Social, Historical, Cultural Contexts
- The Avengers as a distinctive generic identity that is rooted in British popular culture.
- Television drew upon this tradition while at the same time responding to the social and cultural changes of the 1960s.
- The Avengers is a Spy Thriller - sub genre.
Brief Summary
Steed and Emma, are on the trail of several murdered agents. They visit Little Bazeley at Sea, a town that strangers rarely leave alive - and discover it is being secretly infiltrated (invaded) by enemy agents.
The Swinging 60s
- London had transformed from the bleak, conservative city, only just beginning to forget the troubles of WWII, into the 'capital of the world', full of freedom, hope and promise.
- Young people were given a choice.
- Parents of the 60s teenage generation had spent their own teenage years fighting for their lives in WWII and wanted their own children to enjoy their youth and be able to have more fun and freedom.
Contexts explored in The Avengers
- Music
- Drug Culture
- Feminism
- Sexuality
- Russian Spied
- Ethnicities
- Gender
Music in the 60s
It wasn't until the early 60s and the appearance of 'British Invasion' groups like The Beatles, that music truly began its ground-breaking changes.
The Beatles are an excellent example of how music influenced the lives of young Britons.
They experimented with new sounds and developed innovative pieces of music. Their later albums included lyrics encouraging rebellion against the authorities, as seen in 'Revolution'.
Young people began to stand up for beliefs and their individuality.
Drug Culture in the 60s
Recreational drugs (drugs taken for entertainment/enjoyment rather than medically) were at their height in the 60s and became more commonly used in the latter part of the decade.
Images of the Woodstock festival show people high of marijuana and LSD, dancing in fields with paint on their face and their hair flowing free.
It was very difficult for anyone in show business to avoid becoming involved in drugs in some way and as easily influenced young people looking for fun, many were encouraged to follow their idols and take hallucinogenic drugs. LSD made people feel happy and optimistic and helped bring about the 'hippie' movement.
The effects of these drugs were reflected in psychedelic art, music and films.
Feminism: the influence of patriarchy and feminism representation in The Avengers
Emma Peel is the embodiment of feminism.
- 1960s - The Feminist Movement
- Protests, women's liberations groups.
- 1965 - Use of contraceptives/safe birth control. This changed the relationships attitudes of many young women to sex and sexuality.
- Lawsuits for equal pay - women were paid significantly less (60%) than men.
- Women's rights in the workplace - women had lower salaries and worked in 'pink collar' jobs such as secretaries, not professional 'white collar' jobs such as lawyers/doctors.
How is feminism represented in The Avengers?
- Seen as Steed's professional equal - Inspired by James Bond. INTERTEXTUALITY. Bond and M (played on the name Emma Peel) relationship.
- Will they/HAVE they sexual tension - Peel and Steed.
- Clothes of Peel and fighting ability - this demonstrated modern liberated femininity. She embodies the new international fashion in women who like to dress and fight like men. Slightly ahead of fashion at the time.
- Leather outfit (originally designed for freedom of movement) added to the highly fetishistic dimension, which was far removed from the 'girl-next-door' image that was represented in TV during the 50's - a social, cultural change in society.
- A spited heroine of the 60s.
- Leather boots was not lost on the audience - 'The leather pin-up' of the 60s.
Sexuality: The illegality of male gay sex in the early 60's
- Gay men who were publically gay, were either sent to prison and put into mental institutions.
- Mid 60's, gay activists became increasingly aware of the threat of prison.
- 1967 - Law changed to allow limited sexual content (but no penetration) between men.
The fear of Russian spies in Cold War 1960s Britain
- After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were the world's strongest nations.
- The US was capitalist, and USSR was communist.
- 1949, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was formed
- The Cold War (1945-1991) was a long period of tension between the democracies of the Western World and the communist countries of Eastern Europe.
- There was a great distrust between the Soviet Union and the rest of the Allies.
- The West was led by the United States and Eastern Europe was led by the Soviet Union. These two countries became known as superpowers.
- Arms Race - Who had better weapons?
- Space Race - Who could accomplish space races first?
- The Cold War came to the end with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
- Paranoia was common during the Cold War - due to propaganda, ignorance, fear and secrecy.
- The threat of replacement 'insiders' in The Avengers reflects the paranoia generated by the Cold War, compared to the everyday threat of crime in Cuffs.
- It takes for granted the existence of a Russian spy ring in Britain....
- Steed knows where their headquarters are. And this episode aired at the time when the reality of Soviet Unions were penetrating the British intelligence.
- English system is seen as an obstacle, preventing the Russians from carrying out their plans.
Gender: Exploring the changing gender roles in the 1960s (pre-70's feminism but post-'sexual revolution')
- Steed - Personified the traditional gentleman hero.
- Peel - Combined femininity and modernity.
Post-sexual revolution
The consequences of the pill (contraception) being legalised.
- Women felt 'free'.
- Highly sexual.
Changes in the 1960s - Women vs Men!
- More females than ever were entering the paid workforce, and this increased the dissatisfaction among the women regarding huge gender differences in pay and advancement and sexual harassment at the workplace.
- By the end of the 60s, more than 80% of wives of childbearing age were using contraception after the federal government in 1960 approved a birth control pill - this provided women with a lot more freedom.
- Basic goals of the 60s feminists: equal pay for equal work, an end to domestic violence, restricting severe limits on women in managerial jobs, an end to sexual harassment, and sharing responsibility for housework and child upbringing.
- The mini skirt was designed to be free and liberating for women, allowing them to 'run and jump'.
- In 1968 at a Ford factory in Dagenham, 850 women went on strike, arguing for equal pay with their male co-workers. This action resulted in the passing of the Equal Pay Act of 1970.
- Cigarette advertisements always featured attractive men, most often in suits, but from the 1960s on, advertisements also showed rugged men in outdoor setting.
Brief Summary
Steed and Emma, are on the trail of several murdered agents. They visit Little Bazeley at Sea, a town that strangers rarely leave alive - and discover it is being secretly infiltrated (invaded) by enemy agents.
The Swinging 60s
- London had transformed from the bleak, conservative city, only just beginning to forget the troubles of WWII, into the 'capital of the world', full of freedom, hope and promise.
- Young people were given a choice.
- Parents of the 60s teenage generation had spent their own teenage years fighting for their lives in WWII and wanted their own children to enjoy their youth and be able to have more fun and freedom.
Contexts explored in The Avengers
- Music
- Drug Culture
- Feminism
- Sexuality
- Russian Spied
- Ethnicities
- Gender
Music in the 60s
It wasn't until the early 60s and the appearance of 'British Invasion' groups like The Beatles, that music truly began its ground-breaking changes.
The Beatles are an excellent example of how music influenced the lives of young Britons.
They experimented with new sounds and developed innovative pieces of music. Their later albums included lyrics encouraging rebellion against the authorities, as seen in 'Revolution'.
Young people began to stand up for beliefs and their individuality.
Drug Culture in the 60s
Recreational drugs (drugs taken for entertainment/enjoyment rather than medically) were at their height in the 60s and became more commonly used in the latter part of the decade.
Images of the Woodstock festival show people high of marijuana and LSD, dancing in fields with paint on their face and their hair flowing free.
It was very difficult for anyone in show business to avoid becoming involved in drugs in some way and as easily influenced young people looking for fun, many were encouraged to follow their idols and take hallucinogenic drugs. LSD made people feel happy and optimistic and helped bring about the 'hippie' movement.
The effects of these drugs were reflected in psychedelic art, music and films.
Feminism: the influence of patriarchy and feminism representation in The Avengers
Emma Peel is the embodiment of feminism.
- 1960s - The Feminist Movement
- Protests, women's liberations groups.
- 1965 - Use of contraceptives/safe birth control. This changed the relationships attitudes of many young women to sex and sexuality.
- Lawsuits for equal pay - women were paid significantly less (60%) than men.
- Women's rights in the workplace - women had lower salaries and worked in 'pink collar' jobs such as secretaries, not professional 'white collar' jobs such as lawyers/doctors.
How is feminism represented in The Avengers?
- Seen as Steed's professional equal - Inspired by James Bond. INTERTEXTUALITY. Bond and M (played on the name Emma Peel) relationship.
- Will they/HAVE they sexual tension - Peel and Steed.
- Clothes of Peel and fighting ability - this demonstrated modern liberated femininity. She embodies the new international fashion in women who like to dress and fight like men. Slightly ahead of fashion at the time.
- Leather outfit (originally designed for freedom of movement) added to the highly fetishistic dimension, which was far removed from the 'girl-next-door' image that was represented in TV during the 50's - a social, cultural change in society.
- A spited heroine of the 60s.
- Leather boots was not lost on the audience - 'The leather pin-up' of the 60s.
Sexuality: The illegality of male gay sex in the early 60's
- Gay men who were publically gay, were either sent to prison and put into mental institutions.
- Mid 60's, gay activists became increasingly aware of the threat of prison.
- 1967 - Law changed to allow limited sexual content (but no penetration) between men.
The fear of Russian spies in Cold War 1960s Britain
- After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were the world's strongest nations.
- The US was capitalist, and USSR was communist.
- 1949, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was formed
- The Cold War (1945-1991) was a long period of tension between the democracies of the Western World and the communist countries of Eastern Europe.
- There was a great distrust between the Soviet Union and the rest of the Allies.
- The West was led by the United States and Eastern Europe was led by the Soviet Union. These two countries became known as superpowers.
- Arms Race - Who had better weapons?
- Space Race - Who could accomplish space races first?
- The Cold War came to the end with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
- Paranoia was common during the Cold War - due to propaganda, ignorance, fear and secrecy.
- The threat of replacement 'insiders' in The Avengers reflects the paranoia generated by the Cold War, compared to the everyday threat of crime in Cuffs.
- It takes for granted the existence of a Russian spy ring in Britain....
- Steed knows where their headquarters are. And this episode aired at the time when the reality of Soviet Unions were penetrating the British intelligence.
- English system is seen as an obstacle, preventing the Russians from carrying out their plans.
Gender: Exploring the changing gender roles in the 1960s (pre-70's feminism but post-'sexual revolution')
- Steed - Personified the traditional gentleman hero.
- Peel - Combined femininity and modernity.
Post-sexual revolution
The consequences of the pill (contraception) being legalised.
- Women felt 'free'.
- Highly sexual.
Changes in the 1960s - Women vs Men!
- More females than ever were entering the paid workforce, and this increased the dissatisfaction among the women regarding huge gender differences in pay and advancement and sexual harassment at the workplace.
- By the end of the 60s, more than 80% of wives of childbearing age were using contraception after the federal government in 1960 approved a birth control pill - this provided women with a lot more freedom.
- Basic goals of the 60s feminists: equal pay for equal work, an end to domestic violence, restricting severe limits on women in managerial jobs, an end to sexual harassment, and sharing responsibility for housework and child upbringing.
- The mini skirt was designed to be free and liberating for women, allowing them to 'run and jump'.
- In 1968 at a Ford factory in Dagenham, 850 women went on strike, arguing for equal pay with their male co-workers. This action resulted in the passing of the Equal Pay Act of 1970.
- Cigarette advertisements always featured attractive men, most often in suits, but from the 1960s on, advertisements also showed rugged men in outdoor setting.
Fab notes! Lots to use here to revise from.
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