Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Milli Folklor, cilt.147, ss.41-52, 2025 (AHCI, Scopus, TRDizin)
Gender, in its simplest sense, can be defined as the categorization of individuals as female or male based on the expectations and traits imposed by society. The biological sex of an individual, being female or male, is not sufficient for societal recognition. For an individual to be recognized as a woman or a man, they must also conform to the roles, appearances, behaviors, and attitudes defined by society. Discussions on gender have long been focused on women-centered studies. However, over time, gender studies that argue that both femininity and masculinity are socially constructed identities, distinct from biological sex, have increasingly turned their attention to the concept of masculinity. Just as women, men are also subject to pressures regarding identity construction, responsibilities, and the roles they assume in social life. The patriarchal structure, which offers men hegemony, also creates various areas of victimization for them. The awareness of these issues led to the emergence of masculinity studies. The concept of masculinity cannot be explained through a single type; there are different forms of masculinity. The relationships between these forms of masculinity are classified by R.W. Connell as hegemonic, subordinate, complicit, and marginal masculinities. Hegemonic masculinity is a structure that, under the influence of the patriarchal system, is built especially through other forms of masculinity and suppresses them. The creation process of this hegemonic masculinity leads to crises not only for women but also for other men. Subordinate masculinity refers to men who do not conform to traditional masculine traits, or those who possess characteristics deemed feminine. Men who do not fit the hegemonic male model, and fall outside the idealized version of masculinity, are categorized as subordinate masculinities. In order to observe a holistic and embodied expression of hegemonic and subordinate masculinities in male figures in legends, Anatolian legends have been examined. By reading legend texts found in graduate theses and books, male heroes have been categorized as examples of hegemonic or subordinate masculinities. A structuralist approach has been used to identify indicators of masculinity in these legends, and the representations of these masculinity types have been described. The representations of masculinity in the legends have been analyzed through content analysis. As a result, an original classification model has been created, and the representations of hegemonic and subordinate masculinities have been brought into discussion. Given the relative scarcity of masculinity studies in the field of folklore, the parameters used in determining masculinity types, the classification created, and the discussions based on this classification highlight the originality of the article. The most common representations of hegemonic masculinity in the legends are male figures who assume the roles of father, husband, and landowner. Outlaws and aggressive men, who symbolize male violence, anger, and intransigence, are also representations of this category. Fathers and husbands who hold authority over their families, and landowners who symbolize political authority, occupy a hegemonic position in the male world of legends. On the other hand, legend heroes who are emotional, physically weak, poor, and childless emerge as representations of subordinate masculinity. Tracing the representations of masculinity in legends also provides a basis for discussions on gender equality.