Dexter: Villain, hero or simply a man? The perpetuation of traditional masculinity in Dexter

Abstract

The paper analyses how television series Dexter generates complicity with its serial killer protagonist, Dexter Morgan, not only by giving him a heroic edge that overrides the monstrosity of his crimes, but also by focusing on his attempts to blend in and pass undetected by posing as a caring partner, father and co-worker. Dexter’s efforts to curve his inborn violence into submission and to appear as the New Man envisioned in our supposedly post-feminist state of affairs, however, do not prosper and the series ends up promoting an image of men as inherently aggressive, individualist and selfish. Dexter, Iargue, does not manage to countermand a construction of masculinity based on violence and endorses a patriarchal ethos actively and stubbornly engaged in its self-preservation.

El artículo analiza cómo la serie Dexter genera complicidad con el asesino en serie protagonista, Dexter Morgan, no sólo proporcionándole atributos heroicos que nos hacen olvidar la monstruosidad de sus crímenes, sino también presentando a Dexter como un hombre ‘normal’ que intenta pasar inadvertido haciéndose pasar por un buen esposo, padre y compañero de trabajo. Los intentos de Dexter de controlar su violencia y estar a la altura del ideal postfeminista de lo que debe ser un hombre, sin embargo, no tienen éxito y la serie acaba promoviendo una imagen de la masculinidad basada en la agresión, la individualidad y el egoísmo. Dexter, por lo tanto, no logra desligar la masculinidad de la violencia y activamente promueve la supervivencia del sistema patriarcal.