Mad Men takes place in the man's world of 1960s advertising, however, its portrayal of women is arguably the most elaborate and in-depth of the show. Rather than focus on the surface level stereotypes and misogyny of the time, the show explores its women much more deeply, and they are created into well-round, dynamic individuals. The central women of the series, Betty Draper, Peggy Olson, and Joan Holloway are all unique and interesting portrayals that depict the various types of womanhood from the time period. Betty represents the suburban lifestyle and domesticity of women in the home in the 60s. She spends most of her time in the Draper home, with the children, and socializing with other housewives. Don is clearly the head of their household and is subservient to him throughout the series until their divorce. Peggy represents a much more interesting aspect of womanhood at the time, since she defies many of the female stereotypes of the era. She is a career woman, who has worked her way from the secretary pool to her own office as a copywriter in the ad agency. Her career is her priority, though she often seeks out romantic company as well, even though she does not fall into the typical ideas of feminine beauty of the time, especially in the beginning of the series. Joan represents the over-sexualization of woman of the time period. She is the head secretary of the agency and is often the subject of the office men's conversation. She is desired by almost all men she meets (and even a few women) and has had an affair with a married man. But she is still a strong and independent woman who stands up for herself when she needs to. There are several other interesting female portrayals on the show, however, these three central characters are the most significant to the series as a whole in its representation of women and femininity in the 1960s.
Quotes from "Social Values in Mad Men and Revolutionary Road: Conformity and Loss of the Dream in the Golden Era of American Ascendancy," Boris Irbic:
"At the core of this highly competitive, male-dominated workplace are the relationships of power, based on class, status, gender and sexual gratification, and they seem to be inherently unstable."
"The women - Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss), an aspiring copywriter; Rachel Menken (Maggie Siff), the lonely and ambitious Jewish heiress to a department store fortune; and Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks), a head secretary at Sterling Cooper - are a fascination, heterogeneous group. They are divided by their class status, interests and professional aspirations, yet connected by their desperate attempts to escape solitude and somehow reconcile their career plans with the controlling presence of men in their lives. These women strive for companionship, financial support and protection, and endure humiliation and misogyny, fearful about opposing the rhetoric and actions of their colleagues, lovers and bosses."
"Suburban married life, on the other hand, is presented as a synonym for misery and depression. The experiences of Betty Draper (January Jones), Don's wife and a former model; her neighbour, Francine Hanson (Anne Dudek), distraught about her husband's infidelity; and Peter's naive wife, Trudy Campbell (Alison Brie), who feels marginalised by her husband's family, are all cleverly juxtaposed with the everyday events in the office."
"The writers acknowledge that women who strive for professional equality may not be interested in the same egalitarian principles in their sexual relationships. Consequently, we are never quite clear about the nature of their bonds with their male colleagues. One can assume that these anxious and distressed women use their sexual appeal as a strategy for negotiating the next step on the professional ladder, and are forced to accept rules of the business world that stretch the boundaries between the private and the professional. However, one can deduce that their attraction to cruel, ruthless, neurotic men in their lives also reveals a sense of sympathy, understanding and, perhaps, love."
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