A brief encounter

In this film here are a few different ways in which women are represented through out shown throughout the film.

Firstly the main character is represented to e very emotional, timid and weak throughout the whole film. This is firstly shown in te emotions that the character portrayed and her facial expressions. Throughout the film the character seemed to have an unhappy look upon her face even when she was with the man she loved. She also kept bursting into tears at everything which showed her to be very weak and emotional as this small act of being with this man, without even engaging in a physical relationship with him made her full of guilt and sorrow. Also throughout the film the women always seemed dependant on the male characters. For example when the main character would cry it would either be her husband or boyfriend who would console her. Also when the cafe lady was having trouble with the two male characters they sent for a man to come and help and he did. For this it seemed that she would 'pay him back' for this.

Another representation of women in this film was as the worker and physical labourer. This was shown in the character of the waitresses and when the main character was asked to make dinner for her husband. Even in the different status's of the character shown in the costumes the males have more authority. For example the nanny or maid who was clearly this due to her maid costume was working for a man. Also when the mother got home she had to rush upstairs to the child. The barmaid was constantly working e it cleaning glasses or pouring drinks throughout the entirety of the film. 

This film shows Laura Mulvey's the male gaze because all of the stereotypes put upon the woman would appear to be from the view of a man rather than that of a women. 
George Gerbners theory is also relevant for this film as at this point in time women were seen in the way that she is presented in that she makes his dinner and is just there too look after her husband. It is likely that this could have been shown with the aim of the 'drip drip' making women and men view women in this way.

Another representation shown in the film was that women are there purely for men's pleasure and entertainment. This was shown in how the main character was to make her husband dinner when she had just got back. It was also shown when the men in the cafe were bothering the woman and wanted pleasure from her. Even when the man got rid of those two men she suggested she would 'thank him later' which we assume means physically which shows how she wants to pleasure him. 

The main character was also shown to be slightly unstable at points, due to her changing emotions very quickly and spontaneously for example when she would burst into tears suddenly or burst into uncontrollable laughter for no obvious reason.

The main character was also shown to be truthful and kind hearted. This was shown in how the whole film was her imagining herself to e telling her husband about her affair. This shows how she wishes she could tell him but for his sake she doesn't showing how he puts his feelings before hers showing her to be an ultimately decent person despite falling in love with another man.

Lastly women are shown to be less educated than men. This is shown but he fact that the husband sits and does a times crossword which is difficult while she sits there sewing. This is also shown by the fact that her boyfriend is a doctor, her husband wears a suit and she spends her time stereotypically shopping. The there women in the film are shown to have jobs like waitress which would not take much intellectual skill.