'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn': Domestic violence in disguise? -- According to Kristen Stewart in an interview on MTV, the cast for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn has arrived in Baton Rouge and has already done the first read-through of the script. Filming starts in November for Breaking Dawn which will be adapted in two parts from the fourth book in the bestselling vampire romance series by Stephenie Meyer.
Some readers, even those who enjoyed the first three books in the series, are troubled by several elements of the fourth book. Even though it is a fantasy, some readers ask, does Breaking Dawn dramatize domestic violence in the disguise of vampire fantasy? Movie audiences wonder how filmmakers will handle the controversial aspects of the story. What do you think of the potentially serious subject? Is there anything to it?
Perhaps the first instance that troubles critics occurs in the first 100 pages of Breaking Dawn. Vampire Edward Cullen marries human Bella Swan, and they spend their wedding night together on tropical Isle Esme. The island getaway is a wedding gift from vampire Carlisle Cullen, Edward's father figure. When the couple wakes up the next morning, Edward is disgusted at himself for what he has done to his new wife after he sees her body. Vampire-human contact leaves the human being in a damaged position. Bella accepts their situation as it is and tries to help Edward feel better. When Bella looks in the mirror that morning, though, this is what she sees:
"There was a faint shadow across one of my cheekbones, and my lips were a little swollen, but other than that, my face was fine. The rest of me was decorated with patches of blue and purple. I concentrated on the bruises that would be the hardest to hide -- my arms and my shoulders. They weren't so bad. My skin marked up easily. By the time a bruise showed I'd usually forgotten how I'd come by it. Of course, these were just developing. I'd look even worse tomorrow. That would not make things any easier" (BD pg. 95-96).
The dynamic continues to play out with the couple on their first day of marriage where Bella tries to make Edward feel better about hurting her.
Fans say that the book is a fantasy and that readers know it. They say Edward has been tortured all along with the conflict of loving Bella on the one hand but staying away from physical contact with her on the other precisely because he knew that this would happen. He is not in control of his actions because he is a vampire.
Critics say that the scenario walks a little too closely to dramatizing the dangerous cycle of domestic violence -- that the men who hurt women apologize afterwards, and the women they have abused forgive them repeatedly, or even blame themselves for the abuse.
Comment below: What do you think, readers? Are Twilight readers and moviegoers fully aware of the fantasy elements in the story and take events on that level? Is Bella completely in charge of her own choices in the novels and movies? Or -- is there a potentially dangerous element entering the novels/films in Breaking Dawn that young female readers/viewers, especially, should be careful to read and discuss thoughtfully?
Let us know your thoughts in the Comment Section!
SEE ALSO:
Kristen Stewart: 'I had bruises all over my legs'
Kristen Stewart picks up Scream Awards for 'Twilight Saga: Eclipse'
'Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn': More coven cast updates
Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter plays 'Twilight' vampire on Halloween 'Simpsons'
Robert Pattinson 'going to shine' in 'Water for Elephants' says Sara Gruen
Comments
Nah. In my opinion, I think most readers know the difference. The TWILIGHT books are fantasy. Edward is not a woman beater--he's just a vampire who's in love with a human woman, and that's the way Stephenie Meyer chose to portray the conflict in that. There's a difference.
That said, though, I have wondered why Edward seems to be a control freak a lot of the time with Bella. He says he's just being overprotective, but sometimes I wonder.
It will be interesting to see how the movie portrays their marriage.
I think readers know the difference. I don't see domestic violence o any kind of abuse. Its all fantasy.
There is a difference between fear and domination. In the books Bella is in real danger from supernatural forces. Edward's protectiveness stems from fear of losing Bella to death, not that she will just walk away from him. In Eclipse, Edward actually tells Jacob that if Bella chose to leave him he would let her go willingly.
THANK YOU!!!!!
So true
Oh, for crying out loud!!! There are FAR too many do-gooders in the world now!! This is NOTHING like domestic violence - trust me, I've seen it for real!!! People are far too quick to jump on the slightest thing nowadays and make ridiculous comparisons like this! It's a love story about a vampire and a human - everyone knows that! Edward would no more hurt Bella deliberately than chop off his own head!!! That's the difference!
THIS IS THE TRUTH!!! THNK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SOME PPL R JUS SOOOOOOO IGNORANT AND CANT ACCEPT THINGS FOR WHAT THEY R, THEY FEEL THE NEED TO MAKE IT INTO SUMTHIN COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND IRRELEVANT!!!
No question DV is present in the books; between the stuff mentioned above, Edward removing car parts so Bella can't visit Jacob, Jacob forcing himself on her, and her choices all along to abandon family & friends to be with one person. However, it's fiction. Bella's not necessarily a good role model, but as long as kids recognize it's fiction, & parents discuss the books with their kids, it's fine.
Have you read the books? I mean really read them. When Edward altered Bella's car so she couldn't go see Jocob it was because it was too dangerous for her to go. he was protecting her, not hurting or controlling her. He doesn't want what happened to Emily's face to happen to Bella. And he tells Jabob if she chooses to leave him he would let her go and rather her choose that path than her becoming a vampire.
That's what I wanted to point out. In ECLIPSE, there are the werewolves with Emily's face all cut up, etc.. They "can't control themselves" either. I really think there's something to this with the domestic violence thing. I don't think Stephenie Meyer EVER intended it to be like that, and it is a fantasy romance and most readers know the difference, but the parallels are there.
I don't think this is an issue, if read closely their second physical encounter does not harm Bella in any way. In that scenario the bed frame is the one with the injuries. Violence would be an issue if Bella had gotten hurt every time that they were together.
domestic violence never even crossed my mind!! edward does everything in his power NOT to hurt bella and protect her!! i dont see at all how this could even be considered domestic violence!! bella marks easy and it was their first real intimate moment, so you have to consider the passion that was involved!! edward is basically as hard as stone all he has to do is stand there n if bella kisses him with passion of course her lip will be hurt!! its absurd!!! an abusive person is totally different!! they have human strength and choose to use it to hurt their partners!! twilight is a fantasy and edward has 'vampire' strength and didnt hurt bella purposely!! idk who has been married but that nite is a very passionate one!! ;)
This is really dumb. It isn't like edward purposely hurt Bella. If Edward was constantly hurting bella yeah okay. It was only that one time, totally by accident and Bella didn't even realize he hurt her until he pointed it out to her. Domestic violence is a major issue, why even bring it up where it doesn't belong. There are many other books that have actual domestic violence in them (Nicholas Spark's Safe Haven for example). No one is critisizing that book.
In this story Bella get bruised while making love with a vampire who is so strong that he could crush her bones without even trying so she gets a little bruised in the process.
In real life victims of domestic abuse get bruised up by regular men who beat them with their fists in a concerted attempt to hurt them.
How could anyone not be able to tell the difference?
The whole thing's sick. Why would girls fantasize about marrying a guy -- even a hot one -- only to wake up after their wedding night with bruises! Hello?! There's something very wrong with that picture!
i take it u havnt read the books. or else u wouldnt write this. He is a vampire who is very very strong bella knew what she was getting her self into. from day one Edward has never wnted to Hurt the girl that he loves
No! Edward does NOT try to hurt Bella! He is a vampire with hard, i mean HARD, skin. In Twilight he even says that he could try to touch her head and end up crushing her skull. Edward loves Bella so why would he do that anyways?
Edward didn't try to hurt her. He said that that was to be expected but he says that he wasn't gonna do anything that could possibly hurt her until she was changed!
And anyways, Bella says that she bruises so easily! That is just not cool!
Edward would do anything for Bella! Like in New Moon. He would LITERALLY DIE FOR HER! There is no domestic violence in Breaking Dawn.
Domestic violence defined specifically states that it is a PATTERN of abuse. Edward hurts her like that once and on ACCIDENT,
Example no. 2. Emily's face. Edward believed that Jacob was a danger to Bella because he was a young werewolf.
Example no.3. Edward did one of the hardest thing s he's ever done and that was surrender Bella to Jacob to make a trail in Eclipse to protect her from Victoria. Example no. 4. Another form of Domestic Violence is mental. So that Bella would not think about the 15 year old newborn vampire, Bree, in Eclipse get killed, he told her to close her eyes. He not only cares for her physically, but emotionally and mentally, too!
Edward cares so much for Bella that he would never hurt her! He would rather hurt himself than Ever do ANYTHING that could risk HER MIND, BODY, or WELL BEING!
Some people need to do their research before making a headline like this!
"Edward did one of the hardest thing s he's ever done and that was surrender Bella to Jacob to make a trail in Eclipse to protect her from Victoria"
I'm sure you didn't realize it, but you phrased this in a way that highlights the issues in the book. He "surrendered" Bella to Jacob. Edward is extremely controlling and possessive, demonstrating behaviors that are certainly unhealthy. Bella is no better; the love is obsessive and not based on partnership. There are questionable messages indicating that it's better to be dead than to lose love, which is simply false.
As for emotional abuse, Edward's disgust at Bella spending time with werewolves is akin to isolation.
And violence is a problem throughout the books. Lacking self-control is not an excuse to hurt your partner, whether you're a human, a werewolf, or a vampire.
i strongly think that all of them r ture in there own way i know i am only 12 but i think that edward and bella just love each other deeply and nothing will get in there way . edward always trys to keep her safe to me i would want to be bella in the last book ps i think jacob is in the way of bella and edward.
You have seriously got to be kidding me!
The dictionary definition of domestic violence is: the inflicting of physical injury by one family or household member on another; also : a repeated or habitual pattern of such behavior
Bella has to convince Edward. It isn't like he is convincing her. It could be considered domestic violence if Edward MADE Bella do it.
Seriously? I can't even believe this is an issue. I can't even defend it because the accusation is completely baseless. And there are zero parallels with actual domestic abuse and what happens here. This night is a long set of compromises and discussions on Bella and Edward's part. He resists her until finally SHE convinces HIM to try. It's beyond me how someone - who actually read the books and didn't jump on the media hype bandwagon - could draw such an illogical conclusion about their honeymoon.
I've heard that if you take a "Twilight" class in college they talk about this, so it's not like it's being pulled out of thin air.
A lot of people don't like the books because they think they make Bella look weak after she meets Edward, when she was strong before. I disagree, but that opinion is definitely out there and held by a lot of people.
As for the honeymoon scene, I think Bella, like always, keeps pushing Edward for what she wants, not what he wants. He gives in to her, which tells me that she holds the power in the relationship.
Under feminist ideology, domestic violence takes on a warped perspective. V.P. Biden recently called violence against women, "the very worst abuse." The very worst abuse is valuing one life less than another for having been born the wrong sex. Under Biden's Violence Against Women Act the wrong sex is men. Shelter and services are virtually non-existent for male victims of domestic violence so those options out of a bad relationship, that are routinely available to women, are very often not available to men. Men wind up gender profiled and often falsely accused by the taxpayer funded, d.v. industry, because of gender feminist ideology controlling the d.v. industry. Men are often battered by domestic violence, and then battered again by the taxpayer funded, domestic violence industry. Credible research overwhelmingly shows that the ratio of d.v. is at least 50/50 between women & men. http://tinyurl.com/3sakk According to one study by researchers who work at the CDC, in 70% of domestic violence incidents, where the domestic violence is not mutual, it's women who initiate the domestic violence. http://tinyurl.com/yzm9xhe The taxpayer funded domestic violence industry has largely mischaracterized the true nature of d.v. from the beginning and continues to mislead the public. D.V. law follows a gender feminist agenda/ideology over facts in evidence and does great harm to many innocent men (and also many battering women who need help) as shown in "Los Misandry" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAmOxvudpF8
ARE U KIDDING ME!!!! u have got no idea what fantasy and reality. he loves bella so much. the reason why he ran away in twilight was cos he didn t wnt to hurt bella. Plus he is a vampire and he warned her what might happen if they did this He would never hurt bella in anyway, plus it not like he hit her. he was making love to her. there is a big difference between the two. coz just you have nothing else to write about PLEASE dont make stuff up thats not true just to make head topics...
There is no domestic violence in the whole saga at all. People need to stop looking for stupid things when there not there to begin with, wether its domestic violence or contol issues. Edward loves Bella and would do anything for her, and everyone that has read the books know this. So stop taking parts of the story out of contects. Why not include all of the feathers in Bella's head? Everyone knows Edward bit one or two to stop himself from bitting her!
I've read all of the books, not to recently though. The domestic violence thought never occured to me. Before I read this I thought it was just going to be someone making a big deal out of something. Normal paparazzi stuff.. Whether this is like that or not.. I haven't decided. There are definitely spots of the book (Breaking Dawn) that could be interpreted as domestic violence. But the series itself kind of contradicts that. Edward was always rescuing Bella from getting hurt (she's a total klutz) because he couldn't stand seeing her hurt, even in the least bit. Fortunately, unlike others, I've never witnessed domestic violence, so I can't say I know exactly what it would be like. I think it is possible that Stephanie Meyer MAY have hinted at it, but it is also incredibly possible that, that is just what she wanted to have happen in the book solely for the purpose of bettering the plot.
The only way to find out if Stephanie Meyer was hinting at Domestic violence would be to ask her. (notice the word "ask" and how it is very different from the word "hound")
p.s. I did not have the time to read all of the comments, so if I said the same thing as someone else.. i'm not taking credit for what they said, I just did not know.
i only read the first three books and my friends dragged me to the first movie, but i know what happens in the last book. i have to say there are a lot of things in the book that i will let slide, for example the grammer, poor story telling abilities and the fact that vampires sparkle but i knew right from the get go that there was something wrong in that relationship. i realize that the author was trying to show that edward loved bella so much that is she died he would be so hart broken he would have to kill him self, and i know that MOST reader SHOULD know the diffrence but i know first hand that there are MANY MANY people who don't.
i doubt that the author actually planned to write a book showing girls that over domestic violence is okay but that doesn't change that fact that this is what this series is doing.
there is a place out there for stories like these ie:
rebbecca, romeo and juliet, grease, highschool musical,
but people have to think about what they are reading and know that people (not just women) have a tendency of falling for fancy words but they have to pay attention to the whole relation ship.
bella is in danger because of edward in the first place, but instead of helping to empower her he hides her away making her weaker and weaker, as well as more and more reliant on him, if he truly loved her he would find a better way to deal with the whole situation.
it's romanticizing the weakness of women
if you want stories that include romance AND empowered women try: hairspray, pride and prejudice, the paper bag princess, heck even harry potter...
that being said i do appreciate the inclusion of aboriginals, as romanticized and misinformed the author was about life on reserves (the government get enjoyment from screwing them over again and again... i could go on).
Would you defenders of this series read your own statements?
He loves her... He can't help himself... He would never hurt her on purpose... You just don't understand... She knew what she was getting into... It only happened a few times...
That sounds almost exactly like what abused women say to defend their abusers. Take all your arguments and replace Edward with a drunk that NEEDS booze and when he drinks a lot gets angry and violent. Arguably, he can't help himself. He would never hurt her when he was sober. He hates himself for hurting her. He loves her. She knew what she was getting into... The list goes on...
To say that it is fantasy doesn't help. If I made a fantasy movie about vampires raping women and them liking it and falling in love with the vampires, and then marketed it to teenagers, I should be shot.
Yes this is a fantasy. Do you really want young girls fantasizing about a relationship where she has no power and he loses control and hurts her? Just because the person is a vampire and can't help it, does not justify portraying women as weak objects that are only valuable because they are loved by a man and they just need to take whatever physical injuries come with it.
"Have you read the books? I mean really read them." What the heck does that mean? How do you REALLY read a book? I am not saying the intent was to portray violence against women as OK. I am just saying that is the result. I understand that this is a love story about how deeply he loves her. Just because a man loves (or is obsessed with) a woman, does not mean he can't be abusive and it certainly doesn't justify her staying with him.
I would normally agree that people get worked up about racist, sexist, etc. messages in movies way too much. But this story is not a metaphor for domestic violence, it is a perfect example of domestic violence. If Edward was not a vampire, everyone would agree she should call the police and never see him again. I hate to say it, but there are plenty of abusive men out there that can't help it because they were born that way or because they fought in a war that made them that way. And most of them would kill and/or die for the woman they are abusing.
Take off your chick-flick loving glasses for one minute and look at the messages that this movie gives to girls.
Pretend for ONE MINUTE that these books don't get your juices flowing. Look at this objectively. I know this is hard because you wouldn't be defending it unless you really enjoyed the story. But I beg you to try. Look at it from the mind of a 14 year old girl. Now use this as your model for a fantasy and see what type of guy this is going to lead you to.
For those of you who think people can tell the diference between reality and fantasy, here is a quote from a Twilight fan:
"I do compare Love life's to every single guy i like now. haha!!
Ill see if "a guy" im crushing on has anything in common with edward or with jacob."
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