Machismo
Machismo, or machoism, is a word of Spanish and Portuguese origin that describes prominently exhibited or excessive masculinity.[1] As an attitude, machismo ranges from a personal sense of virility to a more extreme male chauvinism (the actual spanish language meaning of the word). Characteristics include domineering, fierceness, bravado, etc., in ways that are showily and histrionically tough.
The trait may be seen as the product of runaway evolution, as Frits Staal notes:
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The peacock's tail, the enlarged claw of the male fiddler crab and the machismo of members of the human species are all exaggerated features that may cause injury to individuals that display them but attract females.[2]
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[edit] In literature
In American literature, an example of machismo comes from Tennessee Williams' character Stanley Kowalski, the egotistical brother-in-law in A Streetcar Named Desire. In the play (and in the motion picture), Stanley epitomizes the tough guy stereotype alpha male, socially and physically dominating and imposing his will upon his wife and her sister, Blanche Dubois. Bound up with Stanley's aggressive and occasionally misogynist views is a strong sense of pride and honor which leads to his hatred of Blanche.[3]
In the play A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller, one of the main characters Eddie is a classic type who displays machismo.[4] He wants to be the best of the men around him and when beaten, becomes very agitated and increasingly irrational.
[edit] In Spanish and Portuguese
The English word "machismo" derives from the identical Spanish and Portuguese word, though the meaning is somewhat different. Spanish and Portuguese machismo refers to the assumption that masculinity is superior to femininity. It roughly translates as "sexism" or "male chauvinism" (along with the Spanish and Portuguese adjective machista, "sexist" or "male chauvinist").[5] Machismo itself derives from Spanish and Portuguese macho, coming from the Latin mascŭlus and literally meaning simply "male" (of animals); however, when used metaphorically, it connotes "masculine" or "very masculine".[6]
[edit] Mexico
It is worth mentioning that in Nahuatl culture, the term Macho (having nothing to do with the derivation from the Latin mascŭlus), means, translated into Spanish, ejemplar; that is to say, in English, an example, "one who is worthy of imitation."
Therefore, in Mexico, the use of that word provokes confusion if it is not accompanied by major precisions.[7]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Entry for macho at dictionary.com
- ^ Staal, Noam Chomsky Between the Human and Natural Sciences, Janus Head (2001)
- ^ Drew Linsky: A Streetcar Named Desire. In: St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, 2002 Gale Group.
- ^ Investigate and critically reflect on the ways in which viewers react to same-sex romantic screen kisses. University of Aberyswyth
- ^ Entry for machismo at the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy
- ^ Online Etymology Dictionary's entry for "machismo"
- ^ Rémi, Siméon. Diccionario de la lengua náhuatl o mexicana. Siglo XXI Editores, S.A. de C.V., 2004. pp. 246, 258 ISBN 968-23-0573-x. Macho: distinguished, illustrious, ... as a passive voice of Mati: uel macho ó nouian macho, evident, well known, notorious; qualli ipam macho, he is good, well behaved.
