I am just so fed up with these so-called "strong" men characters. I am sick and tired of hearing about "those broad shoulders", an upper body shaped by years of working in the smithy. I hate those unruly brown curls, that dimple in his chin, that striding gait and how he holds himself when fighting with the sword (shield arm in front, feet spaced apart one in front of the other at a slanting angle - have heard it before). I'm so sick of these cardboard paper characters I often read about, so "strong".
It's easy to think of men as strong, isn't it, when all you can compare them to are women, so often labelled "the weaker sex". Don't you think we should take a good look at this and try to open up our eyes to what our culture has imposed on us? "Strong". It seems to me it is time to look at the man's role today, and then try to use that in our work as writers of fantasy. What seems to be the truth here in our present time may not be so in your writing. Gender roles have forever been changing, and the male role is changing, but the real question is what your worldbuilding is like. Please read a little about different cultures, different times, sociology, social pshycology before you try to make up your own. There is so much knowledge to learn from, there really is no need to re-invent the wheel. Be aware of these things in your world, when you build social play and gender roles.
Men are humans. Just like women are by the way. What the heck is strength then? How much you can benchpress? Or how you control your emotions? Is it how socially skillful you are; "he was imposing", and how good you are at manipulating? How good you are at your work used to matter very much, now it's more about IQ and the monies you earn. Or... Is it maybe strength of character we mean?
Isn't it funny how we write about our characters, and that phrase is staring you right in the face...... Strength of character?
Yes, I like that phase, and I guess that is what I was looking for. Any character can have strength of character, no? I will admit... Even men.
It's easy to think of men as strong, isn't it, when all you can compare them to are women, so often labelled "the weaker sex". Don't you think we should take a good look at this and try to open up our eyes to what our culture has imposed on us? "Strong". It seems to me it is time to look at the man's role today, and then try to use that in our work as writers of fantasy. What seems to be the truth here in our present time may not be so in your writing. Gender roles have forever been changing, and the male role is changing, but the real question is what your worldbuilding is like. Please read a little about different cultures, different times, sociology, social pshycology before you try to make up your own. There is so much knowledge to learn from, there really is no need to re-invent the wheel. Be aware of these things in your world, when you build social play and gender roles.
Men are humans. Just like women are by the way. What the heck is strength then? How much you can benchpress? Or how you control your emotions? Is it how socially skillful you are; "he was imposing", and how good you are at manipulating? How good you are at your work used to matter very much, now it's more about IQ and the monies you earn. Or... Is it maybe strength of character we mean?
Isn't it funny how we write about our characters, and that phrase is staring you right in the face...... Strength of character?
Yes, I like that phase, and I guess that is what I was looking for. Any character can have strength of character, no? I will admit... Even men.