The Mapping Of Masculinities In Ian Mcewan’s Short Stories

Ian McEwan (1948-) is one of the most important British writers after WorldWar II. His literary debut, two collections of short stories entitled First Love, LastRites and In Between the Sheets have received controversial criticism sincepublication. The author‘s description of various male characters‘quagmire in theirstruggle to defend their manhood in respective circumstances has not received dueattention and this thesis intends to offer an alternative perspective of McEwan‘sconcern with changes and crisis in masculinity set in motion by a multifacetedbackground, such as the devastating effects of the Second World War, the stasis of thewelfare society afterwards, lack of incentive, as well as the feminist movement.The thesis borrows the categorization of masculinities by R. W. Connell toanalyze the male as well as female characters in the chosen six short stories. There arefour types of masculinities, according to Connell, which can be seen in the charactersof his stories. The hegemonic masculinity, which stands as a pivotal measure ofmanhood, is beset with challenges and rebellions from female characters who areendowed with feminist dictum of―gender as performance‖. McEwan expresses in thestories his deep aversion towards hegemonic and complicit masculinities, which notonly undermine and abuse women, but also persecute other men of subordinate andmarginalized masculinities.Nevertheless, McEwan‘s treatment of female characters was arguablycontroversial as he failed to avert the angel-or-monster stereotype. These rebelliousfemale characters reflected the changing dynamics in gender politics in the1970s butsuch demonizing characterization also marred McEwan‘s feminist orientation to acertain extent. Back then, he was at best holding a conservative and ambivalentattitude towards the feminist movement.