An Analysis of The Movie Victoria & Abdul (2017) Using Feminist Theory: The Representation of Power and Women Resistance

Abstract

This research analyzes the representation of women's power and resistance in the movie Victoria & Abdul (2017) by Stephen Frears through a feminist theory approach. The movie depicts the dynamics of the relationship between Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim, an Indian servant, in the context of the British monarchy, which is fraught with colonial and patriarchal norms. Although this film has been widely discussed in the context of colonial history, but research that specifically highlights how powerful women characters faced male domination in the social structure of the monarchy is still limited. Therefore, the purpose this research is to fill the gap by analyzing how the character of Queen Victoria uses her authority as a woman to assert power, resist subordination, and challenge the patriarchal system in the monarchy. The research method used is descriptive qualitative, by collecting data from the movie as the primary data, and books, journals, articles, and online sources as secondary data. The data analysis is conducted using a thematic approach to identify the main patterns relevant to the function of language style in literary works. The results of the research show the Queen Victoria represents women's authority through statements and actions that affirm her identity as a leader, showing forms of gender resistance to male social control, and challenging institutional patriarchy through her brave personal decisions. The conclusion of this research is that the movie Victoria & Abdul not only presents a personal historical narrative but also offers a feminist narrative demonstrating that female authority can be realized through the courage to choose, maintain authority, and resistance against male dominance in both public and private spheres.