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thesis
Created by accredited director Joss Whedon, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog truly is a work of art. It is a humorous comedy-tragedy following the life of an everyday wannabe super-villain--at least on the surface. Dr. Horrible is a commentary on some of our more ridiculous and harmful societal norms, as well as a jab at traditional superhero narratives. Through a predominantly Marxist perspective, as well as feminist, post-structuralist, and deconstructionist, and I will analyze and bring to light the social commentary hidden within the story of Dr. Horrible.
Marxism is a method of literary criticism that "predicts the inevitable demise of capitalism" (Lynn 150). I will primarily use this method in discussion of the external world of Dr. Horrible--namely its creators, actors, and production. Whedon and his crew move outside of the usual methods of film production, thus circumventing the capitalist influence on the work, to create a piece of art that has become more successful than many films backed by big-name studios.
Feminist critique is used to illuminate "the critical ramifications of sexual oppression," whether it be of men or women (Lynn 221). In this case, I will be discussing the male side of gender roles and expectations--and their negative influences--using Dr. Horrible and Captain Hammer as my examinees.
Finally, post-structuralism and deconstruction will make up the final portion of my analysis. These two critical methods go hand-in-hand, post-structuralism creating the foundation of a deconstructionist critique. To perform this type of critique, I will look at the elements that make up Dr. Horrible and then talk about what has been left out.
Across each of these different methods, I will provide evidence that the characters and story of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog are metaphors for the struggle we face in the modern world to balance our jobs, our love lives, and making sure we don't lose who we are in the chaos of everyday life.
Marxism is a method of literary criticism that "predicts the inevitable demise of capitalism" (Lynn 150). I will primarily use this method in discussion of the external world of Dr. Horrible--namely its creators, actors, and production. Whedon and his crew move outside of the usual methods of film production, thus circumventing the capitalist influence on the work, to create a piece of art that has become more successful than many films backed by big-name studios.
Feminist critique is used to illuminate "the critical ramifications of sexual oppression," whether it be of men or women (Lynn 221). In this case, I will be discussing the male side of gender roles and expectations--and their negative influences--using Dr. Horrible and Captain Hammer as my examinees.
Finally, post-structuralism and deconstruction will make up the final portion of my analysis. These two critical methods go hand-in-hand, post-structuralism creating the foundation of a deconstructionist critique. To perform this type of critique, I will look at the elements that make up Dr. Horrible and then talk about what has been left out.
Across each of these different methods, I will provide evidence that the characters and story of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog are metaphors for the struggle we face in the modern world to balance our jobs, our love lives, and making sure we don't lose who we are in the chaos of everyday life.