In the Western film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, the characters Tom Doniphon and Liberty Valance are two alpha male cowboys who are very different and yet are linked with a few similarities that allow them to fit the mold of Sue Matheson’s alpha male cowboy.
Matheson believes that the alpha male cowboy is one who is “hardboiled” and possess the characteristics of the both the villain and the hero. This alpha male lives by the law of the gun and is morally ambiguous, which makes him a damaged hero. All the while, Matheson argues that the alpha male still follows “the most fundamental value concepts of virtue-ethics: ‘the highest-good’” (Matheson 899). In this film, Tom fits Matheson’s description of the antihero and Liberty as the sociopath.
To begin with, Tom is seen as shadowy due to his mysterious past, which is one of the characteristics that Matheson mentions the hardboiled detective have. He lives on the edge, is tough, and respects only the law of the gun (shown when he tosses the sheriff’s hat off). Like many alpha male cowboys, Tom is caught in a double bind. Matheson depicts his conflict when she writes, “Doniphon could have secured his relationship with Hallie by standing aside and letting Valence kill Stoddard, or by standing aside and allowing Stoddard to return to the east, but he does not. Instead Doniphon destroys his personal happiness by acting in good faith” (897). As mentioned above, it is clear that Doniphon’s act of murder was for the highest-good and therefore could be argued reasonable.
The other alpha male cowboy is Valance who is depicted as the sociopathic villain who causes the town of Shinebone a great deal of terror and corruption. His appearance alone gives the audience an idea of how dark his heart is. Matheson says that the psychology of a character can be detected by dirt and their cleanliness. Matheson writes, “simply put, Valance’s behaviour is beastly” (895). Although Doniphon and Valance may seem different, they still are very much alike. They believe that a man is the law, and as Matheson points out, both share the antisocial, callous, remorseless, and manipulative behaviours.
On the other hand, there is Stoddard who does not fit the description of Matheson’s alpha male cowboy but is nevertheless a very important character in this film. Stoddard represents the educated, uncorrupt, civilized, eastern man who does not believe at first in the Western law. Because of this, Stoddard’s character is seen as feminine and weak, often shown wearing an apron and doing the dishes like a woman would. Stoddard never fully adapts to the Western lifestyle, therefore he never becomes a true man.
All in all, I think all three characteristics share some similarities, but only Valance and Doniphon can truly fill the shoes of Matheson’s definition of the alpha male cowboy.
In the Western film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, the characters Tom Doniphon and Liberty Valance are two alpha male cowboys who are very different and yet are linked with a few similarities that allow them to fit the mold of Sue Matheson’s alpha male cowboy.
ReplyDeleteMatheson believes that the alpha male cowboy is one who is “hardboiled” and possess the characteristics of the both the villain and the hero. This alpha male lives by the law of the gun and is morally ambiguous, which makes him a damaged hero. All the while, Matheson argues that the alpha male still follows “The most fundamental value concepts of virtue-ethics: ‘the highest-good’” (Matheson 899). In this film, Tom fits Matheson’s description of the antihero and Liberty as the sociopath.
To begin with, Tom is seen as shadowy due to his mysterious past, which is one of the characteristics that Matheson mentions the hardboiled detective have. He lives on the edge, is tough, and respects only the law of the gun (shown when he tosses the sheriff’s hat off). Like many alpha male cowboys, Tom is caught in a double bind. Matheson depicts his conflict when she writes, “Doniphon could have secured his relationship with Hallie by standing aside and letting Valence kill Stoddard, or by standing aside and allowing Stoddard to return to the east, but he does not. Instead Doniphon destroys his personal happiness by acting in good faith” (897). As mentioned above, it is clear that Doniphon’s act of murder was for the highest-good and therefore could be argued reasonable.
The other alpha male cowboy is Valance who is depicted as the sociopathic villain who causes the town of Shinebone a great deal of terror and corruption. His appearance alone gives the audience an idea of how dark his heart is. Matheson says that the psychology of a character can be detected by dirt and their cleanliness. Matheson writes, “Simply put, Valance’s behaviour is beastly” (895). Although Doniphon and Valance may seem different, they still are very much alike. They believe that a man is the law, and as Matheson points out, both share the antisocial, callous, remorseless, and manipulative behaviours.
On the other hand, there is Stoddard who does not fit the description of Matheson’s alpha male cowboy but is nevertheless a very important character in this film. Stoddard represents the educated, uncorrupt, civilized, eastern man who does not believe at first in the Western law. Because of this, Stoddard’s character is seen as feminine and weak, often shown wearing an apron and doing the dishes like a woman would. Stoddard never fully adapts to the Western lifestyle, therefore he never becomes a true man.
All in all, I think all three characteristics share some similarities, but only Valance and Doniphon can truly fill the shoes of Matheson’s definition of the alpha male cowboy.