Legally Blonde: A Feminist Critique

The film Legally Blonde, starring Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, is on of the best examples of the idea of feminism in the modern world. Starting as a soroity sister whith hopes of becoming engaged, Elle Woods is the "perfect" girl. She has everything she needs to be happy in life, but when her boyfriend dumps her on the night she thinks he's going to propose, Elle vows to do whatever it takes to get him back. His excuse for breaking up with her is that he can't be taken seriously in the law school world with her by his side, so, sticking to her vow, Elle applies for law school, and, to everyone's surprise, gets into Harvard. As time goes on, Elle matures and buckles down on her work, eventually forgetting about her ex, and focuses on becoming something she can really be proud of: a lawyer.

The beginning of the film gives into the idea that women need men to complete them and that men have women completely under their spell and can manipulate them any way they want. When she is dumped, Elle wants nothing more than to get back the man who broke her heart because she feels incomplete without him. Her determination to get him back leads her to Harvard Law where she spends her time trying to juggle her classes and impressing her ex. The film shows women as completely dependent on men and men completely independent from women, giving the idea that men can discard one woman for another and be just fine, while the woman who was discarded will wollow in depression for weeks.

As the film goes on, Elle begins to focus more on her school and less on her ex, though he is almost always in the back of her mind, since he's started dating her "worst enemy". Even more determined to win him back from her, she studies harder and becomes more serious about her work so she can become a successful lawyer and he will want her back. With this, the film gives the idea that women use their manipulating skills to make men want them or make men notice them. It also makes women seem completely desperate when they are threatened by other women.

Towards the end of the film, Elle becomes completely independent from her idea that she needs to get her ex back after meeting Emmett, another law student who she begins to fall for. By this time, Elle has become a new person from the sorority queen she started out as and turned herself into a successful lawyer who even won a case for her university firm. The end of the film sends the message that women can be successful without a man and can be free to achieve whatever they want, even in the least likely circumstances.

Comments

[jack badger]

I would say that this, along with Mean Girls that Seth blogged about, is feminist by the end of the movie. Like you said, at the beginning it shows the stereotypes that women are dependent on men and when the boyfriend dumps her, she doesn't know what to do other than get revenge. But after she figures out that she doesn't need a man, she becomes a lawyer and can therefore provide for herself, which defies the common stereotypes of women needing men.

[Lephate C.]

I think the rise to the top that Elle goes through is a huge example on how society views are evolving. From her life with Emmett to her graduation from Harvard Law, Elle proves that women are no longer under control of their ex-boyfriends or other life obstacles.

[Lauren]

I definitely agree! This is probably one of the most feminist films I've ever seen. It also gets rid of the stereotype that only ugly/anti-social women can be smart.

[nicole h.]

I have to agree with you. this movie really highlights what women are capable of.