In the typical Western film, "the other" usually pertains to women, immigrants, blacks, and Native Americans. These characters generally play a minor role in the Western films as they are there for background and for necessary dialogue for the alpha male cowboy. However, as seen in Rooster Cogburn, Eula Goodnight, a woman, seems to break this classification of the other and instead plays a more significant role in the film. Eula is portrayed as a religious and strong-willed woman who is determined and knows how to speak for herself. Unlike the classic woman, Eula travels alongside Rooster and even fights his battles, killing one of the villains before he could shoot Rooster.
Representative of the time-period, the 1970s was a period filled with the continuously growing women’s movement for equal rights in society. With the film produced in 1975, a lot of the early decade’s ideals and struggles are represented in the plot line. Just as women during this era were not afraid to stand up for their rights, Eula was not afraid to voice her opinion. More notable, Eula was capable of standing up to Hawk’s threats; she did not flinch at the bullets being sprayed around her. Eula Goodnight’s character represented the determined and competent nature shown by the women of that era, and unlike the typical Western, such qualities in her character differentiate her from the classical title of “the other”.
In the typical Western film, "the other" usually pertains to women, immigrants, blacks, and Native Americans. These characters generally play a minor role in the Western films as they are there for background and for necessary dialogue for the alpha male cowboy. However, Rooster Cogburn challenges the role of the "other" with the strong character of Eula Goodnight. As portrayed in Rooster Cogburn, Eula Goodnight, a woman, seems to break this classification of the other and instead plays a more significant role in the film. Depicted as a religious and strong-willed woman, Eula is determined and knows how to speak for herself. Unlike the classic woman, Eula travels alongside Rooster and even fights his battles, killing one of the villains before he could shoot Rooster.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Eula is representative of the typical woman in Westerns as she talks a substantial amount, Eula's use of speech is highly capable of persuasion. Her use of language is rejected at first by Rooster; however, in the end it is Eula's language that helps to secure Rooster's job. Moreover, usually the alpha male cowboy continues to dismiss the female character because they cannot understand them. In contrast, Rooster gradually warms up to Eula; he begins to accept her and also changes how he acts according to her whims. Eula steps out of the classification of "the other" as well as the classic view of women.
Representative of the time-period, the 1970s was a period filled with the continuously growing women’s movement for equal rights in society. With the film produced in 1975, a lot of the early decade’s ideals and struggles are represented in the plot line. Just as women during this era were not afraid to stand up for their rights, Eula was not afraid to voice her opinion. More notable, Eula was capable of standing up to Hawk’s threats; she did not flinch at the bullets being sprayed around her. Eula Goodnight’s character represented the determined and competent nature shown by the women of that era, and unlike the typical Western, such qualities in her character differentiate her from the classical title of “the other”.