Boanerges: Makarios Education Journal
Vol 2 No 2 (2025): BOANERGES

Reclaiming Agency: Subverting Patriarchy and Reconfiguring Gender in Enola Holmes (2020)

Saputra, Felicia Celine (Unknown)
Rumondor, Imanuela Kimberly (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
28 Feb 2025

Abstract

In the 21st century, feminism continues to grapple with persistent challenges, including gender pay gaps, underrepresentation in leadership roles, and ongoing debates over reproductive rights that echo historical struggles for equality. Drawing connections to feminist protests during the Victorian era. Using a qualitative method, this study employed feminist theory, particularly the works of Judith Butler (1990), Betty Friedan (1963), and Charlotte Brontë (1847) to analyze the 2020 film Enola Holmes. The film is examined as a cultural text that subverts patriarchal norms and offers a narrative of female empowerment by: 1) presenting characters, such as Enola and her mother, Eudoria, who reject conventional feminine behavior in favor of self-defense, independence, and intellectual curiosity; 2) critiquing institutional constraints through the depiction of rigid gender stereotypes enforced by settings like the finishing school; and 3) illustrating how Enola’s defiance of familial and societal expectations empowers her to reclaim agency and reshape her future. This article contributes to ongoing academic discourse on gender representation in media by demonstrating how modern adaptations of historical settings can illuminate contemporary feminist issues and challenge established societal norms regarding gender equality.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

boanerges

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences Other

Description

The Boanerges (Multidisciplinary Education Journal) is dedicated to advancing the understanding and practice of multidisciplinary education across various fields and disciplines. Boanerges seeks to publish high-quality research articles, reviews, and critical analyses that contribute to the ...