Desperate Heroes
Publisher: Atlas Contact
After decades of writing about the portrayal of women in cultural history, Maaike Meijer decided to give literature, films and series by male creators and ditto protagonists another chance. And what she found there surprised her: they are teeming with histories that feature a distinct anti-hero as their subject, at odds with the prevailing social image of masculinity.
Meijer sees these stories not as universal but specifically as men’s stories and opens new windows on “the men’s issue”. She rereads Melville, Wolkers, Te Gussinklo, Hermans and Houellebecq, among others, watches Casablanca, The Power of The Dog, Dolor y Gloria, The Big Lebowski, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and TV series like Borgen and The Queen’s Gambit. She rewrites Freudian tales of castration anxiety and penis envy, explores her own relationship to gender fluidity, describes masculinity within herself and considers male suffering with an equally critical and empathetic gaze.
Praise:
‘In Desperate Heroes, Maaike Meijer aims to show that there is no single universal, powerful representation of masculinity. Men suffer. And can anything be done about that? Yes, look to Big Lebowski’s the Dude.’ – Het Parool
‘In Desperate Heroes, Meijer mixes literary analysis with her personal experiences with masculinity. That approach works, moves at times, and also amuses.’ – Trouw
‘An impressive study of the representation of masculinity in literature and film (…) A fascinating book that everyone should read.’ – Neerlandistiek
