2005 Film Brokeback Mountain Explores

2005 film Brokeback Mountain explores themes related to bisexuality, homosexuality, and masculinity. Norms of masculinity are in fact explored separately from issues related to masculine sexuality, which is what makes Brokeback Mountain groundbreaking. The two protagonists in the film, Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) are cowboys. Their profession is among the most stereotypically masculine. Being a cowboy is to embody the American ideal of rugged individuality and masculine. As Ennis and Jack develop feelings for one another, their masculinity is scarcely questioned. Both remain Rather, their ability to cope with homophobia is the core conflict of the film.

Being male is different from being masculine. The former implies simply biological sex, whereas the latter refers to a range of gender norms. These gender norms differ from culture to culture and may also change throughout history. Brokeback Mountain is set in the 1960s in Wyoming. Wyoming would be considered a socially conservative place in the 21st century, and before the civil rights movements of the 1960s was even more so. Homophobia was the norm; homosexuality and bisexuality were considered to be deviant behaviors during the time period that Ennis and Jack are depicted.

Gender norms may be related to attire, communication style, career choice, and behavior. According to the gender norms for 1963 Wyoming, Ennis and Jack are both unabashedly masculine and being homosexual or bisexual does nothing to change that. For example, Ennis and Jack look like "real men." They dress in jeans, cowboy boots, and work shirts. If they wore Liberace suits with pink ruffles then the two men would not be cowboys and would certainly not be considered masculine by 1963 Wyoming standards.

Ennis and Jack also communicate in a stereotypically masculine manner. Each has trouble expressing feelings and emotions. Their repressed sexuality remains palpable throughout the film, as they smile little. Likely taught to suppress their feelings as an expression of masculinity, both Ennis and Jack prove that gender is socialized whereas sexuality is not.

The scenes in which the two men fight reveal much about stereotypically masculine communication styles too. Fighting is one way the two men express their passion for one another, which is why the bloodied shirts become a symbol of their bond at the end of the movie. The way in which the two men fight is unmistakably masculine, as the wrestling is like a primitive mating ritual. No flowers, no soft music, no slow foreplay as would be indicated in a more "feminine" love scene. Even their approach to sexuality is traditionally masculine with Jack taking the initiative and making advances on his coworker.

Moreover, both Jack and Ennis ascribe to their gender roles such as by marrying a female and bearing children. Jack easily assumes the role of husband and father. One of his most masculine scenes in when he bluntly refuses to run away with Ennis, citing the importance of his role as father. Being a father is a certain expression of masculinity, representing the ability of the man to provide for a family even without taking part in the actual child rearing duties. Both Jack and Ennis seek out and thrive in typically masculine career roles, too. Their ideal work is removed from society, ruggedly independent and decidedly masculine.

Masculinity is therefore a separate issue from male sexuality. The men in the movie are staunchly masculine while being gay -- or at least bisexual -- at the same time. Straight and gay characters are not necessarily portrayed any differently from one another in Brokeback Mountain. The main difference between straight and gay characters is related to homophobia.

Homophobia is a problem affecting both straight and gay men in Brokeback Mountain. For example, even Ennis is afraid of his feelings for Jack. His initial reaction to Jack is frustration -- with ths major shift in identity the rendezvous represents. Ennis more than Jack understands how deep homophobia is rooted in the rural Wyoming community. He warns Jack about making their relationship public, noting that they could never be accepted as a couple without grave repercussions. Ennis therefore chooses to remain in the closet, and Jack is only slightly more open about his sexual preferences. Homophobia therefore runs deep even within those with genuine feelings towards members of the same sex.