Women and Soap Opera
A Study of Prime Time Soaps
Format:Paperback
Publisher:John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Published:6th Dec '90
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This insightful examination of gender roles in television soap operas highlights the complex relationship between narratives and female audiences. Women and Soap Opera offers a rich analysis.
This comprehensive study delves into the roles of women in prime time soap operas, offering a comparative analysis of British and North American television. In Women and Soap Opera, Christine Geraghty explores how the narratives presented on screen resonate with the women viewers who form the traditional soap audience. By examining popular series like Dallas, Dynasty, Coronation Street, and EastEnders, she uncovers how the interplay of public and personal life, reason and emotion, work and leisure serves as a central theme in these narratives.
Geraghty argues that the themes prevalent in soap operas reflect broader societal divisions between genders, revealing how these shows question and reinforce stereotypes while still providing entertainment. The author highlights the critical importance of female characters in shaping the dynamics of families and communities within these stories. Moreover, she posits that the utopian elements of soap operas can serve as a vehicle for promoting change, challenging existing attitudes and prejudices.
In her analysis, Geraghty also addresses the evolution of soap operas over the past decade, focusing on how contemporary issues such as class, race, sexual orientation, and feminism have been integrated into the narratives. She contends that while newer shows like Brookside aim to attract diverse audiences, they may risk losing the traditional pleasures that have historically appealed to women viewers. Women and Soap Opera is a thoughtful and extensive examination that promises to be a pivotal resource in women's studies and media studies courses.
'Geraghty, a pioneer in the field, provides a clearly argued, accessible account of a decade of feminist media scholarship which is informed by an exhaustive knowledge of, and pleasure in, the soaps of the period'. Charlotte Brunsdon, Film Studies, University of Warwick
'Women and Soap Opera is the most complete, deeply thought through and far-seeing work yet written on soap operas. Christine Geraghty's prose is elegant, lucid and accessible without sacrificing complexity ... finely nuanced and thought-provoking.'
Maria La Place, University of California
'As one of the pioneers of the study and appreciation of soap opera, Geraghty writes from a long term-engagement both with the form and with the individual programmes she discusses.' Screen, 1992
'The book is well-written and researched, summarizing much of the previous feminist work in the field... suitable for the general, as well as the academic reader.' American Library Association
'A useful overview of the literature an soaps and related women's genres.' Media Information Australia
ISBN: 9780745605685
Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 16mm
Weight: 327g
224 pages