Gender criticism investigates by what means sexual character effects not only the formation of, but the insight of a piece. Gender criticism started with the beginning of the women's movement, which eventually pursued to uncover the male subjugated norms of literature. The “text” touched on gender issues throughout the entirety of the Old Spice commercial. Isaiah Mustafa plays an attractive man, who attempts to comically seduce his audience (mainly women) into purchasing a product for personal use. The text portrays men as masculine and only desired by women if they purchase the product that’s being sold. It also depicts woman as weak in matters of being told what to do by men essentially by hypnosis and/or bribery. There is a sense of dependence and inferiority as a woman, but also a form male inferiority because the commercial is underhandedly stating that you are not a man if you fail to purchase this product. Lastly, this “text” portrays sexuality as objective and dispensable. There is no problem with laughing at the commercial, but if someone with little self-esteem took this commercial to the extent that it was being projected, there would definitely be a plethora of false expectations (i.e. tickets, diamonds, etc.) and hurt feelings/egos.
Sociohistorical criticism is literary criticism in the light of historical evidence or based on the context in which a work was written, including facts about the author’s life and the historical and social circumstances of the time. This is in contrast to other types of criticism, such as textual and formal, in which emphasis is placed on examining the text itself while outside influences on the text are disregarded. The “text” portrays class in an unrealistic fashion. The way that Isaiah is speaking (English context/accent) in a strong male tone with the added cinematic choices (i.e. white horse, diamonds, tickets etc.) all leave me with this high expectation of life choices and feeling of insufficiency. Realistically, most readers are never going to be able to attain any other those materials. The only character in this “text” is a black male and society usually depicts a white male as strong and successful. By having Isaiah play the only role, it gives society and race interpretations a run for its money and tries debunk racial representations and expectations. Lastly, the cultural values that this “text” portrays is that of a Westernized society. This commercial is how other countries view the United States. Most countries believe that the US is full of itself and think that our lives revolve around monetary value.
Psychological criticism centers chiefly on the qualities or characters and on what inner strengths affect and form them throughout the operation. This school of criticism highlights personality development and the correlations amongst personalities. Generally psychological critics depend on the efforts of Sigmund Freud as their spiritual center, although this is not the least bit necessary. This “text” touches on psychological issues through the power and intention of manipulation of the human mind. The commercial was trying coerce or hypnotize the audience into purchasing the intended product for sale. Although this is the case for most or all commercials, this was over the top by means of attempt. Being that I am a competent female adult, this “text” feeds into or displays its creators/audience’s internal desire in the most obvious fashion, through blunt comical sarcasm. Every time I watched the commercial, I couldn’t help but laugh and think, “Geez, they (Old Spice) are really desperate to sell this product.” Now that may have not been the true intention, but it sure felt like it. The commercial reeks of “desperate time’s calls for desperate measures.”
Mythological criticism (Archetypal) criticism is a kind of critical theory that deciphers a text by concentrating on repeated myths and models in the storyline, signs, metaphors, symbols,
