The only sensation crueler than
physical enslavement is its mental impact. Many individuals experience one or the other,
but the female protagonist in Lina Wertmüller’s film endures both. Swept Away depicts the tale of
capitalistic cruiser Rafaella and communistic crew member Gennarino. Despite her
earlier mockery of Gennarino, Rafaella is forced to seek out his survival
skills when the two get stranded on a Mediterranean island. In a wild turn of
events, passive Gennarino becomes disturbingly dominant, demanding sexual
favors in return. As a result, the character of Mariangela Melato forms a
positive attachment to her captor, portraying many signs that point in the
direction of Stockholm Syndrome. However, this condition hardly insinuates that
women are inevitably, continuously doomed.
Abusive relationships result in
long-term effects and under this umbrella lays Stockholm Syndrome. Without
either of the two realizing it, the disorder creeps up to the couple caught in
captor-captive relationships. Mental disorder therapist Julia Layton
describes the cause of the syndrome: “In a traumatic and
extraordinarily stressful event, a person finds herself held captive by a man
who is threatening to kill her if she disobeys him in any way. She may be
abused — physically, sexually and/or verbally — and have trouble thinking
straight” (par. 1). Rafaella undoubtedly fits all of the criteria. In
Rafaella and Gennarino’s case, the couple is unexpectedly trapped in the middle
of the ocean. To surmount it all, the event is especially anxiety producing due
the fact that the individuals share a mutual contempt for one another. For
instance, Rafaella complains that the fish Gennarino so painfully caught emits
a horrific odor and thus justifies her propelling it overboard (Wertmüller
0:25:19). Stripped of her privilege, Rafaella struggles to feed herself and
proceeds to ask the scruffy man for assistance. Gennarino smirks, agreeing to
find sustenance under the contingency that she participate in sexual
intercourse with him (Wertmüller 0:59:33). When Rafaella disobeys, Gennarino
rapes her and threatens to keep the food to himself, thereby indirectly killing
her (Wertmüller 1:08:19). In short, under stressful conditions, Rafaella’s
Syndrome is caused by the sexual onslaught and refusal of food when she
expostulates his request.
The Milan-bred blonde sheds her
high maintenance character and transitions, instead, to a self-sacrificing
slave. She becomes attracted to Gennarino’s abuse of power and begins to view
it as a positive display of masculinity. At this point, Rafaella exhibits
symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome. Prime Health Channel’s website states that one
common symptom is “showing admiration for abductors” (par.
6). She forgoes all resistance of torture, replacing it with confessions of
love and proposals of marriage (Wertmüller 0:1:23:07). Critic Tania Modleski
describes the situation best: “[Rafaella] luxuriates in her lover’s abuse and
even surpasses him in devising more exquisite sexual degradations for herself”
(par. 7). Rafaella’s change in temperament and abnormal positive
attachment to her “master” provokes Wertmüller’s audience to diagnose the
submissive woman with Stockholm Syndrome.
Despite the façade of an erotic sex
life the beached couple has curated, the relationship lacks substance. One
reviewer comments, “…there's no love between the two….Wertmüller's simply
created a situation in which no other options exist for Rafaella” (Rembrandt,
par. 2). Forced to remain close to Gennarino for survival, the captive accepts
that her situation will be exacerbated if she resists. When opportunity arises
for the pair to escape the imprisonment of the island, Gennarino insists they
do so out of insecurity (Wertmüller 1:48:00). He seeks validation of Rafaella’s
romantic feelings towards him. However, the woman regains the snooty essence of
her character, recognizing that their relationship would crumble under the
circumstances of the civilization due to their artificial affection. Thus,
Rafaella chooses to desert her suitor, evidencing the notion that she never
truly loved him, and that her mind was, in fact, merely colonized by the influence
of Stockholm Syndrome.
Frustrated by the fashion in which
the female director chooses to portray the symbol of feminism, the audience may
question society’s view of a woman’s destiny. They ask if this is the lot women
are squared off to in society and if submission to man is the only
passageway to survival. Critic Roger Ebert argues that Wertmüller is attempting
to relay the message that “woman is an essentially masochistic and submissive
creature who likes nothing better than being swept off her feet by a strong and
lustful male” (par. 5). However, I must disagree. Although women are
susceptible to caving into weak points — just as men are, might I add —
they are just as readily
prepared to overcome the struggle. Similarly, Rafaella endures complete
dominance and abuse from her captor; however, her resilience allows her to
break free from the shackles of her mental illness by leaving him immediately
after the two reach civilization. Of course, initially, Rafaella appears
oppressed, but the disturbing progression of the film merely serves as a set-up
for her victory, or declaration of independence. In her analysis of Swept Away, student Samantha Storms stresses
the sentiment that “the negative light that is shed upon women such as Rafaella
is not a symbol of inhibition, but an indication of forward movement and
progression within a corrupted, subjugating culture” (par. 6). Women
are individuals who are not damned to be the oppressors in society, but rather,
are inherently the advancers.
Colonization of the mind is powerful. Left with no option
but to rely on evil Gennarino for survival, the young woman guiles her mind
into a synthetic lust, evidencing a classic case of Stockholm Syndrome. A
declaration of independence is even more powerful. Rafaella slips from her
captor’s chokehold and evolves into an emblem of female empowerment. The flip
from Rafaella’s tainted mental state to an account of female empowerment speaks
volumes regarding Western culture. Lina Wertmüller’s iconic piece Swept Away causes her audience to
question society’s views on mental health and a woman’s place — or lack thereof
— and, furthermore,
serves as a catalyst for social progression.
Works Cited
Ebert, Roger. "Swept Away by
an Unusual Destiny in the Blue Sea of August Movie Review
(1976) | Roger Ebert." RogerEbert.com.
Romano Cardarelli, 20 Feb. 1976.
Web. 19 Apr. 2017.
Layton, Julia. "What Causes
Stockholm Syndrome?" HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks,
29
Aug. 2006. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.
Modleski, Tania. "Wertmuller’s
Women." Jump Cut Review of Contemporary Media.
Jump
Cut Review of Contemporary Media, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.
PHC Editorial Team. "Stockholm
Syndrome - Causes, Symptoms, Cases and
Treatment."
Prime Health Channel. Prime Health Channel, 6 Oct. 2010. Web.
18
Apr. 2017.
Rembrandt Q. "Swept Away
(1974)." Letterboxd. Letterboxd, 2 May 2014. Web. 19
Apr.
2017.
Storms, Samantha. "Passion’s
Dark Side: Roeg’s Walkabout vs Wertmüller’s Swept
Away
by Samantha Storms." Taking Giant Steps. Kirpal Gordon, 08 Dec.
2016.
Web.
19 Apr. 2017.
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