In the written play of The Tempest, Ariel does not seem to have a gender. However, depicted on stage and in the 2010 movie, Ariel always seems to be played by a male actor. Why? Ariel is more of a fairy-like spirit than a boy. It would make sense to have a female play Ariel in the modern day movie, as we typically think of fairies as girls, like Tinkerbell. But why the choice of a male? Maybe choosing a male that is prepubescent or has a higher pitched voice makes Ariel seem more neutral in gender. Like the switch of Prospero from male to female, it would be interesting to see Ariel being portrayed as a female.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS1D4d4lMyM
This is the only clip of The Tempest I could find with Ariel played by a female actress. Right away, I noticed that the female Ariel was wearing a more feminine looking outfit with glitz and sparkles. It may have been hard for the director and costume designer to make the female Ariel seem less girly and feminine. After seeing the very girly representation of Ariel in this production of The Tempest, I think that I prefer when Ariel is played by a male but dressed and portrayed as neutral in gender.
I also found the lack of gender for Ariel very interesting. I think the portrayal of Ariel as male in most adaptations of The Tempest all comes down to social constructs. Ariel holds a lot of power in the play, so I think that most people naturally think of the character as being male. I also believe it is important to point out that Ariel did not necessarily have to be human. The character is a spirit that can take on any shape. Again, the human body is a sign of power, as we sit on the top of the food chain. Ariel is a manifestation of the biases that we all hold.
ReplyDelete