MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

This paper will compare and contrast several hero television shows based on the tone and language used by the title characters of each show. In doing so, it will demonstrate that attributes of masculinity based on the works of scholars such as Michael Kimmel and R. W. Connell are more prominent in heroes who use more direct discourse and taboo language in accordance with the findings of scholars such as Deborah Tannen, Dale Spender, and Jennifer Coates. The television shows analyzed in this paper are The Flash, Arrow,Gotham, and Daredevil. Each of these shows is successful, yet portrays the main hero very differently. The differences are largely created in the language each character uses not only in dealing with his enemies, but also with his colleagues and friends when he is not in his costume. In some shows the title character is more likely to use language that demonstrates a higher level of hegemonic masculinity when he is in his heroic garb, while in others his level of hegemonic masculinity remains consistent.