Orientalism is the misrepresentation of the Eastern world in Western society. Orientalism was much more commonplace in earlier generations, as our society is now dominated by the absolute necessity of political correctness. There are a few instances in modern culture in which orientalism overwhelms art, especially in cinema. One of the most prominent of these instances is the film 300.
300 is a fictionalized account of the Battle of Thermopylae. The Spartan army looks to defend its people against an invasion of the Persians. Enter orientalism. The Persians are depicted as beautiful, bejeweled barbarians, who have an infinite, invincible army. The Persians believe that their leader, Xerxes, is God. Xerxes's sex is almost indistinguishable-he wears more gold than Mr. T, more eyeliner than Cher, and speaks softly until provoked to attack. The Athenian-Persian division is one of the earliest divisions between the East and the West, so the representation that huge differences existed between the Spartans and the Persians is accurate. The actual differences chosen, however, feminize the Persians in a typical Orientalistic fashion.
The Spartans are fierce and manly-wearing leather Speedos and having major facial hair. The Persians whose faces are shown are portrayed as smooth, pretty, and effeminate. The Persian warriors wear semi-samurai suits, blurring the lines between Eastern cultures. This depiction of Eastern races in 300, a movie produced and released only a year ago, suggest that orientalism might never fully disappear, even in our overly sensitive, strictly P.C. culture.
