11.14.2012

Don Draper: Proper Don or Dud?


From the beginning any viewer can see the appeal of the main character of Mad Men, Don Draper (Jon Hamm).  He seems to be in ultimate control of his entire life and everyone around him with extreme success and a perfect family.  Basically, he's got it all.  Every woman wants him, every man wants to be him.  According to Urban Dictionary a don is the "top man" or in another definition, "A man who is very sexy and powerful.  This man can control the hearts of all women.  A proper don is a guy that everyone wants to be like".  On the surface Don Draper is the ultimate don. A man that everyone envies and strives to emulate.  He has women hanging all over him all the time, with multiple mistresses and the ultimate housewife, Betty, while the other men at work like Pete envy his ability and want his job.  They all compete for his attention and approval, wanting the same success.  But is Don Draper a true don? 



As the show progresses we see that Don doesn't have it as together as it seems..  Marc Tienne's article asks the ultimate question in "Why Everyone Wants to be Don Draper… Except Don Draper".  The article addresses "Draper's outward perfection and inner ambivalence" and asks why everyone wants to be Don Draper if he doesn't?  In theory he is the ideal man.  Charming, confident, encompassing all the qualities women are looking for and men want to be.  Of course all of these men and women are disregarding his chain smoking, over drinking, cheating, lying, and overall unhappiness.   Tienne compares him to other leading men from The Sopranos and Rescue Me, all admired by viewers but all seriously unhappy.  They are all characters with prominent vices.  The seemingly perfect life lead by the seemingly flawless man turns out to be "not much of a life at all."

Links referenced:
 

No comments:

Post a Comment