Soap Operas By Tania Modleski Analysis

In Tania Modleski’s “The Search for Tomorrow in Today’s Soap Operas” she introduces that the rare appearance and function of soap opera in two ways. The first being the viewer’s ability to occupy the text’s recommendation of the viewers position of ‘the good mother’, and the second using the stereotype ‘villainess’ to displace one’s own bottled up anger and powerlessness. I will analyze these two functions by using Modleski’s perspectives on the positions of soap operas, how a new genre of reality television programs that are featured today function in a similar way. Modleski argues that soap operas are essential in understanding women’s role in culture. She claims that in viewing soap operas, the viewer simultaneously identifies with each

As she signifies the values of the ‘good mother’ the book mentions are selfishness, manipulative, scheming the ‘villainess’ demonstrates the entirety of the viewers deranged, repressed anger at her own powerlessness. Modleski explains that the villain takes everything that makes women vulnerable and turns it to her advantage; for example, the villainess for the sake of manipulation uses pregnancy in soap operas from the past and present; we do not look at that as guilt, shame or responsibility (137). The villains in soap operas take advantage of the opportunity and seize the moment when they see it to manipulate the other characters. Modleski then says “the spectator keeps returning to soap operas to watch the villain as they gain control, which provides the spectator with great pleasure and fantasies of power” (138). Villain’s today are even looked at as the one everyone wants to be because the viewer knows they cannot be him or her. Even the soap opera’s unconventional narrative sponsors the hatred of this antagonist woman; the viewer actively enjoys and participates in her suffering, and love to hate

For the housewife watching, they serve as a branch of repetition that goes hand in hand with domestic labor. The soap opera is carefully designed to endlessly delay plot development and catering to the likely busy housewife distracted with repetition of chores and responsibilities that come with being a housewife. In my opinion, Modleski describes this to the implied meanings of the text: no matter if we are in the middle of essay or if the plot is always continuing, then social order is never restored and is under constant re-negotiation, then the viewer can enjoy the possibilities of change. Along with change, soap operas activate the “gaze of the mother” within the use of close up shots throughout the show. The audience views all of the characters expressions; “Close-ups provide the spectator with training in “reading” other people, in being sensitive to their unspoken feelings at any given moment” (Modleski 140). After doing some recalling of when I remembered my mom and grandma watching their daily soap operas, the cameras seemingly cut out or end the show with the close up or the gaze. It leaves the audience guessing and wanting more of the suspense and thrill that is the show is making out to