Hypermasculine Behaviour of Men at Play: A Study of David Fincher’s Film Fight Club

Abstract

The ideals of masculinity are grounded in the notion of hegemonic masculinity, a cultural construct that places certain male behaviours at the apex of the gender hierarchy. This study explores the manifestation of hypermasculinity in David Fincher’s film Fight Club (1999), focusing on how men display hypermasculine traits to maintain dominance and resist subordination. Through the lens of Masculine Studies, as theorized by Raewyn Connell, the analysis highlights the exaggerated masculine behaviours embodied by Tyler Durden and their influence on men grappling with crises of identity, socio-economic marginalization, and suppressed masculinity. The film demonstrates how hypermasculinity becomes a vehicle for reclaiming dominance through violence, male bonding, and rejection of modern consumerist ideals. However, it also reveals the destructive consequences of such extremes, as the protagonist ultimately reconciles with his own masculinity by rejecting violent domination. The findings suggest that while hegemonic ideals continue to shape male identity, contemporary cultural contexts allow for more fluid and dynamic expressions of masculinity.