I’d Do Anything For You

Commodification of Women in Today’s Romance Thriller Media

Abstract

This paper investigates how modern “romantic thriller” media and portrayals of chivalrous male leads perpetuate misogynistic notions and greater tolerance of acceptance of gender violence. I use a cultural and feminist lens to compare the popular TV show “You” (2018) with “Gone Girl” (2014), as they present different genders of romantic antiheroes. By examining the implications of this gender swap in both storyline (motives) and portrayal (voiceover and narration style), I illustrate how both works objectify women in heterosexual romantic relationships, despite their original, feminist intent. After my comparative analysis, I propose solutions to raise awareness about these dangerous media portrayals and combat attitudes that fuel gender violence.