Laura Mulvey and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Laura Mulvey is a British feminist film theorist who wrote «Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema» that explains her theory of the «male gaze». In my opinion Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind destroys the typical assumption of women on a screen and erases the male gaze environment. Mulvey uses following theories to fulfill her theory:
Sigmund Freud's explanation of scophopilia, i.e. taking sexual pleasure in viewing the other as an object of gaze. Lacanian mirror stage, i.e. viewer's identification with a protagonist on a screen , viewing as an ideal self, after injecting the protagonist into psyche.
Simone de Beauvoir's interpretation of Sartre's existentialist idea. In her interpretation, the male protagonist objectifies the female protagonist an experience which is shared by the audience, the objectification of a female on a screen independently from their sex.
The fourth and final theory belongs to Freud. Mulvey talks about the castration complex that is caused by a female figure leading to fear-based anxiety and powerlessness (penis as a symbol of male power) male experience. Exposed to male audience the female protagonist has two possibilities: to be fetishizing or punishment, or sometimes both.
In conclusion Mulvey adds that the female protagonist often exists to fullfil the existence of the main character – male one. In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, it can be suggested that Clementine wasn't an addition to the Carrey's character, even if it was implied. She is an independent character with her own development that co-exists with male protagonist.
Clementine wasn't exposed to the male gaze, her energy doesn't allow the audience to view her as a passive object. Constantly taking risks and teaching Joel Barish life, making it more appealing to him. It is likely that the audience is able to relate to Clementine, rather than sympathize with Joel.
She is an essence of real “male” characteristics in a traditional view. Her drinking problems, independence and complicated character traditionally are male characteristics in film; she is breaking the dependent female protagonist stereotype.
Other movie characters constantly describe Clementine as “impulsive”. Her personality stands in the way of her personal and social relationships, but her personality is taken seriously by the viewer, and more likely identified. Clementine claims her independency from Joel multiple times, only by saying “don’t claim me yours” multiple times. This independency isn’t an obstruction for romantic relationships, but an attempt to explain herself (as a part of her character).
When Clementine says “I’m not perfect” and shares painful childhood memories with boyfriend she protects herself from fetishizing, but not from punishment, as Joel starts to see her imperfection more and more.
In conclusion, it should be mentioned that Eternal Sunshine made Mulvey’s point of underlining men’s tendency to see romantic partners’ as an addition for own completeness, experience that usually results in subsequent disappointment.
