end up on the bottom of the alley.
Your points were chosen well; these are good examples of where sexism is made fun of and where woman are shown as able to be equal to men. I actually have a question: in the last paragraph, were we supposed to state our actual opinion on whether or not the movie is sexist, or simply compare our two paragraphs?
I had hoped you'd bring up one argument that reflects your opinion and one potential counter argument that you'd then try to prove wrong, so that you then can come to a more balanced conclusion.
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is particularly sexist in its display of women throughout. A conversation between Hero and Philia particularly displays this, as Philia inquires whether the number 500 is greater than the number 300. She goes on to confess that she cannot add, spell, sew, or cook, and that she was raised primarily to be lovely. This scene demonstrates Philia's lack of intelligence and, perhaps more significantly, her lack of concern for this troubling fault. In this movie, women are purely there for the entertainment and pleasure of men, and have been taught not to worry about this predicament. Women are merely present to be attractive and seductive. However, there are some scenes where gender inequality isn't as prevalent. For example, when Philia mistakens Senex for the captain who has arrived to take her away, she declares, "Though you may have my body, you shall never have my heart." In a twisted way, Philia is actually attempting to defy the dominant men that are so common in her life as a prostitute. In this scene, while she is admitting that men objectify her, Philia is suggesting that she is, in fact, aware of these circumstances. While "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" definitely objectifies women, Philia actually seems to be a true feminist in this scene, standing up for her rights. The comical film "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" may mock many aspects of the human personality and Roman culture, but, whether intentionally or unintentionally, certainly portrays men as the ones with power, while women merely take the supporting roles.
I definitely agree with the point that Philia's inability to do anything besides look pretty is sexist to a fault. I found it interesting how you used Philia again to exemplify a non sexist scene. This repetition was smart!
Hmmm... I like the quote, "Though you may have my body, you shall never have my heart". Your take on it is very different and your evaluation lends well to your argument. I didn't interpret that quote as feminist until you pointed it out as such. Thanks.
Interesting, I thought at first the body/heart quote was just to set up Senex for his "Can't have everything" joke. I liked your interpretation of that quote
What I find interesting is that Philia is honest to a fault. Even though she's not going to see a penny from the transaction between Lycus and the Captain, she feels she must honor that contract. Only when she recognizes the Captain as the brute who destroyed her country (raped Thrace), does she develop enough moral outrage to refuse to go with him. Ironically, all that seems forgotten once he turns out to be her long-lost brother at the end.
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” characterizes many female characters in an overly sexual, and anti-intellectual way. For example in “A Funny Thing” they use the stereotyped stock character of the exotic African American dancer. All the other girls paraded before Pseudolus and Hero had regular costumes and dancing. The African American dancer however was dressed in a leopard print outfit and did a tribal dance. In addition they stereotyped her as exotic by having a llama in her room. “A Funny Thing” stereotypes and uses the exotic African American dancer stock character to show Pseudolus and Hero a different type of woman that they might be looking for. Not only is this scene degrading to women it is degrading to the stereotyped African American dancers.
Some might say that although “A Funny Thing” has particular scenes that are sexist the character Domina who is married to Senex relays the opposite message. Domina is able to boss her husband Senex around and is clearly the dominating force in the household. However Domina is portrayed as the other females in the movie when she asks Miles Gloriosus to join her alone upstairs. Domina also is portrayed as a temptress when Senex accidentally comes in the room instead. Although Domina has more power than the other women in the film it does not hide the clear sexism of “A Funny Thing”.
In conclusion “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” is a movie that has many examples of sexism. Many of these examples can be found in the stock characters of the prostitute and the typical Roman wife. The sexism is added to make the movie more entertaining but can come off as offensive to many.
Just a suggestion: when I showed my essay that we just wrote for this class to the guy at the writing center, he suggested that I take out any statements like "in conclusion", so I just wanted to let you know that you might wanna say something else in the first sentence of your last paragraph. I think your last sentence did a really good job of summing up your paragraphs and I agree with that statement : )
I thought you had really good points and I liked the detail you put into your description of the black dancer. However, you managed to do more justice to the idea of the "A Funny Thing.." being racist rather than sexist.
I agree with Alyssa, the argument about Vibrata, the African American dancer, points even more toward racism than sexism. I'd also argue that Tintinnabula, the Asian dancer, is stereotyped in similarly racist ways. In Vibrata's case, however, it may be even clearer (the llama is a case in point, and so is the clearly anachronistic Jazz music), that the film actually caricatures the usual racist stereotypes rather than endorse it. If that is true, the film would not actually be racist even though it makes use of common racist stereotypes.
In response to your claim about the anti-intellectual portrayal of women, I would argue that all the characters are shown this way. Because if you think about it, there isn't really a "smart" character in the film that we see for more than a few seconds. In fact, I might even claim that the only fairly intelligent character in the film is Gymnasia, which is ironic because she can't speak. However, she is the one who saves Pseudolous from the Gladiator, after she willingly comes to his aid.
Although I will say that most of the women in the film are portrayed in a very sexual manner, it seemed to me that when Domina goes up to the bedroom towards the end it was meant to be more of a joke about the potion she drank (in the running gag of the wrong people drinking the wrong thing) and less about her submissiveness as a woman.
A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum is a sexist film because it shows the “ideal” woman to be one that is subservient to men. an example of this is the scene when the Lycus's prostitutes are presented to Pseudolus and Hero as possible wives: As Pseudolus rejects each woman that is brought out, Lycus brings out an even more “attractive” one to tempt him. Finally, Pseudolus tries to buy the his final and seemingly best offer, the silent woman who dances very provocatively (assuming this must be the one that Hero wants, because she is the best, but Hero stops him). Lycus implies that the best wife a man could have is a beautiful silent one, showing this woman last in hopes that he would not loose his most tempting woman to Pseudolus. The implication that the best wife a man could have would have no opinions or ability to talk and a beautiful body reveals that A Funny Thing Happened... is a sexist movie.
A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum is not a sexist movie because it is a comedy that is making fun of sexism by exaggerating it until sexism appears a laughable idea, and therefore wrong or silly. When Pseudolus and Lycus and Senex sing “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid”, they blatantly expose the fact that men prefer women who are “quieter than a mouse”, “obedient and pliable” and do nothing but clean and “flatter” the master in the bedroom. However, the song is so silly that the audience can see how blatant and laughable it is, showing that the movie is not truly sexist, but simply pokes fun at sexism to reveal it as a faulty quality.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum has many sexist scenes and statements, but the role of women as subservient is so exaggerated that it can make sexism itself seem humorous. Women are shown as unintelligent, as with Philia, and objectified, as with the prostitutes. This is undoubtedly sexist. However, it could be argued that the movie is not actually sexist because it seems to throw it in the viewers face and openly make fun of sexism.
I probably didn't express clearly enough what I wanted, thus your question above and the form of your argument here. I had hoped more for something in the way of a mini-paper, just as Nicholas said in class. So for the others, please connect your arguments with some kind of transition, introducing the counter-argument with something like: "On the other hand, one could argue that ..." And even though Nick Mead told one of you that she shouldn't say "in conclusion", I personally don't know what's bad about this.
That said, your overall thesis that the movie ridicules sexism rather than promote it sounds very persuasive. It could probably even be strengthened if we looked a little closer at the way men are portrayed in this movie. So far, most of the discussion has focused on women.
I really liked your originality and the uniqueness of your idea. You might be able to make an even stronger argument if you also mention that some of the men, such as Hero, are also portrayed as unintelligent and dimwitted. For example, Hero runs around like an idiot for a lengthy amount of time trying to get mare sweat and eventually he takes a horse into a sauna, Erronius believes that Pseudolus is a soothsayer and runs around the city seven times, and Lycus believes that smiling is a symptom of the plague.
Yes, I think that "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is sexist. All of the characters who are women are either slave/prostitutes or demanding housewives. In one scene Suitilus describes Gymnasia as the perfect woman because she cannot speak. Likewise, Philia cannot count or read. Domina, however, is universally disliked in the movie because she talks too much and is dominating.
No, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is not sexist. Yes, most women in this movie are prostitutes,but the movie is like this on purpose to parody typical roles of women in "toga" films. One would also notice that the men in this movie are not portrayed so well either. Most of the men in this movie are shown as weak, lecherous, or both. Again, the reason for this portrayal is just simply to be funny.
I like the arguments that you use for the argument and counter-argument, but I do not know what your personal stance is on this subject. You provide great evidence for both, but what do you think?
While it may seem that this movie is very sexist, I believe that this movie was just simply made to parody the "toga" genre and to make people laugh. This can be seen in the over exaggerated sexuality of marcus' women. It is not the move that is sexist, it is the movies that are being parodied by "Funny Thing"
I totally agree with your argument here! I was thinking the same thing. I think that "A Funny Thing..." is undeniably sexist, but its intentions are actually to parody the other films of this genre and merely to be humorous. The overt sexuality is hopefully a joke and not to be taken seriously.
I really liked your closing (third) paragraph about how Funny Thing isnt sexist but the movies it mocks are. I felt that was insightful and it was easy to forget that Funny Thing is more than just a mere comedy, but actually a parody of many movies
I like this idea as well: the truly sexist movies are the others we've watched, since they use the same gender stereotypes, except they fail to make fun of them. Very nice!
No, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is not a sexist movie. It is a parody of all Roman film cliches and uses exaggeration to make points and jokes. A recurring theme in old Roman "toga" films is the subjugation of women and so "A Funny Thing" naturally had to parody that. Sequences of sexism are done in the same ostentatious, overly-dramatic fashion as every other element in the film. For example, when Pseudolus and Hero go "browsing" at Lycus's house: the scene is incredibly sexist, but also very comical because the film is poking fun at how women have been depicted/treated in past films.
Yes, "A Funny Thing Happened" is a sexist film because it persistently displays women as unintelligent and subservient to men. One exception to this is Domina, who is portrayed as an ugly and horribly demanding housewife that nobody likes. Prominent examples of sexism in the film are when Philia confesses to Hero that she is uneducated and her only good quality is that she is lovely and when Pseudolus professes that Gymnasia is the perfect woman because she is beautiful and mute.
While "A Funny Thing Happened" does use overt sexuality and subjugation of women, it is not meant to be offensive. All instances of sexism are melodramatic and exaggerated for the sake of comedy. The film is a parody and its only intentions are to make audience members laugh.
I really like how you qualify the sexism apparent in "A Funny Thing" and I think you use great evidence. In regards to Domina, I wonder if she is the only exception because she essentially takes on the role of the man and is essentially portrayed as a male character. She does kind of look like a dude after all.
I really like this argument! It is so obvious that this film is a parody, and yet we have decide if it is sexist or not. The one thing I do have to say is that (and I am not sure if we are supposed to do this) you should prove your point in your counter-argument by stating how that counter-argument is wrong.
I would very much agree here, everywhere that sexism (or racism, in some cases) is displayed it is very exaggerated and blatant. Because of how much it stands out, it makes me think that the movie is simply doing its job as a parody film by drawing attention to the stereotypes used in films about Ancient Rome, whether they are directed at men or women. So even though we see "breeder" slaves, annoying housewives, and overly objectified women like Philia, we also see the pig-headed and easily-fooled Captain, the plotting but illiterate slave, and the clumsy, naive youth.
The film "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is a sexist movie because of its dehumanization of women, showing them as nothing more than objects used for the pleasure of men. In the scene in the house of Lycus, the women are paraded around for Pseudolus to observe and essentially appraise. Pseudolus eventually dismisses each woman one by one, giving a different excuse for why each one will not suit his needs. This is not so much sexist as Lycus's reaction, as he instantly accepts Pseudolus's statement and moves on to his next piece of "merchandise". Although these women are objectified in this way, Domina counteracts this dehumanization by taking on the masculine role in her relationship with her husband. Domina acts as the male should in their marriage and completely dominates him, reversing the roles and designating him as the female. However, he only embodies this role when in Domina's presence such as when he is brought to her room in order to satisfy the lust she feels after drinking a passion potion. "A Funny Thing" is a sexist film because it objectifies women and defines their role in relation to a man's, making it impossible for them to be independent of a man's influence. This is seen through almost every male-female interaction and it displays women as completely dependent and unable to attain a role in society other than one of service.
Well, Lycus is just trying to turn a profit. He is truly running a "business" and therefore he doesn't care what anyone thinks of his women, he just wants to sell them to whoever has the money.
By Lycus just trying to turn a profit is sexist though. Selling women only for the purpose of mens pleasure is sexist because it is saying that is all women are meant for. Although Pseudolus was only rejecting the women because it was not Philia.
Yes, the movie "A Funny Thing..." does indeed display sexism against women. The females in the film are either sex slaves sold by Lycus, clueless and innocent like Philia, a slave baby factory like the one lady, or controlling and irritating like Domina. The film also features musical numbers like "Everybody Ought To Have a Maid", which makes women out to be objects, existing only for the pleasure of men. Throughout the whole movie, women are used as interchangeable people while the men drag them around and make all the plans.
No, the film "A Funny Thing..." does not display a bias against women. Even though the women are made out to be clueless, baby-makers, annoying, or objects, the men are clumsy, pig-headed,and idiotic. For example, even though Pseudolous goes around plotting and trying to trick people, he is unable to read, and his plans always end up making things worse. Later in the movie, he is even saved from his stupidity several times by a woman, Gymnasia. And even though Philia is portrayed as naive and "lovely", her love (the son) is always falling down the stairs and generally messing-up. Though "A Funny Thing..." portrays women in a very stereotypical light, men are given the exact same treatment.
Overall, "A Funny Thing..." is not meant to be sexist or offensive. When it is, it is merely poking fun at the stereotypes used in the movies it is spoofing, which always used certain gender stereotypes. There would be a stronger argument for a clear bias against women if the men weren't also portrayed in the unflattering way that they are. The film is meant to be a comedy, and more specifically a parody. The over-exaggerated and mildly offensive parts just go to show that it does its job well.
But.... everybody really ought to have a maid.... Anyways, good idea bringing up how Gymnasia saves Pseudolous many times from extreme danger. I agree with how they use stereotypes of both genders in order to poke fun at everyone rather than just women even though those jokes are the easiest to pick up on.
In "A Funny Thing Happened", sexism is shown throughout the movie, but in a very comedic way. This movie is a parody, first of all, and it aims to make fun of all of the movies about ancient Rome. Both men and women are made fun of in this movie. Hero is seen throughout the movie being reckless, overdramatic, and stupid. He threatens to kill himself on several occasions because he cannot be with Philia and is shown with so naivity throughout the film it is very difficult to classify him as a role model. And the same applies for every other character. Pseudolus is a liar, Senex is a pervert, and Marcus Lycus owns a whore house. It is a comedy that pokes fun at men, women, and the way that they were both portrayed in the Roman classics.
Even though both men and women are represented as being equally stupid, the song "Everyone Ought to Have a Maid" is filled with sexist lyrics. The lyrics mention how men should have a woman to do the basic things around the household and do things around the house such as knitting and sewing. This show is one of the strongest moments of sexism, but in a way the song and dance makes fun of itself. The fact that Marcus Lycus asks what is happening and suddenly joins in on song and dance is so ridiculous that it is hard to take it seriously.
This movie is a comedy, and the sexist parts of this movie should be taken with a grain of salt. It is not only women that are being made fun of, but also the men.
I believe that "A Funny Thing Happened" is sexist although not intended to be outright rude towards women. It is sexist due to how it portrays women throughout the movie as either being evil or completely unintelligent. The courtesans can't spell and Domina controls her husband's every move. The movie makes it seem that it is okay for the men to mistreat their wives so that they may spend some time with the courtesans in Marcus Lycus' house.
The perceived sexism is ultimately a result of almost every key role being played by men (even the men play women at times) and is utterly unintentional. Men are just poking fun at the women in their lives who they ultimately love. In no way is this film intended to degrade women and most of the time men act just as dumb as the courtesans when they fall in love. Men throughout the movie make mistakes and do absolutely absurd things in order to get what or where they want like like falling into a pond while trying to sneak into a house.
All in all, "A Funny Thing" is only sexist by it's own fault. It is a movie starring mostly men and features some key jokes that are pointed directly at women. Women are shown in a very negatively stereotypical light but that is only so that it is acceptable for the men in the audience to laugh at them as well as the men in the film. Viewers know how women really act, so portraying them so incorrectly gives male viewers the ability to laugh at misfortune that befalls the women when usually the viewers would sympathize with women who struggle through hard times.
"A Funny Thing", is percieved as a sexist movie because as the movie is mocking different sterotypes diplayed in different movies about Romans and Greeks, it is portraying woman as unintelligent, "lovely" creatures that do not do anything important. Pseudolus confesses that Panasia is the "perfect woman" because she is silent and beautiful. "A Funny Thing" has many sexist points throughout the film where women are presented as attractive sex machines.
Although the movie "A Funny Thing", has many sexist scenes degrading the women in it, there are also many scenes where the men are mocked and many scenes where the women have power. Hero is a prime example of men being mocked through the movie. He is portrayed as a melodramatic teenager that is "in love". He tries to kill himself many times throughout the movie because he cannot have Philia. Dominia is the perfect example of a wife that has authority. She has the prominent ruling over her husband, and he continues to act like he is scared of her throughout the movie which is not normal. Philia also diplays authority in the play by saying that she will not go with the captain. Being a courtesan she doesn't have any say in the matter but at that point she does. The movie does have sexist moments, but I believe that they are not intentional and only meant to mock Romans and Greeks.
Overall, I believe that "A Funny Thing", is merely mocking different sterotypes and sometimes it comes off as sexist but because there is an equal amount of jokes dierected towards men it is acceptable.
Is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Sexist?
ReplyDeleteA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is not sexist because men and women are depicted as equally competent. For example, women are empowered when Gymnasia rescues Pseudolus. Generally women are the ones to be rescued by men, but in this scene, Pseudolus is in danger from an incompetent gladiator (also a man). However, Gymnasia is able to throw a trident with enough power and accuracy to immobilize the gladiator. This scene reverses the usual scenario of a damsel-in-distress and puts a woman as the rescuing character. However, there is also a scene with a man rescuing a woman (Hero saving Philia), thus balancing out the empowerment of men and women. This balance proves that A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is not sexist.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is sexist because many of the jokes and puns in the movie are told at the expense of a woman. For example, Philia’s song “I am Lovely.” In her song she essentially sings about how she is unable to do anything (sew, cook, clean) but can only be lovely. This song reveals that Philia is completely incompetent but also adds that her aesthetics make up for her lack of domestic skills. The sexism in this song is particularly noted, because stereotypically women are only supposed to be of use in domestic households and Philia’s inability to do even that portrays her as a complete subservient character to all men.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is not sexist because even though many of the jokes in the movie are told at the expense of women and many feminine stereotypes are addressed, men are also teased in the comedy. There are heterosexual love affairs and the overly masculine Miles Gloriosus actually pokes fun at men. The jokes about women in the movie are so exaggerated, they can be perceived as actually making fun of sexism because the jokes are so blown out of proportion. In light of the equality of both genders in the film and the over exaggeration of sexism in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, it is clear that A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is not sexist.
Interesting take I didn't take into account that Gymnasia saving Pseudolus is not sexist. However I feel like the rest of the movie is. I would be curious to see if you had more examples of the balancing of men and women in the film.
DeleteI really liked how you pointed out the bit about Miles' character making fun of men as well. I agree with your conclusion
DeleteIsn't Hero just as dumb as Philia? Yes, he can remember her name, but otherwise? He certainly shows himself unable to learn from experience when he throws one dove after the other with a heavy writing tablet tied to their feet out of his window, even though they all end up on the bottom of the alley.
DeleteYour points were chosen well; these are good examples of where sexism is made fun of and where woman are shown as able to be equal to men. I actually have a question: in the last paragraph, were we supposed to state our actual opinion on whether or not the movie is sexist, or simply compare our two paragraphs?
ReplyDeleteI thought we were supposed to state it..uh oh :o
DeleteI had hoped you'd bring up one argument that reflects your opinion and one potential counter argument that you'd then try to prove wrong, so that you then can come to a more balanced conclusion.
Delete"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is particularly sexist in its display of women throughout. A conversation between Hero and Philia particularly displays this, as Philia inquires whether the number 500 is greater than the number 300. She goes on to confess that she cannot add, spell, sew, or cook, and that she was raised primarily to be lovely. This scene demonstrates Philia's lack of intelligence and, perhaps more significantly, her lack of concern for this troubling fault. In this movie, women are purely there for the entertainment and pleasure of men, and have been taught not to worry about this predicament. Women are merely present to be attractive and seductive.
ReplyDeleteHowever, there are some scenes where gender inequality isn't as prevalent. For example, when Philia mistakens Senex for the captain who has arrived to take her away, she declares, "Though you may have my body, you shall never have my heart." In a twisted way, Philia is actually attempting to defy the dominant men that are so common in her life as a prostitute. In this scene, while she is admitting that men objectify her, Philia is suggesting that she is, in fact, aware of these circumstances. While "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" definitely objectifies women, Philia actually seems to be a true feminist in this scene, standing up for her rights.
The comical film "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" may mock many aspects of the human personality and Roman culture, but, whether intentionally or unintentionally, certainly portrays men as the ones with power, while women merely take the supporting roles.
I definitely agree with the point that Philia's inability to do anything besides look pretty is sexist to a fault. I found it interesting how you used Philia again to exemplify a non sexist scene. This repetition was smart!
DeleteHmmm... I like the quote, "Though you may have my body, you shall never have my heart". Your take on it is very different and your evaluation lends well to your argument. I didn't interpret that quote as feminist until you pointed it out as such. Thanks.
DeleteInteresting, I thought at first the body/heart quote was just to set up Senex for his "Can't have everything" joke. I liked your interpretation of that quote
DeleteWhat I find interesting is that Philia is honest to a fault. Even though she's not going to see a penny from the transaction between Lycus and the Captain, she feels she must honor that contract. Only when she recognizes the Captain as the brute who destroyed her country (raped Thrace), does she develop enough moral outrage to refuse to go with him. Ironically, all that seems forgotten once he turns out to be her long-lost brother at the end.
Delete“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” characterizes many female characters in an overly sexual, and anti-intellectual way. For example in “A Funny Thing” they use the stereotyped stock character of the exotic African American dancer. All the other girls paraded before Pseudolus and Hero had regular costumes and dancing. The African American dancer however was dressed in a leopard print outfit and did a tribal dance. In addition they stereotyped her as exotic by having a llama in her room. “A Funny Thing” stereotypes and uses the exotic African American dancer stock character to show Pseudolus and Hero a different type of woman that they might be looking for. Not only is this scene degrading to women it is degrading to the stereotyped African American dancers.
ReplyDeleteSome might say that although “A Funny Thing” has particular scenes that are sexist the character Domina who is married to Senex relays the opposite message. Domina is able to boss her husband Senex around and is clearly the dominating force in the household. However Domina is portrayed as the other females in the movie when she asks Miles Gloriosus to join her alone upstairs. Domina also is portrayed as a temptress when Senex accidentally comes in the room instead. Although Domina has more power than the other women in the film it does not hide the clear sexism of “A Funny Thing”.
In conclusion “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” is a movie that has many examples of sexism. Many of these examples can be found in the stock characters of the prostitute and the typical Roman wife. The sexism is added to make the movie more entertaining but can come off as offensive to many.
Just a suggestion: when I showed my essay that we just wrote for this class to the guy at the writing center, he suggested that I take out any statements like "in conclusion", so I just wanted to let you know that you might wanna say something else in the first sentence of your last paragraph. I think your last sentence did a really good job of summing up your paragraphs and I agree with that statement : )
DeleteI thought you had really good points and I liked the detail you put into your description of the black dancer. However, you managed to do more justice to the idea of the "A Funny Thing.." being racist rather than sexist.
DeleteI agree with Alyssa, the argument about Vibrata, the African American dancer, points even more toward racism than sexism. I'd also argue that Tintinnabula, the Asian dancer, is stereotyped in similarly racist ways. In Vibrata's case, however, it may be even clearer (the llama is a case in point, and so is the clearly anachronistic Jazz music), that the film actually caricatures the usual racist stereotypes rather than endorse it. If that is true, the film would not actually be racist even though it makes use of common racist stereotypes.
DeleteIn response to your claim about the anti-intellectual portrayal of women, I would argue that all the characters are shown this way. Because if you think about it, there isn't really a "smart" character in the film that we see for more than a few seconds. In fact, I might even claim that the only fairly intelligent character in the film is Gymnasia, which is ironic because she can't speak. However, she is the one who saves Pseudolous from the Gladiator, after she willingly comes to his aid.
DeleteAlthough I will say that most of the women in the film are portrayed in a very sexual manner, it seemed to me that when Domina goes up to the bedroom towards the end it was meant to be more of a joke about the potion she drank (in the running gag of the wrong people drinking the wrong thing) and less about her submissiveness as a woman.
A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum is a sexist film because it shows the “ideal” woman to be one that is subservient to men. an example of this is the scene when the Lycus's prostitutes are presented to Pseudolus and Hero as possible wives: As Pseudolus rejects each woman that is brought out, Lycus brings out an even more “attractive” one to tempt him. Finally, Pseudolus tries to buy the his final and seemingly best offer, the silent woman who dances very provocatively (assuming this must be the one that Hero wants, because she is the best, but Hero stops him). Lycus implies that the best wife a man could have is a beautiful silent one, showing this woman last in hopes that he would not loose his most tempting woman to Pseudolus. The implication that the best wife a man could have would have no opinions or ability to talk and a beautiful body reveals that A Funny Thing Happened... is a sexist movie.
ReplyDeleteA Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum is not a sexist movie because it is a comedy that is making fun of sexism by exaggerating it until sexism appears a laughable idea, and therefore wrong or silly. When Pseudolus and Lycus and Senex sing “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid”, they blatantly expose the fact that men prefer women who are “quieter than a mouse”, “obedient and pliable” and do nothing but clean and “flatter” the master in the bedroom. However, the song is so silly that the audience can see how blatant and laughable it is, showing that the movie is not truly sexist, but simply pokes fun at sexism to reveal it as a faulty quality.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum has many sexist scenes and statements, but the role of women as subservient is so exaggerated that it can make sexism itself seem humorous. Women are shown as unintelligent, as with Philia, and objectified, as with the prostitutes. This is undoubtedly sexist. However, it could be argued that the movie is not actually sexist because it seems to throw it in the viewers face and openly make fun of sexism.
I probably didn't express clearly enough what I wanted, thus your question above and the form of your argument here. I had hoped more for something in the way of a mini-paper, just as Nicholas said in class. So for the others, please connect your arguments with some kind of transition, introducing the counter-argument with something like: "On the other hand, one could argue that ..." And even though Nick Mead told one of you that she shouldn't say "in conclusion", I personally don't know what's bad about this.
DeleteThat said, your overall thesis that the movie ridicules sexism rather than promote it sounds very persuasive. It could probably even be strengthened if we looked a little closer at the way men are portrayed in this movie. So far, most of the discussion has focused on women.
I really liked your originality and the uniqueness of your idea. You might be able to make an even stronger argument if you also mention that some of the men, such as Hero, are also portrayed as unintelligent and dimwitted. For example, Hero runs around like an idiot for a lengthy amount of time trying to get mare sweat and eventually he takes a horse into a sauna, Erronius believes that Pseudolus is a soothsayer and runs around the city seven times, and Lycus believes that smiling is a symptom of the plague.
DeleteYes, I think that "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is sexist. All of the characters who are women are either slave/prostitutes or demanding housewives. In one scene Suitilus describes Gymnasia as the perfect woman because she cannot speak. Likewise, Philia cannot count or read. Domina, however, is universally disliked in the movie because she talks too much and is dominating.
ReplyDeleteNo, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is not sexist. Yes, most women in this movie are prostitutes,but the movie is like this on purpose to parody typical roles of women in "toga" films. One would also notice that the men in this movie are not portrayed so well either. Most of the men in this movie are shown as weak, lecherous, or both. Again, the reason for this portrayal is just simply to be funny.
Here we go: you bring up the fact that the men don't look too good either!
DeleteI like the arguments that you use for the argument and counter-argument, but I do not know what your personal stance is on this subject. You provide great evidence for both, but what do you think?
DeleteWhile it may seem that this movie is very sexist, I believe that this movie was just simply made to parody the "toga" genre and to make people laugh. This can be seen in the over exaggerated sexuality of marcus' women. It is not the move that is sexist, it is the movies that are being parodied by "Funny Thing"
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your argument here! I was thinking the same thing. I think that "A Funny Thing..." is undeniably sexist, but its intentions are actually to parody the other films of this genre and merely to be humorous. The overt sexuality is hopefully a joke and not to be taken seriously.
DeleteI really liked your closing (third) paragraph about how Funny Thing isnt sexist but the movies it mocks are. I felt that was insightful and it was easy to forget that Funny Thing is more than just a mere comedy, but actually a parody of many movies
DeleteI like this idea as well: the truly sexist movies are the others we've watched, since they use the same gender stereotypes, except they fail to make fun of them. Very nice!
DeleteNo, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is not a sexist movie. It is a parody of all Roman film cliches and uses exaggeration to make points and jokes. A recurring theme in old Roman "toga" films is the subjugation of women and so "A Funny Thing" naturally had to parody that. Sequences of sexism are done in the same ostentatious, overly-dramatic fashion as every other element in the film. For example, when Pseudolus and Hero go "browsing" at Lycus's house: the scene is incredibly sexist, but also very comical because the film is poking fun at how women have been depicted/treated in past films.
ReplyDeleteYes, "A Funny Thing Happened" is a sexist film because it persistently displays women as unintelligent and subservient to men. One exception to this is Domina, who is portrayed as an ugly and horribly demanding housewife that nobody likes. Prominent examples of sexism in the film are when Philia confesses to Hero that she is uneducated and her only good quality is that she is lovely and when Pseudolus professes that Gymnasia is the perfect woman because she is beautiful and mute.
While "A Funny Thing Happened" does use overt sexuality and subjugation of women, it is not meant to be offensive. All instances of sexism are melodramatic and exaggerated for the sake of comedy. The film is a parody and its only intentions are to make audience members laugh.
I really like how you qualify the sexism apparent in "A Funny Thing" and I think you use great evidence. In regards to Domina, I wonder if she is the only exception because she essentially takes on the role of the man and is essentially portrayed as a male character. She does kind of look like a dude after all.
DeleteI really like this argument! It is so obvious that this film is a parody, and yet we have decide if it is sexist or not. The one thing I do have to say is that (and I am not sure if we are supposed to do this) you should prove your point in your counter-argument by stating how that counter-argument is wrong.
DeleteI would very much agree here, everywhere that sexism (or racism, in some cases) is displayed it is very exaggerated and blatant. Because of how much it stands out, it makes me think that the movie is simply doing its job as a parody film by drawing attention to the stereotypes used in films about Ancient Rome, whether they are directed at men or women. So even though we see "breeder" slaves, annoying housewives, and overly objectified women like Philia, we also see the pig-headed and easily-fooled Captain, the plotting but illiterate slave, and the clumsy, naive youth.
DeleteNo one has brought up the "breeder woman" yet. How does she fit in?
ReplyDeleteThe film "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is a sexist movie because of its dehumanization of women, showing them as nothing more than objects used for the pleasure of men. In the scene in the house of Lycus, the women are paraded around for Pseudolus to observe and essentially appraise. Pseudolus eventually dismisses each woman one by one, giving a different excuse for why each one will not suit his needs. This is not so much sexist as Lycus's reaction, as he instantly accepts Pseudolus's statement and moves on to his next piece of "merchandise".
ReplyDeleteAlthough these women are objectified in this way, Domina counteracts this dehumanization by taking on the masculine role in her relationship with her husband. Domina acts as the male should in their marriage and completely dominates him, reversing the roles and designating him as the female. However, he only embodies this role when in Domina's presence such as when he is brought to her room in order to satisfy the lust she feels after drinking a passion potion.
"A Funny Thing" is a sexist film because it objectifies women and defines their role in relation to a man's, making it impossible for them to be independent of a man's influence. This is seen through almost every male-female interaction and it displays women as completely dependent and unable to attain a role in society other than one of service.
Well, Lycus is just trying to turn a profit. He is truly running a "business" and therefore he doesn't care what anyone thinks of his women, he just wants to sell them to whoever has the money.
DeleteBy Lycus just trying to turn a profit is sexist though. Selling women only for the purpose of mens pleasure is sexist because it is saying that is all women are meant for. Although Pseudolus was only rejecting the women because it was not Philia.
DeleteYes, the movie "A Funny Thing..." does indeed display sexism against women. The females in the film are either sex slaves sold by Lycus, clueless and innocent like Philia, a slave baby factory like the one lady, or controlling and irritating like Domina. The film also features musical numbers like "Everybody Ought To Have a Maid", which makes women out to be objects, existing only for the pleasure of men. Throughout the whole movie, women are used as interchangeable people while the men drag them around and make all the plans.
ReplyDeleteNo, the film "A Funny Thing..." does not display a bias against women. Even though the women are made out to be clueless, baby-makers, annoying, or objects, the men are clumsy, pig-headed,and idiotic. For example, even though Pseudolous goes around plotting and trying to trick people, he is unable to read, and his plans always end up making things worse. Later in the movie, he is even saved from his stupidity several times by a woman, Gymnasia. And even though Philia is portrayed as naive and "lovely", her love (the son) is always falling down the stairs and generally messing-up. Though "A Funny Thing..." portrays women in a very stereotypical light, men are given the exact same treatment.
Overall, "A Funny Thing..." is not meant to be sexist or offensive. When it is, it is merely poking fun at the stereotypes used in the movies it is spoofing, which always used certain gender stereotypes. There would be a stronger argument for a clear bias against women if the men weren't also portrayed in the unflattering way that they are. The film is meant to be a comedy, and more specifically a parody. The over-exaggerated and mildly offensive parts just go to show that it does its job well.
Oops, switch the first two paragraphs...
DeleteBut.... everybody really ought to have a maid....
DeleteAnyways, good idea bringing up how Gymnasia saves Pseudolous many times from extreme danger. I agree with how they use stereotypes of both genders in order to poke fun at everyone rather than just women even though those jokes are the easiest to pick up on.
In "A Funny Thing Happened", sexism is shown throughout the movie, but in a very comedic way. This movie is a parody, first of all, and it aims to make fun of all of the movies about ancient Rome. Both men and women are made fun of in this movie. Hero is seen throughout the movie being reckless, overdramatic, and stupid. He threatens to kill himself on several occasions because he cannot be with Philia and is shown with so naivity throughout the film it is very difficult to classify him as a role model. And the same applies for every other character. Pseudolus is a liar, Senex is a pervert, and Marcus Lycus owns a whore house. It is a comedy that pokes fun at men, women, and the way that they were both portrayed in the Roman classics.
ReplyDeleteEven though both men and women are represented as being equally stupid, the song "Everyone Ought to Have a Maid" is filled with sexist lyrics. The lyrics mention how men should have a woman to do the basic things around the household and do things around the house such as knitting and sewing. This show is one of the strongest moments of sexism, but in a way the song and dance makes fun of itself. The fact that Marcus Lycus asks what is happening and suddenly joins in on song and dance is so ridiculous that it is hard to take it seriously.
This movie is a comedy, and the sexist parts of this movie should be taken with a grain of salt. It is not only women that are being made fun of, but also the men.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that "A Funny Thing Happened" is sexist although not intended to be outright rude towards women. It is sexist due to how it portrays women throughout the movie as either being evil or completely unintelligent. The courtesans can't spell and Domina controls her husband's every move. The movie makes it seem that it is okay for the men to mistreat their wives so that they may spend some time with the courtesans in Marcus Lycus' house.
ReplyDeleteThe perceived sexism is ultimately a result of almost every key role being played by men (even the men play women at times) and is utterly unintentional. Men are just poking fun at the women in their lives who they ultimately love. In no way is this film intended to degrade women and most of the time men act just as dumb as the courtesans when they fall in love. Men throughout the movie make mistakes and do absolutely absurd things in order to get what or where they want like like falling into a pond while trying to sneak into a house.
All in all, "A Funny Thing" is only sexist by it's own fault. It is a movie starring mostly men and features some key jokes that are pointed directly at women. Women are shown in a very negatively stereotypical light but that is only so that it is acceptable for the men in the audience to laugh at them as well as the men in the film. Viewers know how women really act, so portraying them so incorrectly gives male viewers the ability to laugh at misfortune that befalls the women when usually the viewers would sympathize with women who struggle through hard times.
"A Funny Thing", is percieved as a sexist movie because as the movie is mocking different sterotypes diplayed in different movies about Romans and Greeks, it is portraying woman as unintelligent, "lovely" creatures that do not do anything important. Pseudolus confesses that Panasia is the "perfect woman" because she is silent and beautiful. "A Funny Thing" has many sexist points throughout the film where women are presented as attractive sex machines.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the movie "A Funny Thing", has many sexist scenes degrading the women in it, there are also many scenes where the men are mocked and many scenes where the women have power. Hero is a prime example of men being mocked through the movie. He is portrayed as a melodramatic teenager that is "in love". He tries to kill himself many times throughout the movie because he cannot have Philia. Dominia is the perfect example of a wife that has authority. She has the prominent ruling over her husband, and he continues to act like he is scared of her throughout the movie which is not normal. Philia also diplays authority in the play by saying that she will not go with the captain. Being a courtesan she doesn't have any say in the matter but at that point she does. The movie does have sexist moments, but I believe that they are not intentional and only meant to mock Romans and Greeks.
Overall, I believe that "A Funny Thing", is merely mocking different sterotypes and sometimes it comes off as sexist but because there is an equal amount of jokes dierected towards men it is acceptable.