See her, a hero : Close study of representation of three female characters in Marvel Cinematic Universe

Abstract

Superhero films are often perceived as something that boys and men consume and are a target audience for marketing, even though girls and women are a visible part of the same audience that watches them. There are many male heroes who have their own film trilogies, solo films and cliques in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but women have not been seen as their equals since the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

This thesis examines the representation and potential character development of three different female characters throughout the twenty-two-film period known as the Infinity Saga. They are examined using the method of Female Representation Analysis, which I have developed in this thesis to study female representation, and the method is applied along with close reading. These characters are then analysed and the results are summarised in the conclusion chapter. For those who have not seen some or perhaps all of the films used as source material in this thesis, I have written a synopsis of each film to clarify the events that influence the portrayal of these three women.