Abstract
The connection between gender and politics has been a central topic of discussion in James scholarship. However, while much of the discourse has focused on the Bond Girls or on the connection of gender to imperialism and other power relations, the influence of amatonormativity on Bond’s masculinity has not yet been addressed. This article will examine how, in Casino Royale and Spectre, Bond’s masculinity shifts from Normative Masculinity Type 1 to Normative Masculinity Type 2, triggered by the romantic interests of each film, Vesper Lynd and Dr. Madeleine Swann respectively, and further encouraged by the amatonormative expectations of other characters. In this analysis, I argue that amatonormativity is a driving force in the franchise’s promotion of increasingly conservative values regarding gender and relationships.
Highlights
When discussing James Bond, whether the literary or flm version, one cannot escape the topic of masculinity
Romance plays a crucial role in the rebooted flms, specifcally Bond fnding, losing, and mourning his romance with Vesper Lynd, as well as eventually fnding a new romantic love with Dr Madeleine Swann
Following the lead of Eliza beth Brake in Minimizing Marriage: Marriage, Morality, and the Law (2012), I use the term amatonormativity to refer to this phenomenon: the prioritisation of romantic love over everything else
Summary
When discussing James Bond, whether the literary or flm version, one cannot escape the topic of masculinity. The love interests in question are Vesper Lynd (Casino Royale) and Dr Madeleine Swann (Spectre) – many other Bond Women feature in the rebooted flms as well, but
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
