Negotiating the conditions of Bella's desire: Sexuality in the Twilight saga

Through detailed analysis of the relationship between lead characters, Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, this thesis explores the Twilight Saga’s representation of sexuality. In the four novels and five film adaptations, the series presents female sexuality as threatening to the patriarchal status-quo, while simultaneously depicting a version of male sexuality that is fragile and in need of protecting. By examining Edward’s fears about his sexuality, and therefore cultural anxiety about the sexual behaviour of adolescent males, this work engages in a close examination of the way that Bella is represented as a threat to Edward and the patriarchal structure of his family. To evaluate the impact of the saga on attitudes of fans, this study provides a critical analysis of a selection of Twilight fan fiction. These stories represent a feminization of writing and a path to the creation of what Hélène Cixous calls 'écriture feminine,' or women's writing, via collaborative and reciprocal story telling that allows the audience to participate in the creation of the story and therefore shape the meaning of the text.