- Kimmy Huynh
How are the heroes in Marvel's "Daredevil" Netflix series portrayed as powerful?
Introduction
The portrayal of vitality in fictional multimedia often displays connotations and assumptions manufactured in real life. By using the theoretical platform of semiology to analyse how Marvel's Daredevil constructs the idea of power, an understanding into what elements followers see as ability and how press creators materialise vitality in their work can be taken to light. Ideologically, the thought of electricity has been at the very core of capitalist societies like the one we reside in, it could therefore be insightful to pursue academic research in the area through deconstructing its representation.
Marvel's Daredevil series can be an origin story created for the on-demand program of Netflix. As a piece of media that exists within the modern superhero genre, electricity is an integral theme. From a mass media studies perspective, Daredevil is a noteworthy word for evaluation. Much like other Netflix series, its release on the digital system saw the complete season of Daredevil released simultaneously. This creates a pressure free form of storytelling for the press designers as it permits characters and other components of the Daredevil world to build up naturally as time passes without taking into consideration whether an audience member has viewed the show sequentially every week. It could therefore be insightful to analyse how power is developed and symbolized in this new composition of storytelling.
Methodology (strengths and weaknesses)
In order to analyse the representation of ability in the Daredevil show, a semeiotic analysis will be used to answer fully the question. A semiotic research of elements within the shows will be used in order to deconstruct how power is represented. A semiotic analysis is a form of media research originally coined by the theorists Charles Sanders Pierce and Ferdinand De Saussure in the early twentieth century. Extensively meaning the study of signs, Pierce stated that a sign is "something which stands to a person for something in a few esteem or capacity" (Pierce 1955: 99) while Saussure describes semiology as "a technology that studies the life of signals. " (Saussure 1959: 16)
Media text messages, such as television shows, have emerged as constructs of so this means. Theorist Stuart Hall (1997) shows that meanings are encoded within the press by its creators and then decoded by people who actively respond to it predicated on personal experiences, lifestyles and interpersonal norms at the time of viewing. Fiske describes denotation to be what is photographed and connotation as the way the photo has been used (Fiske, 1990). By deconstructing the representation of vitality in Daredevil through semiotic research, the underlying symbols used by marketing authors to create electric power can be brought to light.
To analyse semiotics is to analyse the symbolic meaning of indicators in a advertising word. De Saussure suggested that signs contain two inseparable aspects: the signifier and signified. The signifier often is accessible in the materials world in the form of letters, items and images which is interpreted through our senses of touch, eyesight, sound etc. The signified is the mental strategy or meaning attached to the signifier. Essentially, the formula for signs is as follows:
The Signifier + Signified = Sign
The reason for a semiotic analysis, then, is to comprehend how meanings are shaped by looking at how texts are constructed utilizing the above formula. In using this methodology, it might be beneficial for a researcher to comprehend the strengths and constraints of semiology. Theorists such as Robert Hodge and Gunther Kress advocate the notion that "semiotics offers. . . a systematic, thorough and coherent study of communications phenomena all together" (Hodge & Kress, 1988:1). Furthermore, Semiotics provides scholarly research with conceptual construction and a set of tools and terms to analyse many types of communication.
On the other hand, semiology is often critiqued to be almost imperialistic, since some theorists view it as being appropriate to everything, infringing on nearly every theoretical and ideological willpower. Due to the breadth in which semiology is applied, it is stated to be difficult to offer a critique on a theoretical framework that changes a great deal depending on its application. That is emphasised by John Sturrock in Structuralism (1986) where he illustrates this infringement as a "dramatic expansion. . . " that would "include the full of culture. . . " (Sturrock, 1986:89).
Literature Review
Literature encompassing semiotic analysis often suggests that there aren't many who are 'semioticians', however it is rational to simply accept that everyone utilises semiotic methodology to some extent in their everyday lives. In an article written by Arthur Asa Berger, it's advocated in the section titled 'People Enjoying and Facial Appearance' that curiosity is a traveling drive for why people could make a semiotic analysis, stating that "we often watch people [and] scrutinise them" (Berger, 2013:23), he continues to state that semiotic analysis is exercised when a person wonders where someone is certainly going or what they are doing, ". . . physiology, body language, clothing, brands. . . " (Berger, 2014:23) are a few of the elements that are scrutinised in order to make an informed figure in responding to those questions.
While both key thinkers, De Saussure and Ferdinand, didn't originally develop semiotics and semiology respectively for analysing multimedia, it has since been a pioneering make in analysing modern media texts. In The Consumer's Stake in Radio and Television, theorist Dallas Smythe advised that television texts should be analysed as a "group of icons" that "serve as a medium of exchange between the media and the audience" (Smythe, 1954:143), the ideas of semiotics and semiology coincide with Smythe's statement.
Smythe's statement can be applied to genre studies in the sense that genre is essentially several symbols that create a medium where recurring codes and conventions allow a press words to be "classified and organised" (Casey, 2002:135). Outlined under the superhero, action and adventure genres on Netflix, Daredevil will inevitably stick to those specific genre conventions, it can therefore be said that signifiers that connect to the signified ideas of superheroes, such as having remarkable power, a moral code and a top secret identity will be utilized in the show.
In terms of the ideological position on electricity, Marxist literature targets the debate that mass media, such as television, is significantly inspired by the needs of the upper school in capitalist society. Marxist theory about the bottom part and superstructure reinforces the thought of upper course dominance through media (Marx & Engels, 1947). However a more culture orientated Marxist approach to media is based on Gramsci's theory of hegemony.
In Gramsci's Jail Notebooks (1995), Gramsci declined ideas of crude materialism and instead offered a more humanist form of Marxism that focused on individuals subjectivity and the energy of press. He used the word hegemony to spell it out the predominance of 1 social class over the other (Gramsci, 1995). The media therefore prescribes, through indications, the dominant norms, ideals and tastes, political practices and communal relations. (Sassoon, 1982)
Analysis
As discussed earlier, signifiers often take form in the materialistic world of development. These catalysts for so this means can range between anything in the mise-en-scene, such as performance, light and outfit, to the cinematographers choice of angles and camera injections. These verbal and visible elements then become the signified where audiences pull links between an object and a concept. The two major individuals in Daredevil, the antagonist and protagonist, will be analysed to understand how the notion of power has been encoded within them.
The characters, Fisk and Murdock, is seen as mirrors of 1 another. In literary conditions they might be labelled as foils, the word is used to spell it out two characters which may have comparative characteristics but are contrasted by their actions. Both characters consider they are keeping the positioning of Hell's Kitchen and exercise their power to do so. Electricity is therefore denoted in their actions, be it violently interrogating criminals to learn where hostages are being stored or violently making an example of someone in order to keep the legal underworld in line, both individuals use their violent power to achieve their aims. That is emphasised in Fisk's dialogue where he says "I wish to save this city, as if you. But only on a scale that counts". This functions as a verbal signifier and signifies his exercise of electricity, even if innocent lives are lost in the process.
In Occurrence three, entitled Rabbit in a Snow Storm, the audience are launched to a painting of the same name which symbolically represents more than simply a simple painting. On one hand it denotes the way the characters get swept up and lost in the wider scope in the same way the rabbit is found in the snowstorm. On the other hand, Fisk's obsession with this artwork soon brings about one of the major styles of the entire show: The type of man or woman would you like to become? Fisk's ability over monetary wealth and the criminal underworld is at the core of the concern and the painting serves as a signifier because of this idea.
Moreover, this notion of vitality and the duty that comes with great power does apply to the type of Murdock. Fisk is repeatedly shown to have struggled with what kind of man he would like to become which sometimes appears when he stares at the painting again and again, which indicates his increasing electric power as different occasions take place. Conversely, Murdock also challenges with who he is and what he might become as a result of his ability. Murdock locates himself in the confession booth seeking guidance from Daddy Lantom. Through this faith, an iconic signifier which emphasises ability is revealed. The juxtaposition between the iconic symbols of the cathedral and Daredevil connotes the energy of both good and evil existing within Murdoch. Beliefs plays a central part in the original Daredevil comic e book story and it is what drives him to constantly question his own morality.
The show has been broadly praised because of its violent and gritty struggle moments, however as a press construct, Murdoch's preventing prowess in these views act as clear signifiers for him being a powerful persona as he's often pitted against insurmountable possibilities. Another icon of power is seen through Murdoch's questioning of his morality, this is seen in instance three where he confronts Fisk's employed killer. While his own life is at risk, he still challenges with the idea of murder. This also reflects the superhero genre conventions of morality and its own idea of getting rid of one villain to save lots of the many innocent.
In the final scenes of episode thirteen, Daredevil obtains his most symbolic costume from the comic books. Similar to the devil, his clothes symbolises his id as the Daredevil. Murdoch eventually adopts this individuality as his alias as it gets the power to instil fear. As an iconic indication, the media makers of Daredevil construct this verbal signifier in the dialogue where criminals often call Murdoch "the devil" in dread. Dread is therefore an indicator found in representing the character of Murdoch as powerful.
On the other side, Murdoch's foil, Fisk is not really a character revealed until the third episode. Along with other characters often declare that "we don't say his name. " Furthermore, personas who wrap up uncovering his name state that "he'll find me. . . and everyone I've ever cared about. . . and make an example". An element of the mise-en-scene, the performance and dialogue of other personas, are therefore used as verbal signs to imply how powerful the character of Fisk is. This aspect of fear derives from just declaring the character's name and again, parallels Murdoch's use of dread.
Connotations that represent power have emerged in the type of Wilson Fisk through his clothes. Episode eight, titled Shadows in the Goblet, illustrates this well by beginning with a montage of Wilson Fisk's typical day routine. Several visual signifiers take shape in this opening series to connote electric power. His choice of clothing works as a symbolic sign, reflecting what society has regarded a stereotypical wealthy man to look like. His suits, mainly black, therefore symbolise economic wealth and vitality respectively as the colour of dark is broadly associated with power and strength. Power is also encoded through the use of non diegetic sound. Traditional music is put by the marketing creators in order to reinforce this notion of Fisk being truly a powerful person in the upper category in which the 'finer things in life' such as traditional music and Fisk's skills in the culinary arts as he makes breakfast time is underlined.
Politics and advertising, and more specifically electricity and advertising has always had an ambiguous romance. Gross (1991) suggested that the powerful could "affect" their own portrayals as well as others. The show can take this notion and illustrates it within tv show six, titled Condemned, in a landscape where the antagonist coerces the multimedia, authorities and other general population companies into making the Murdoch the scapegoat for bombings that take place in Hell's Kitchen, hence the event name being Condemned. The representation of electricity is outlined here as the mass media is affected by the antagonist. Fisk's control over the multimedia is therefore another symbolic signal of him being truly a powerful personality.
A aesthetic signifier for electricity used effectively throughout the growing season is body language; the setting of Fisk often underlines him as a powerful character. The actor casted in the role, Vincent D'Onofrio, stands at 6ft4 and weighs about 130kg. While a guy of the build already visually connoted to be powerful, the cinematography in Daredevil emphasises this by using low sides. By viewing the type from a minimal angle, Fisk is positioned above the audience and looks down on them, equally Fisk is framed in such a way that triggers the audience to look up at the character, connoting a sense of electricity as he towers over the viewer.
Conclusion
In closing, the producers of the Daredevil Netflix series evidently make use of signifiers that create the idea of power to be able to truly illustrate how powerful a personality is. A semiotic examination of the two people, Murdoch and Fisk, allow for a knowledge of what elements have been used in order to create the impression of electric power a hero or villain. Most notable is the performative aspect of the mise-en-scene. As it's advocated by Berger in his analysis of applied semiotics in Semiotics and Population (2013), "physiology, body language" and facial expressions works as strong signifiers in Daredevil.
The performance of the actors who play Wilson Fisk and Matthew Murdoch therefore play a significant role in creating verbal and visual signifiers for the notion of ability. Furthermore, this is empowered by the type foils where their parallels work to empower their different powers, whether it is supernatural as Murdoch or economical and coercive as Fisk.
Media texts such as tv set and film are essentially indicators containing other signs or symptoms, and while some signifiers may not be obvious, a semiotic research is designed to make these implicit signs, explicit. The work of your semiotic examination was insightful in regards to how ideas are made. The representation of electric power corresponds with Marxist ideology where the powerful, such as Fisk, control the superstructure (Marx & Engels, 1947) in the show. As mentioned at the start of the study report, the thought of power often demonstrates assumptions manufactured in the real world. It is therefore informative to observe how verbal and visible signs in activities, performances and costume present the thought of power to the audience.
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