The Gentlewoman: Language and Representation blog tasks

 Close-textual analysis

Work through the following tasks to complete your close-textual analysis of the Gentlewoman CSP pages:

Gentlewoman front cover 

1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?

The typefaces such as the masthead which spells out "the gentlewoman" which is all spelt in lower case sans-serif typography reflects the modern look and reflects the values and attitudes of their magazine which can suggest to an audience that they are different to other magazine covers and don't want to follow how traditional magazines are shown. 

2) How does the cover subvert conventional magazine cover design?

One way how the gentlewoman cover magazine design is different to other stereotypical magazine covers is that this magazine does not have any cover lines which is a unconventional cover design to have on a magazine as they are normally filled with lots of short text information about what you'll be able to read inside the magazine. This shows that the gentlewoman magazine likes to be mysterious and not give much away to its audience. 

3) Write an analysis of the central image.

The use of the unconventional tightly framed low angle close up shot of Scarlett Johansson who was the highest paid actress in 2018-19 shows her wearing striking and vibrant coloured makeup with no costume or fashion being shown in the shot. This can create meaning back to the title of the magazine cover "the gentlewoman" that this magazine may be about the representations of females and how they can be independent too and do not need help from any "gentleman". 

4) What representations of gender and celebrity can be found on this front cover?

On this front cover the only gender and celebrity that is being shown on the front cover is Scarlett Johansson who is a female. The use of Scarlett Johansson wearing heavy makeup on her face can connote stereotypes of females needing to look pretty in a picture so it can look pleasing to the males. However, Scareltt Johansson was the most highest paid actress in 2018-19 which can subvert stereotypes and create meanings that females can still work just as hard and get where they want in life and using a famous person such as S.J can help reinforce these ideas and that females can get where they want in life. 

5) What gender and representation theories can we apply to this cover of the Gentlewoman? 

Gender and representations theories we can apply here for this cover is Laura Mulvey's 'male gaze' theory which is when women are presented for men to look at which creates the idea of 'sex sells' and women being presented as sex objects which is why it's labelled as the 'male gaze'. We can apply this theory here as Scarlett Johansson is just showing her face and not her body which helps subverts the idea of anything being sexualised even thought she is wearing a lot of makeup and reinforcing the idea of women needing to look pretty she is also subverting the idea of females needing to show off their body and help influence the male gaze. 

Feature: Modern Punches

1) How does the feature on Ramla Ali use narrative to engage the audience? Apply narrative theories here.

This feature on Ramla Ali uses narrative to help engage their audiences as she shares her story of what boxing is like and how her recent boxing match was as well as an anecdote of how growing up with boxing was.  Narrative theorists we can use are Butler's theory of how gender is socially constructed and how this part of the magazine rejects this as in the Q+A Ramla Ali uses her emotions to her advantage.  

2) What representations can you find in this feature - both interview and image?

Representations that I can find is this feature is of female empowerment as in the image we can see Ramla Ali standing on top of a stool with her fists clenched in the air as if she's posing and showing to her audience and being a role model to help inspire younger girls to be just like her.

3) What representation theories can we apply to the Modern Punches feature? 

We can apply Butlers theory of gender being socially constructed and Van Zoonen views of women being presented to reinforce western beauty ideals (e.g young, slim. white) which are being rejected as we see Ramla Ali standing tall and powerful who is mixed and not white and who is also a boxer which again rejects Van Zoonen's ideas of women restricted to having secondary roles. 

Feature: Isabella Tree interview

1) Why is this feature unconventional for a women's lifestyle and fashion magazine? Comment on the use media language in these pages. 

This feature is unconventional for a women's lifestyle and fashion magazine as it doesn't focus on makeup or the new fashion styles or trends that are out but in fact focuses on the beauty of nature itself and not the individual.  

2) How does the Isabella Tree feature reflect the social and cultural contexts of contemporary Britain? Think about AQA's discussion of lifestyle, environmental issues and ethical movements.

The Isabella Tree feature reflects the social and cultural contexts of contemporary Britain as it focuses on nature and highlighting the key problems that we are facing currently which is destroying wildlife and nature. This is because of Isabella Tree showing an image of buds of roses and how they haven't blossomed fully yet which can emphasis on the environment and how if we want to carry on seeing the beautiful colours of nature how we must act now and create a change.  

3) What representations of nature can be found in this feature?

Representations of nature that we can see are the beauty of the rose buds that Isabella Tree shows us and how the significance and importance is of nature and how she talks about their being a project called the rewilding project and how she wants to save the beauty of nature . In addition to this showing the wildlife that lives within nature such as the image of pigs being shown which again reinforce the rewilding campaign and showing the important issues if we lost our nature. 

Feature: Stella McCartney and vegan fashion

1) How does this feature reflect contemporary social and cultural contexts?

This feature reflects contemporary social and cultural contexts as Stella McCartney are supporting the social change in fashion and the ethical movement of using fake leather and vegan handbags

2) Comment on the typography and page design in this feature.

There is a san-serif opening of this feature and that the page design is unconventional for a women's lifestyle magazine. The gentlewoman is aiming for more of an authentic feel. 

3) What representations can be found in the image accompanying this feature? 

Subverts upper class representation as background is unconventional minimalistic and industrial. Authenticity is prioritised.  

Representations

Read this Business of Fashion interview with The Gentlewoman editor Penny Martin. If you don't want to sign up to the website (free) then you can access the text of the article on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login). Answer the following questions: 

1) What type of magazine did Penny Martin, Gert Jonkers and Jop van Bennekom want to create? 

"When we started, many magazines had the visual right, or had the text right, but very few managed to reconcile the two. I think that’s very difficult — to produce long-form journalism and a personality-centred magazine that has equally eloquent imagery and graphic design.”

At Martin's first meeting to discuss the creation of The Gentlewoman with Jonkers, Van Bennekom and art director Veronica Ditting, the team had just three sheets of visual references. "It just kind of took all four of us to look at them — a cover from Town and a spread from Bauhaus and a strange curio. We didn't need

to say anything more."

2) What representations of modern women did they try to construct for the magazine?

"I'm interested in what [The Gentlewoman] tells you about how modern women live, from the way they drink, dance, drive and speak to the way they sign their letters or conduct their divorces. We make sure that the magazine is not just a pornography of product that is supposedly interesting to women. It's about putting those women at the centre of the material world around them. That balance is important to us."

3) What examples of cover stars reflect the diversity in the magazine's content? 

Cover stars have ranged from 88-year-old actor Angela Lansbury, shot in a peach silk blouse and Terry Richardson's black frame glasses, to popstar Beyoncé, looking calm, strong and composed in Dior with a face free of make-up. Meanwhile, on the inside, The Gentlewoman has profiled a wide range of women

at the top of their game, including gardeners, entrepreneurs, novelists, artists and news anchors.

4) What is Penny Martin's view on feminism and whether the magazine is feminist?

"When people ask me about politics or feminism, I say that it isn't a magazine about those things, it's a magazine informed by those things — among others. Is it a feminist magazine? Well, it's made by feminist people, so what do you think?! - This shows that Penny Martins wants others to know what is going on with females around the world and that she supports the idea of females having just as equal rights and pay as men. 

5) Look at the end of the article. How does the Gentlewoman help readers construct or reflect their identity by engaging with events and spaces beyond the magazine? 

"Other things" includes the recently formed Gentlewoman Club which extends the magazine's brand into physical events where readers can interact and chat with editors. "We're starting to develop our website as a kind of portal for real things to happen rather than a bogus virtual community with likes and message boards. I am so not interested in that. I think that's over. For me, the future is going to be about in-person transactions and real conversations, skills and sharing in real spaces".