Representations of masculinities in john michael McDonagh satirical film text the guard

Abstract

This article focuses on the ways in which masculinities are represented in John Michael McDonagh’s film The Guard and how they relate to satire. Following Pat Kirkham and Janet Thumim’s framework, four different so-called “masculinity sites” are considered in a textual analysis of the film. The first site, the body, is doubly explored: with his dignified and discreet star persona, the way Brendan Gleeson contributes to the construction of Sergeant Gerry Boyle’s body is significant, as is the manner in which the physical bodies of the male characters are portrayed, with particular focus on Boyle. The second site, action, gives the audience the chance to see Boyle in a variety of situations which result in him acquiring a legendary status. In the realm of the third site, the external world, Boyle is heavily influenced by his relationship to the Garda. In the final site, the internal world, Boyle reveals himself to have the capacity to listen to and understand both a colleague’s widow and his own terminally ill mother. The contrast between Boyle’s arguably heroic attitude and the politically incorrect and racist language he employs to undermine people in power contributes to the film’s elaborate construction of satire.