Dreams Deferred: Exploring the Masculine Mystique in August Wilson’s Fences

Year 2017, Issue: 46, 117 - 136, 01.04.2017

Vahit Yaşayan

Abstract

Using Robert Staples’ concept of “the masculine mystique,” this article explores the protagonist, Troy Maxson’s desire to conform the expectations of the masculine mystique in August Wilson’s Fences. Troy emerges from a battered past and as someone who once dreamed of swinging for the fences—playing professional baseball—but is consigned to being a garbage man. His perception of his existence and worth is inadequate mostly because he, as an “emasculated” man, cannot realize the American Dream economically and socially. By considering his masculinity within the standards of the masculine mystique, he creates pressures that can only be abated by removing the inadequate benchmarks defining him. Measuring himself by the term and concept of “imperialist, white supremacist, capitalist patriarchy,” yet unable to participate in the American capitalist enterprise, he is doomed to fail. Robert Staples’ concept of the masculine mystique provides a theoretical framework to understand the ongoing crisis in Troy’s masculinity. As a solution to this crisis, August Wilson highlights resistance to European American representations of African American manhood, promoting instead, a spiritual and cultural connection with the African American community and a recognition and appraisal of his ancestry. Unable to take off the lens of the masculine mystique that obscures his view of himself and the world, Troy is inclined to see himself as limited, confused and victimized

Keywords

Masculinity studies, black masculinity, performance crisis, masculine mystique, August Wilson, Fences

Dreams Deferred: Exploring the Masculine Mystique in August Wilson’s Fences

Abstract

Bu makale August Wilson’ın Fences adlı oyunundaki ana karakter Troy Maxon’un erkeklik krizini Robert Staples’ın “Erkeklik Gizemi” kuramı çerçevesinde inceleyecektir. Troy profesyonel bir beyzbol oyuncusu olup, dayatmacı toplumun önüne koyduğu engelleri aşmayı hayal ederken, çöpçü olur. Kendi varlığını ve kıymetini algılayamamasının sebebi Amerikan Rüyasını ekonomik ve sosyal olarak gerçekleştiremeyip kendini “eksik erkek” olarak görmesinden kaynaklanır. Troy erkekliğini “emperyalist, beyazı üstün gören, kapitalist ataerkil” terim ve kavramına göre değerlendirip, Amerikan kapitalist teşebbüsüne dâhil olamadığı için kendini başarısız olmaya mahkûm etmiştir. Robert Staples’ın “Erkeklik Gizemi” kuramı Troy’un erkeklik krizini açıklamaya yönelik bir çerçeve sunmaktadır. Bu krize bir çözüm olarak, August Wilson beyaz erkek-merkezli toplumsal anlayış tarafından oluşturulan ve dayatılan siyah erkeklik temsillerine karşı çıkmayı ve bu temsillere karşı Afrikalı Amerikalı toplum ile manevi ve kültürel bağlar kurmayı ve Afrika kökeninin bilincine varmayı savunur. Oyunda bunu başaramayan Troy, eril dayatmayı hak ettiğini düşünürken iktidarsız kalıp, kendini sınırlı, kafası karışmış, kurban edilmiş gibi görür

Keywords

Erkeklik çalışmaları, siyah erkeklik, performans krizi, erkeklik gizemi, August Wilson, Fences

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