War And Implinity: The Connection Between Violence And Masculinity

In today’s society, men are constantly reminded of what it is to be a man. Men and women are divided by the characteristics they might possess of masculinity and femininity. To be distinguished as a man with feminine qualities would be considered an insult. In order to avoid such an insult, men oftentimes go to far lengths to achieve society’s idealized form of masculinity. Masculinity and its characteristics have changed throughout our continuously developing society. One dominant feature that continues to serve a purpose in defining masculinity is violence. To further examine the connection between violence and masculinity, this essay will first examine Leo Braudy’s introduction to his book and will clarify his perception of the word masculinity. Next it will closely examine the media’s depiction of masculinity. Thirdly, it will discuss an article by Andrea Poloian and will relate her description of sports to the meaning of masculinity. Finally, this essay will focus on the novel, Fight Club, in an effort to analyze its real world cultural implications and relate them back to the relevant connection between violence and masculinity.

In Leo Braudy’s introduction to a book on masculinity called, From Chivalry to Terrorism, Braudy discusses the relationship between war and masculinity through its long intertwined history. He argues that “traditional” notions of masculinity in modern culture, in some way or another, emphasize war values and the violence of it. Although