According to this article by Paul Whitington at Independent.ie., “ Craig’s Bond was young, confused and even vulnerable.” ![]() Maybe that’s why James Bond received a reboot. Yet it shows an interesting backlash of sorts against those viewed as “domineering” (see the Romance Novels for Feminists post) alpha males. Yikes! But I don’t want to get off on an omega man tangent here. While the alpha male wants to dominate and the beta male just wants to get by, the omega male has either opted out or, if he used to try, given up. In a article, “Omega Males and the Women Who Hate Them” (click here for that), I learned about an omega man: While some might be viewed as relics of a bygone era, others reflect the changing face of the alpha male.Ĭap, Bruce Banner, Tony Stark Black Panther Jackson, or Jet Li played anyone from the Fast and Furious movies Duke Nukem Wolverine Superman Robin in Teen Titans the Man with No Name Clint Eastwood played in westerns Russell Crowe as Maximus or Jack Aubrey Tony Stark Captain America (Steve Rogers) Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) John Stewart (also Green Lantern), Thor Black Panther Frank Woods (Call of Duty) Nathan Drake (Uncharted) and many, many others. Kirk Batman Aragorn Odysseus Beowulf Green Arrow Daredevil Gaston Jack Ryan (Tom Clancy’s books) characters Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Humphrey Bogart, Samuel L. We’re used to fictional alpha males like James Bond Dirk Pitt (Clive Cussler’s books) James T. The AskMen article, “Signs You’re Not An Alpha Male,” vividly discusses this behavior. He has to learn how an alpha really behaves. In the young adult novel I finished writing months ago, my 17-year-old main character views himself as alpha, but meets a female (the other main character) who disagrees. He leads, provides for and protects his pack (his significant other, his buddies, his teammates, and so on). What do men think? I found out at :Īn alpha male has certain unmistakable characteristics. So far, only women have given an opinion. Rather than describe a male character’s characteristics in detail, Shalvis uses the shorthand “alpha” to signal to readers that the character possesses a certain type of über-desirable masculinity, a masculinity characterized by toughness, strength, and the need to protect those around him, particularly his girlfriend/spouse/mate. I decided to compare that description with one found at this post at Romance Novels for Feminists, which mentions romance author Jill Shalvis’s view on the subject: ![]() Though he was not the alpha, this description seemed apt for alpha males on one level. When I picked up another Mary Stewart book, also from the 50s- Madam, Will You Talk?-I found a description of a dude who is “singularly good-looking” and who “had that look of intense virility and yet sophistication-that sort of powerful, careless charm which can be quite devastating” (Stewart 11). Under Gandalf’s disapproving gaze Sigourney Weaver as Ripleyįirst, I wondered about the universal characteristics of an alpha male. ![]() Has the fictional alpha male evolved consequently? With Sigourney Weaver’s awesome performance as Ellen Ripley in the 1986 film Aliens, an increasing desire for strong female heroines ensued (hence Charlize Theron as Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road some men complained about her role, however, according to the Chicago Tribune). ![]() While reading it, I wondered whether or not the concept of the alpha male has changed since the 1950s when the book was written. I found this conversation timely, since I’d just finished reading Nine Coaches Waitingby Mary Stewart, which has an alpha male secondary character. Kitty: Thank you for helping me clear that up. Then I will choose him as the companion of my heart. Kitty (unfazed by my remark): Would either Gandalf or Jordie be considered an alpha male? Me: I’m pretty sure we’ll fail the Bechdel test if we do. Kitty: Can we talk about boys for a minute? On a day when the sharp scent of peppermint permeated the air (I’m not sure why it did), Kitty came to me with a request while I lounged outside.
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