Introduction

This dissertation offers a reading of possible connections between domestic violence and sport. I will be explaining the problem primarily in terms of the oedipal crisis. To look at the actual connection between domestic violence and sport, probably the most famous examples of this are Mike Tyson who was accused of rape, O.J. Simpson accused of beating his former wife and most recently Paul Gascoigne who also beat-up his wife. Despite these three examples, all of whom attracted media attention because of their various athletic status, there has been little research carried out in Britain to officially acknowledge this link.

I understand that this is because domestic violence, as a subject, is too complicated and there are a number of explanations for what stimulates aggression. However, one reason The Women's Aid Federation of England gives for this type of action is that;

"Domestic violence seems to be rooted in men's domination and control over women, backed up by societal and l or legal support for men's right to control their wives and children using force if necessary"[1]

This is a fundamental part of my argument which I look at in relation to the feelings stimulated by sport.

Looking to existing text related to this subject, I found that there have been a number of studies carried out on violence and sport. However, these have been based on either violence directly linked to the activity or the attitude of the fans. In Blood and Guts -Violence in Sport by Don Atyeo, he looked at how team games and how sporting activities have changed throughout history identifying that play has become more violent. He philosophically concluded that the increase of violence in games can' t be blamed entirely o n the increase of violence within society even though it is a reflection, and instead offers the notion that sport is held highly in society to channel feelings of nationalistic pride and so will occasional fall short of expectations. This can be seen in today's sports culture where there are growing numbers of athletic icons and celebrities whom have committed a social crime, domestic violence being one of them.

Domestic violence is a widely researched area which primarily focuses on the victim and their needs. More recently there has been developments in help groups for men or woman that want to control and confront their aggressive behaviour. Deeper psychological research concluded, as I said, that it is a complex subject and that every case is different.

This is by no means a sociological analysis filled with statistics designed to prove that there is a strong connection but a theoretical study based on the specific case of Paul Gascoigne. The aims of my research are to deconstruct the game of football and the associated culture and to identify signifiers of masculinity which could stimulate an act of aggression. To follow this I am therefore suggesting that the root of aggression in this case stems from the construction of identity and inability to form relationships with others.

To continue with my argument I have chosen to look at Freud's theory of the Oedipal crisis and whilst I appreciate that Lacan took Freud's principals further and feminist philosophers have criticised his work, I feel that he offers a model to base an understanding of the primary discovery of gender difference, the journey to self awareness and the basic forming of relationships. This I therefore consider to be a crucial period of development with land marks for a child to complete to enable successful development in adult life - thus my main argument is that Gazza is still struggling through the Oedipal crisis.

In the first chapter I carry out a primary analysis of newspaper articles related to the case study and in the second and third offer a psychoanalytical interpretation. In doing this I will be contributing to the wider topic in a way which hasn't been done before.

In Chapter one I begin by introducing the case study of Paul Gascoigne who recently appeared in several newspapers for beating his wife Sheryl. This I use as a working example to support the overall theme of my study. This chapter is constructed around the point that whilst society holds the view that domestic violence is unacceptable newspaper reports on the incident are compromised.

In Chapter two I will be discussing how football offers the opportunity for men to develop their male identity and how the game has signifiers of violence. To analyse the game I introduce Freud's theories of the Oedipal complex and suggest that football highlights how Gazza is still struggling in the crisis searching for male dominance.

In Chapter three I develop this theme further to tie the principals of the struggle in the Oedipal period to the case study and notions of dominance to domestic violence. I explore the role of the aggressor and the victim and suggest that Gazza is caught between two roles, one of the hero and one of the intimate family man.

Chapter 1
A Case study of Gazza

In this chapter I am beginning my research with a case study of Paul Gascoigne, who recently made front page news for beating his wife Sheryl. This supports my chosen theme by illustrating the connection between domestic violence and sport.

I have chosen to follow the story in two papers,. The Sun and The Guardian and I start by describing and comparing the visual and written representations of Gazza the aggressor and Sheryl, the victim.

To open up this analysis I introduce a thread of my argument by discussing that whilst newspapers reflect society and agree that domestic violence is unacceptable it can be seen that the reporting of this case has been compromised. Using Roland Bathes theories of connotation and denotation I consider this compromise and the importance of the relationship between text and images.

I suggest that one reason for a compromise is that papers, as a communication medium have supported the construction of the Football player / athletic image. This has developed alongside the growing interest in sport and I suggest that some of the focus has moved away from the game or event itself. I take the idea further and identify the individual agendas of each paper to explain their reasons for compromise, in terms of cultural and economical influence.

The Sun (To view a copy of the article see appendices 1)

Firstly, to start the analysis I have looked at The Sun as an example of a tabloid paper. The house style of The Sun is reports that will appeal to a popular style readership and therefore the paper prioritises articles of human interest and news stories about show business, sport, celebrities, T.V and the Royal Family. This accounts for why the Paul Gascoigne story would be considered very suitable news.

On the day the story broke, the article appeared on the front cover with the headline: "Beaten Sheryl in Last Ditch Gazza Talks". This was the second story filling 1/3 of the bottom left corner. The picture to accompany the text was of Sheryl who I describe as looking bruised and tearful. The text covered less of the allocated space than the picture and lead to a fuller article inside, both of these factors are recognised to be characteristics of The Sun's house style.

The Gazza story is 'second' to another article about wife beating, which can be seen to indicate that an association angle has been taken, as opposed to the story being treated separately. So whilst being suitable news the physical positioning of the report illustrates a side step. The story continues inside the paper, again as the smaller piece alongside Paul Merson, another soccer ace, who's in a similar situation.

Analysis

The picture of Sheryl draws attention to the front page and the story. It is a strong image of the subject and denotes the first message that she was beaten-up. According to Barthes a picture like this of the victim begins the reading of the chosen connotation. This image indicates the paper is representing the cultural ideology of anti-wife beating and is taking the side of the victim.

Moving to look at the text, the caption to accompany the picture, "Showdown....Sheryl won pledge from Gazza," is a contradiction to the photo by saying that Sheryl isn't a victim but a winner. The story develops along the "what will happen next?" question and so whilst the reader may be initially shocked with the incident the story doesn't take the outraged stand point and instead sweeps the focus away. So in this incident the relationship between the text and words work together in contradictory ways;

"...the image no longer illustrates the words; it is now the words which, structurally, are parasitic on the image."[2]

This quote from describes the actual relationship in this incident, not only has the shift of meaning moved the text and image actually differ. The picture of Sheryl speaks out a message loudly but the text offers a different meaning;

"Sometimes, however, the text produces (invents) an entirely new signified which is retroactively projected into the image, so much so as to appear denoted there."[3]

The text of The Sun works against the picture and softens the actual harshness of the story. The effect of this is a compromise in the overall connoted message that the paper is trying to give to it's readers. Looking at the representations of Sheryl and Gascoigne the contradictory message of the text become more apparent.

Representations of Sheryl

The picture portrayed her as the victim, this is an image which can't be compromised. However, the caption, as discussed tries to soften the impact and offer a reading along positive lines reassuring the reader that she is being mentally strong. The second picture that accompanies the story as it continues inside is of their wedding and the text gives the impression that this is a fairy tale that has gone wrong. This story is also quick to point out the life style Sheryl is accustomed to, expensive dinners and weekends away. This paints a fuller picture of her life and provides depth, the repercussions of which I suggest is to encourage the reader to sympathise for her disappointment and also considers what she bas to loose. The additional effect is that it helps to clarify her actions to any doubting readers, should she decide to go back to him. Whilst appearing slightly like the script from a soap opera the incident is treated with sober respect as Sheryl is quoted to be a lovely person who doesn't deserve this.

Representations of Gazza

The representations of Gazza are subtle as the reporting avoids dwelling on the principals of what he did and instead presents him as a repentant, humble man that is desperate to save his marriage. The reason offered and justification that was given for his actions was a drunken rage. Whilst there isn't a direct bid for the sympathy vote it presents his soft side, which his fans know him for, and presents to the reader a "give him a chance" message. The emphasis is on his family life rather than on him being a sporting hero which I suggests indicates that measures have been taken to preserve his professional / celebrity reputation. However, his recent behaviour on the field didn't escape a mention but was considered to give the image that "Gazza needs help" rather than Gazza has changed into an aggressive character. The Women's organisation did hint that there is a possibility that he will get away with what he did leaving the reader with a small opportunity to question the ethics.

The Guardian (To view the article see appendices 2)

In this second analysis I again discuss the reporting in comparison to that of The Sun' s and argue that whilst the approach is different in accordance to The Guardian house-style, the writing once again has been compromised. The article was written under The Week section rather than like The Sun where it featured as front page news. This I suggest is simply an indication of the general approach The guardian has sport celebrity style new s.

Beginning with the description of the article;

The Headline: Pitch battle ends with woman carried off on a stretcher.

The wording and imagery used in the main headline suggests that the article could just as easily appear on a sports page. This introduces the connection between sport and violence and doesn't compromise the effect of Gaza's actions.

Subheading: Gazza beats up Shezza and the sports world turns a blind eye. Julie Burchill on men who treat women like footballs continues to build on the connection between the incident, violence and sport. This I consider suggests that the couples marriage is being compared to a game where Gazza carries on being a football hero off the pitch to score a goal with his wife.

The sub-heading offers a false sense of familiarity surrounding the issue by referencing the couple with informal names. The text however addresses the shock and outrage behind the action of violence against women whilst the couple take a back seat and references them when leading to a connection between sport and violence concluding that it is part of the new man's struggle to fit into society alongside women.

The picture which accompanies the text is a portrait of the couple which seems relatively unrelated to the actual incident. According to Bathes the role of the 'picture' or image has changed, it was once needed to illustrate the text, but today it sends out a meaning of it's own and the text often writes around it to develop a deeper meaning. Unlike The Sun this picture of the couple isn't related directly to the incident and I would argue doesn't give a strong message of it's own. By using the image it can be seen as a compromise as the text is needed to map on a meaning. Thus being an inverted compromise to that of The Sun.

This article doesn't heavily single out Gazza but he is disregarded alongside other sportsmen for his caveman attitude towards women. Unlike The Sun, which drew the readers to the sympathy vote for both parties involved, The Guardian avoided personalising the incident or slandering Gazza greatly but attacks society and questions weather wife beating is becoming acceptable Sheryl on the other hand is represented as being defenceless and described as "long suffering" by the writer which does generate feelings of sympathy for what she is going through. Unlike The Sun there is little indication of what will happen next or obvious personal judgement however, by condoning sportsmen the view point can be seen.

The follow-on stories in the Guardian are about Gazza's recent violent behaviour on the pitch and his steps toward controlling his drink problem.

A Question of Compromise

The writing style, angel and visual approach of both The Sun and The Guardian differ greatly, as I have indicated. However, neither papers directly attack Gazza or hold him in the spotlight as a public example for his deviant behaviour. Which leads to the question of why have both papers compromised their writing? It is possible to analyse this compromise by considering that the papers have their own agendas.

The Sun represents Sheryl and Gazza in a good light trying to work at their problems tackling the story on a personal level and manages to side step the sport and violence issue or wife-beating stance. U sing an economic model in relation to The Sun there are strong reasons why it would be inadvisable for them to write allegations against Gazza's actions, which could damage his career, public image and reputation any further than necessary. The main reason I suggest for their silent support is because Gazza plays for Rangers, which is sponsored by Scottish international and in appearing on Sky T.V he encourages publicity. So from an economical point it would be considered wise to slander Gazza's name, since similarly to The Sun, Sky T.V. falls under the Murdoch empire.

The Guardian offers no excuses for the type of behaviour seen and opts to take a sideline angle of the rise in domestic violence and violence in sport. In comparison to The Sun, The Guardian doesn't have such a direct link, but looking at Gazza's career, he does ride on the wave of representing Britain and I suggest therefore that the writing has been suppressed by notions of nationalism. Because Gazza plays for England and represents his country it would be suicidal to wade in. Whilst The Guardian readers probably don't hold Gazza as such an icon as those of The Sun, football as a commercial industry is popular and growing commercial industry which appeals to people from all social backgrounds. So whilst football was once structured on class, I argue that it is now based on consumption. The commercialism of football has helped to develop this nationalistic feeling of pride spectators feel when watching their team or country play.

By identifying that the papers have been compromised in their support of a victim of domestic violence it can be suggested that Gazza has been partially accepted as a wife-beater. This can be argued to have detrimental effect on how society views such actions. The reasons for these compromise was that whilst papers have a responsibility to inform their readers of events they too are a product which relies heavily a high number of reader and sales and so have to priorities to gain popularity.

Chapter 2
Signifiers of Masculinity in Football in terms of the Oedipus Complex

Football was once a simple game played in the streets and in parks which brought men and children together to spend time inter-acting outside work and the home. Whilst this still happens, the game of football has grown to a higher status and it now produces highly skilled players, loyal supporters and professional teams. In this chapter I discuss the effect of some of these changes.

In structure this chapter is divided into two halves, the first explores signifiers of masculinity within the game and the second, signifiers of violence. Glancing at the original game, there is one tradition that has remained relatively unchallenged, football is still a male dominated game and many players and supporters alike will argue that it is the male 'rite' and a privilege part of their British heritage. Looking then to why there is so much value placed on the game I suggest that it is the quality time that men spend together that provides an avenue for the male gender to develop and assert their masculinity whilst forming relationships with others.

It could then be said that similarly to the family, football stands in line as a social institution and because of this I look to the family to draw comparisons and suggest that a man continues to explore his masculinity by building upon the foundations that were established during his infantile periods of development. I have chosen to look at this notion by exploring Freud's writing on the Oedipal Complex.

The second half addresses the issue that in becoming a commercial industry motivated by the need to make money the game itself has been forced to move away from savage rules. By developing a uniform structure the game could be seen as becoming somewhat tamed and given a sense of order, however, I argue on the contrary that football today is in fact based on a tribal culture of violence. Media representations have helped to construct this image as there have been a number of reported acts of associated violence. This occurs on the pitch between rival players, off the pitch in the form of riots instigated by opposing supporters and now at home with a connection with domestic violence.

2:1 Signifiers of Masculinity

Football like other sports provide an individual with an avenue to channel energy whilst increasing health and fitness. Other positive effects are that it can enhance self esteem, encourages optimism, strength and provide masculine companionship. In "Power at Play", a study of American Football, Michael Messner looks closely at male friendships within sport. He suggests that the relationship formed between team mates is similar to the bonds within a family and team games provide the means to connect with other males, similarly to the way father and son and brothers would.

The first relationship between two males can be considered that of the father and son. Within Freud's work on the Oedipus Complex it is possible to see why it is important for men to connect with others, how the bond was initially established and how this type of male relationship continues into adulthood.

Looking first to an understanding of the Oedipal crisis. The Oedipal crisis is a significant period of development in an infants life which Freud offers as a model to explain the changes and emotions that take place as a child grasps a greater understanding of the ‘self'. In his work on sexuality he considers this to be the initial exploring of gender difference in human culture. A definition of the Oedipus is;

"… culmination point of the child's induction into patriarchal social values, the point at which the boy acquires the characteristics of masculinity, and the girl the features of femininity"[4]

This quote therefore illustrates that the child identifies the biological differences between the male and the female and begins to understand the meanings of masculinity and femininity, judging one by the other. By identifying with the parent of the same sex the child builds an awareness of the different genders within society and thus establishing boundaries and relationships within the family. These stages are seen as an introduction to social and cultural ideologies regarding sexuality and I suggest that this journey continues beyond the family and into adult life, with one avenue being sport.

Being with other men provides the opportunity for men to develop their identity within the comfortable walls of familiarity and 'likeness'. This 'likeness' holds the key to how football can aid the forming and redefining of the masculine identity. This is as far as the comparison goes. I argue that the relationship between team mates differs to that of the entire family because it is lacking the female gender and therefore any intimate relationships. There is then only an abstract connection between team mates and it is this type of friendship and the boundaries that are of interest. As from an early age it is believed that men are taught to suppress their emotions and to connect with other men without intimacy and this is a prime example of this. I suggest that this comes form the relationship between the father and son.

A male infant first encounters the father when he enters the mother / son dyad and creates a three way relationship which consequently open's up the child's world further. Freud considers that at this stage the new parent figure provokes contradictory feelings whilst the grounds of his new relationship are established. This is because to the young male the father is considered an intrusion which prevents any return to the security of the dyad bond. In reaction to this there are feelings of hate as the boy wishes to kill his father.

The relationship moves on as the infant develops an understanding of the biological difference. He identifies the penis, observes that the mother is without and, like the father, he is with. Both Freud and Lacan give the penis the term phallus and consider it to be a symbol and root of masculinity. This is taken further and the phallus is interpreted as being more than simply as sign of sexual difference as it does in fact represents notions of dominance and power.

Fear of Intimacy

Having identified that male relationships both within the family and football lack intimacy it is also possible to suggest that there is a fear of this deep bond. This again can be traced back to Oedipal development and the loss of closeness with the mother during what Freud called the castration complex. It is during this stage that the initial bond between mother and child is broken and the primal desire isn't just simply repressed but completely destroyed to prevent any incestuous feelings. (The Primal Desire is explored in chapter 3).

During the pre-Oedipus stage an infant considers the surrounding world as ‘one' without a conceptual understanding of boundaries or ‘self'. In this preverbal stage all the child's physical needs for food, attention and love, are catered for by the mother and the mother sustains the oneness. Over time the infant recognises the difference between the mothers absence and presence, distinguishing a separation and dividing the infants world into two. This forms a dyad relationship which the child continues to enjoy. When the father enters the relationship as discussed the child feels loss, as his relationship with his mother becomes less intense.

The boy identifies that the father is the greater of the rivals to fulfil the mother desires and so whilst he is in love with his mother and jealous of his father he knows that he can' t replace him. In reaction to this the infant encounter feelings of fear and this is known as the castration complex. Castration itself is symbolic for pre-mature sexual activity and the desire of the mother.

The castration complex:

"During this phallic phase of genital organisation there is only masculinity, and the option is that of either having the masculine genital or being castrated."[5]

The phallus power is the focus point in a boys understanding of ‘self'. It is considered to be a privilege to have the superior signifier of sexual difference. There is a feeling of acceptance of the relationship between father and son. The son accepts the temporary inferior role and identifies his sexuality alongside his father.

This reading is relevant because it is possible to see how intimacy didn't exist between the father and son but it did with the mother. The primal feelings for the mother were abolished and the actual ability to desire repressed to be revived in later life. This leaves the option that reviving this intimacy isn't always successful and this is an idea that I continue with in chapter three. The point here is that football enables the connection and closeness between man without challenging boundaries of the ‘self' or their masculinity and instead provides a powerful manly bond.

Having looked at signifiers of masculinity within the team and male relationships in comparison to the family the next section explores this further by taking characters from the oedipal complex and mapping them onto the game of football.

Oedipal Characters

During the game the players surge with adrenaline and as they play they attack the opposition and score goals to win. Winning itself is based on the collective players power, skill and physical strength. These notions of masculinity combined with the teams spirit and the crowds encouragement can make a player feel like a hero. In Freudian terms the hero can be read as the father. The father is seen as a superior figure, masculine and powerful. He is the winner of the mothers desires and so as a male infant aspires to this figure so do the players aspire to be the hero.

A second comparison of the players wishing to be the hero, like a son the father is the sense of fear. Whilst the child fears castration the player fears the superiority of the manager and referee. The Manager, in terms of the Oedipal can therefore be seen as the dominant father figure and as head of the team, plays a stern and authoritarian role. Likewise the referee exercises judgements based on the rule book which controls the game, similarly to the father who maps out the characteristics of masculinity.

The literal role of the coach is a trainer who structures the team to achieve the best results. Within the world of sport there are two stereotypical images of coaches, one is the trainer who provides the role model and teacher and will stand by the players and the other an authoritarian type. Looking at the trainer who encourages, it is possible to suggest a parallel with the role of the mother. He is therefore a representation of a woman who nurtures and attends to the teams needs.

2:2 Signifiers of Violence

In the previous section I discussed the signifiers of masculinity in view to some of the more positive aspects of football. In this section however, I move to the contrasting outlook and consider the equally strong signifiers of violence. These I suggest are apparent in feelings of rivalry based on the need for dominance. In looking at the development of masculinity and male relationships, a core theme in the structure of the self is identified to be feelings of superiority in comparison to the female gender. In football I suggest that there is still a need to assert superiority in this case it is channelled towards the opposing team. In different ways both players and fans alike are expressing their power and strength.

Predominant signifiers of violence which indicate strong feelings of riv alry can be seen within the actual language of football. Firstly, within the game the players are known as 'attackers' and 'defenders' and these terms alone can be interpreted in a ‘tribal' sense to mean an act or counter-act of violence. Secondly, the fans and supporters also have what can be classed as a 'tribal' method of echoing their appreciation for their team. This is in the form of chants and actions which verbalise and illustrate both their encouragement for their own team and suggest beliefs of superiority over the opposing team.

Looking at this theme of rivalry, it can be considered that team members and supporters alike present a united "football identity". Each club has their own image or personality which can be identified in tit's physical appearance and attitude. The united image can be seen in the home ground stadium, football shirts and various other items of merchandise signified by the ‘colours'. These 'colours' project the distinction with pride and I suggest that within the whole competitiveness and rivalry within the game the fans and players alike are fiercely defending their "football identity" as part of their masculinity.

Both the players and supporters are experiencing a form of escapism and in different ways are following a boyhood fantasy. Many players grow up with the dream of playing for their local team, at national status and then for their country. Having achieved such a professional status players have in fact fulfilled their desire and have the opportunity to live their dreams. In a similar sense fans have the opportunity to experience the next best thing. Many may have grown up with the desire to be a player and appreciate the game from this angle, whilst others have dedicated large parts of their time to watching their chosen teams, enjoying their wins and sharing the disappointment of loss.

This notion of "escapism" I suggest is a core aspect to violence. The player, as the hero has feelings of being invincible during the game and whilst the game finishes the adrenaline rush lives on. The .assertion of adrenaline is a again a signifier of masculinity which in this case gives the players false feelings and self beliefs. Whilst this contributes towards success in the game by encouraging positive mental focus, when the match ends there is a danger that an individual will want the hype and excitement to continue. This I will continue to argue in chapter three when I suggest that Gazza is leading two separate lives one where he's the football hero and another the family man.

This is where the lack of the female gender is important because femininity provides an anchor for the defining of masculinity. During the Oedipal crisis an infant develops an understanding that one gender is measured in accordance to another and so a male child realises he is a male by identifying difference between himself and a female. I suggest that within football culture there isn't the opportunity to assert the male dominance and so players and supporters can' t define themselves or their dominance in this manner and so channel their superiority towards the opposition.

This concept of the other moves into 'feelings' and the first experience of this being that when the binary relationship between the mother and child was broken and the desire for the female was subconsciously repressed, as I have discussed, it is here that the first realisation of need is experienced in accordance to the lack. It is at this point in a male adult's life that there is a need to fulfil the primal desire and experience intimacy. However, if an individual hasn't come to terms with the changes of relationship during the various stages of the Oedipal crisis then he will reject the feelings of need and be confused with his feelings of desire. So for a person with an incomplete Oedipal crisis there is the option to enjoy the escapism and avoid the reality of need. Thus being an important concept to my argument by suggesting it is this type of confusion that can lead to violence.

In this chapter I have identified several signifiers of masculinity and violence within football. The game of football has grown and been claimed by men, during the signifiers of masculinity the male considers himself superior in comparison to the female. However, football is re-writing itself alongside society and it is possible to argue against Freud and say that today men are becoming repressed.

I began with saying that organised football has changed I suggest as well as the necessary changes that took place to structure the game, it is no longer completely a male game. Women are up and coming and fighting to play in a predominantly male dominated world, whilst attracting less media coverage or air time there are significantly more women athletes and supporters, and whilst still trailing behind I suggest that they propose a threat.

The role of man is under threat and the male gender is no longer a clearly defined set of values with the strong identity it had 40 years ago. Football sustains a definition of masculinity and helps to create gender values and so It can be described as a comfort zone.

Chapter 3
Masculinity and Domestic Violence

Women's organisations collectively agree that there isn't one set reason or stimulant to spark domestic violence. In terms of my research the field is narrowed slightly by suggesting that there is a connection between this particular action and the effect of football. In this chapter I am re-introducing my case study of Paul Gascoigne and connecting the feelings he experiences of being a hero during the game of football to the need for dominance when the game has finished.

Continuing with the notion that football isn't just simply a game but in fact offers men the opportunity to define their gender. I am using the concepts of masculinity and violence that have been outlined in Chapter 2 and mapping them onto the case study. This continues the argument that Gascoigne hasn't completed the Oedipal crisis as he is unable to understand his own need's and desire.

In section 3:1 I am looking at domestic violence through the eyes of the aggressor to consider what he was trying to achieve with his actions. I suggest that he there is a meaning behind his seemingly irrational behaviour And this offers an explanation of how he justifies his actions to himself.

Section 3:2 Secondly I will be looking at domestic violence through the eyes of the victim and suggest what Sheryl thought he was trying to do and what the attack will mean to her.

3:1 Gazza - Looking at domestic violence through the eyes of the aggressor

During the 1990 world cup Paul Gascoigne made his public debut in international football. He presented himself to football fans and the world as a British football player with tremendous skill and I argue was probably remembered most for his open display of disappointment over a lost game where he cried in a stadium watched by millions. The topic of my research identifies that Gazza has since taken a turn around and again publicly expressed an emotion, this time of anger and rage. He changed from Gazza "showing child-like sensitivity" to being an "aggressive wife beater". I consider these to be connected and can be understood using the same principal which is that Gazza is till struggling in what Freud called the Oedipus crisis.

Opening this discussion of the effect of domestic violence with a quote outlining the two individual roles in Richard Rorty's essay "Private Irony and Liberal Hope" he suggests that;

"...the purpose of cruelty is not simply to inflict physical pain, but to rob a person of their final vocabulary; the words they use to define who they are."[6]

This quotation illustrates a change of identity in both the aggressor and victim. From this there are two significant points of discussion, which support my argument. Firstly it is an explanation of the changing identity of the aggressor and the effect this has on the victim and secondly it explains this action in terms of gender roles.

Looking first to Gazza the aggressor and identifying the change from a rational order and way of thinking to a new seemingly irrational one. In effect he is no longer following the symbolic order of society which he grew into as an infant and instead has chosen to embark on a discourse of violence. This discourse communicates the new ‘self' which has been re-written in accordance to his actions. The ‘new' self is unrecognisable to the victim which stimulates the victim to be shocked and feel as if she does ‘not-know her-partner'. Rorty continues with the effect of violence and suggests that the underlying principals of violence is, the erosion of two way communication, which concludes what has happened here.

Looking at the situation in terms of gender roles, the action itself is an assertion of physical dominance which is a signifier of masculinity. From the stance of the Oedipus crisis the male believes that he is the superior gender and this is deduced by compering with the female and vice-versa. Gazza was making her accept a new discourse and re-write herself according to his actions. They each take on a new binary opposing role. This indication of change provides the corner stone for the thrust of my argument which is that he re-writes her role in terms of the mother and that his rejection reflects that of the son.

Continuing with the idea of his wife being the surrogate mother it is possible to explain that she then develops in the role and takes on the rejection. In Freud's writing on the primal scene the initial breakdown of the mother / child dyad is expressed in terms of a dream, the basic principals of which are; the young boy becomes pre-occupied with his parents relationship and witnesses sexual intercourse between them. Whilst it wasn't fully understood at the time the image was stored to be interpreted later, as the child enters the symbolic world. An outcome of this incident is that the child realises that he can't indulge in his pleasure with his mother and accepts that he can't take the place of his father. This illustrates further another understanding of reality and being closer to self identity. Part's still remain imaginary and the true meaning of sexual difference only becomes apparent over time. At this point the intimacy between the mother and son is lost, the feelings of desire o n behalf of the son wasn't just simply repressed but completely destroyed to prevent any further incestuous feelings. The repercussion of this event is often feelings of shame and guilt regarding any sexual interest in the mother and further genital exploration. From here on women are an object of choice.

If after witnessing the primal scene the child is deeply disturbed and can't accept his role in society and the three way relationship between mother, father and son, he is lost in what can be described as an imaginary existence, unable to face reality. This I argue is the stage which explains how Gazza has not grown to understand the function and boundaries of intimacy. This I have discussed by looking at the relationship between Gazza and his team mates. However, it can also be drawn upon to continue exploring of the new roles of the aggressor and victim in terms of the Oedipal crisis and the characters they represent.

"What goads the male subject forward on his Oedipal quest is the dread of the abject mother. To fail to be free of need for the mother, is the male subject's first humiliation."[7]

There are two main points of reference which I wish to draw from this quote.

The first is the understanding of the 'abject mother' this by definition means a mother who is a depressed, needy and weak negative character. This is described as the mother in the Oedipus crisis as written by both Freud and Lacan as, she is 'lacking'. (Footnote: Lacking refers to being without a phallus or penis) It is this characteristic that the child focuses on as he justifies his rejection for her. During feeling the fear and dread of incestuous feelings he desperately doesn't want to need and instead desires to be like the father.

Ironically by physically abusing Sheryl he is making her the weak person and the representation of what he fears to desire. This fear and ‘new' person he then rejects because he doesn't want to need her or be needed. The rejection of intimacy also signifies a feeling of failure that a boy dreads to feel in accordance to the father. This is owed to the father representing notions of masculinity and so by showing intimacy he is weakening his gender identity.

The family man and footballer provide two separate lives with their respective roles which require opposing characteristics for Gazza to express. To look at the contrasting roles of the very masculine figure and the family man that it is possible to see how they differ and what each character encourages.

When taking on the role of a football player at league status he is in effect taking on a parcel of ideologies. Some of which he needs to embrace, others he feels he should and then some which he aspires to. By partially fulfilling these ideologies surrounding a successful player he takes on a role and plays according to it.

Football is a signifier of masculinity (as I discussed in chapter 2) and during the game Gazza is living his boyhood dream of being the hero. Again reading this in terms of characters in the Oedipal crisis the team mates as a collective represent the image of masculinity and the hero in symbolic terms is the father. Together the players work to achieve the collective aim of scoring goals and winning. Every dream is being lived, they are the best, the fastest, the winners, the crowds are cheering and the team as a collective is satisfied.

The significance of football life is then that Gazza, as part of the collective h e takes on the feelings of masculine superiority echoing the perceived role he identified for himself during the Oedipus crisis. This time without a female gender being present to offer a comparison or dilution football clarifies his status. It could be argued that there is an element of competitiveness in an all male environment as they display their masculinity. This I believe differs from that of the male / female competitiveness as they are brought together as a team. It is possible to speculate that within the team Gazza could be less able to assert his dominance and in frustration finds his release by inflicting his repressed authority on his wife. On reflection of his popular media character and professional achievements, it is also possible to suggest he does gain respect and achieves a feeling of superiority within the team. By desiring this status, unquestioned and unchallenged he in fact continues to live the role viewing Sheryl as an inferior.

The presence of Sheryl and acknowledging her as a representation of the female gender proposes a threat when Gazza is away from the team. At home he still plays the hero / father figure with regards to the children and represents masculinity within the family but this time he has to redefine himself alongside the female. His desire goes from winning and fulfilling one boyhood fantasy to an infant primal one.

Turning to the transitionary period Gazza must subconsciously go through between the two lives I have outlined from one role to another the main difference is the inter-related relationship he encountered and the effect this has on his masculine identity. There are conflicting emotions involved between intimacy with a partner and lack of intimacy within the team. The two worlds one of asserting masculinity and the other suppressing can respectively fulfil Gazza and scare him. By allowing himself to fulfil his ultimate desire of intimacy he feels weak in the eyes of masculinity. For many the contrast provides the equal balance but for an individual with an incomplete Oedipus this will cause conflicts with a result of rejecting the intimacy. So whilst Sheryl plays the part of the wife she is also perceived as a threat to Gazza's manliness.

This type of confusion can also be displayed in terms of being the hero and father in one set of circumstances and he also plays the part of the child in another. This was publicly displayed as previously mentioned by bis childlike crying for loosing a game of football. An action of a child similarly is a temper tantrum. Feeling his identity being rocked with elements of femininity his display of strength signifies his masculinity as he once again publicly states his gender.

3:2 Sheryl - looking at domestic violence through the eyes of the victim

Continuing with themes of masculinity and domestic violence, this second section looks to the same incident and considers the repercussions of abuse on the receiving end. From the articles in The Sun and The Guardian as outlined in chapter one, it was reported that this isn't the first outburst of violence Sheryl has been subjected to. This I suggest in the context of society and British culture can be the source of questioning her decision to accept this behaviour from her spouse. This provokes an natural enquiry as to why? How does she justify his actions to herself? What does she believe he is try to achieve? I base my argument on the rational that Sheryl understands Gazza's actions as contradictory feelings of love. This abusive action can be justified to herself as being the opposite side of the same emotion. She can' t accept that he doesn't love her because at times he shows that he does. In addition his presence alone represents the fulfilment of her primal desire.

It was concluded in section 3:1 that the feelings and actions of rejection eliminated her identity and re-wrote a new one, as the victim. Having established that Sheryl has a new role and that it is a negative one, I am going to take this further in an inverse manner and look at how this effects the victim. This new role was recognised in terms of the Oedipal crisis as a representation of the surrogate mother and can be read in relation to Freudian theory as a negative unsatisfactory one.

Similarly to the male child, during the Oedipus crisis the female identifies with her gender by comparing her sexuality with that of her mothers. In the works of Freud this was by the lack of the phallus, illustrating a castrated male. A repercussion of being repressed is that she feels guilty and so whilst rendered powerless Sheryl in fact blames herself. This feeling of guilt stems from the mother, as during the Oedipal crisis the mother is said to encourage the desire of the infant to fulfil her own needs, which is incestuous and that she is expressing her own suppressed desires for the male gender.

By feeling guilty for wanting and trying to gain the desire of her husband she can therefore accept the rejection. The elimination of her chosen 'self' made her needy. In this retraction of her identity, his presence alone continues to satisfy her primal desire.

In this instance she is the oppressed and needy and having had her vocabulary taken away she can' t re-write herself and project her true representations the wife. In addition whilst she plays the part of the subordinate Oedipal mother she can' t be desired without feeling guilty o n behalf of both of them, since as Gazza flits from the role of the Oedipal father and child.

"Where Freud's theory marks the importance of desire, desire being that which can't be managed"[8]

Whilst a slightly philosophical approach this quote suggests that the rejection can be understood as a matter of course and she temporarily accepts that she desires something which she can't have. This also illustrates Freud's attitude towards women as he states it is the woman who wants, needs and desires the man. This desire is developed within the young female during the Oedipal crisis in much the similar way that it does for the male. The mother is also the object of her desire and the hate or 'death wish' was again channelled towards the father. The daughter then moves on to identify with the female gender and begins to understand the role of femininity that she will take o n and similarly to the way the boy follows the footsteps of the father, she imitates the mother. As well as imitating the characteristics of the female gender she also imitates the primal desire and needs for the male firstly in the form of the father and then a man of her own. This desire I suggest is the base for Sheryl's commitment to Gazza as for her he is the replacement of her father.

So whilst Sheryl accepts that she is needy and can enjoy intimacy and satisfy her desire, Gazza can not. Because Gazza didn't understand what he saw during the primal scene he hasn't come to terms with his role and accept that it is possible to be intimate as well as masculine without feeling guilty.

Conclusion

In chapter one I discussed how football has contradictory representations within the media and indiscretions have been compromised because of commercialism. In chapter two I used Freud's oedipal crisis to deconstruct football culture, and identified signifiers of masculinity and argued that whilst the game of football itself is relatively low contact there are still signifiers of violence.

The root of violence has been seen as the need for dominance and in the past male discourse has been the predominant gender. I suggested that now more women are breaking through the glass ceilings in the work place, enjoying their own femininity and becoming more involved in the world of sport, leading to fewer avenues for men to assert their unmitigated male identity. Chapter three concluded the exploration of these themes by looking at domestic violence and the need men feel to assert their masculine dominance.

The theme of this dissertation is that Paul Gascoigne hasn't completed his passage through the Oedipal crisis and the signifiers of this are his act of violence and public crying. It is thought that to complete the Oedipal crisis a young male has to discover a basic meaning of his gender identity and understand how to form relationships with others. I therefore suggest that after the primary scene Gazza was left in an imaginary world and unable to grasp his place in society. Since he is still exploring his masculinity within the safety of an all male environment he is no closer to understanding his primal needs or desires. Thus being the connection between domestic violence and sport - sport accelerates the desire for dominance and ignores the desire for intimacy.

If I had more time and resources I would extend my research by looking at notions of patriarchy in relation to masculinity as I believe this is an important aspect of football and the changing role of women in sport, suggesting that this is a threat to the male identity.

Generic Resources

Articles

Anjana Ahuja, "Sharing The Caring", The Times, Monday 14th October, 1996.

John Askill, "Beaten Sheryl in Last Ditch Gazza Talks", The Sun, Friday 18th October 1996 p1.

Lisa Brinkworth, "Angry Young Women - The Rise of Violent Crime," "Cosmopolitan" (February 1996).

Julie Burchill, "Pitch Battle Ends With Woman Carried Off On A Stretcher", The Guardian, Saturday 19th October, 1996, p5.

Giles Coren, "A Man's Place" The Times, Tuesday 15th October 1996, p19.

Jason Cowley, "Are Men Of The Nineties Allowing Women To Trample Over Them?" The Times, Monday 14th October 1996.

Shirley English & Kevin McCarra, "Gascoigne In Hiding As Star Tries To Escape Dark Side Of His Fame", The Times, Friday 18th October 1996.

Maureen Freely, "Neither Slipper Slave Nor Hairy Leg Brigade", The Times, Tuesday 15th October 1996, p19.

Tom Horan, "Why Sports Men Make Lousy Lovers - Life's A Pitch", Zest (May 1996).

Joe Joseph, "A New Man's Lament" The Times, Monday, 14th October, 1996.

Ian Ridley, "Gascoigne Signs Up For Drink Counselling", The Guardian, Tuesday 22nd October 1996.

Lisa Sewards, "Hit and Run", Cosmopolitan (May 1996).

Text

Parveen Adams & Elizabeth Cowie, The Woman In Question, London, Verso, (1990).

Don Atyeo, Blood and Guts - Violence in Sport, London, Paddington Press (1979).

Roland Bathes, Image, Music, Text, London, Fantana, (1977).

Bice Berivenuto & Roger Kennedy, The Works of Jaques Lacan - An Introduction, London, Free Association Books (1988).

Teun A.Van Dijk, News as Discourse, London, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (1988).

Stephen Frosh, Sexual Differenece - Masculinity & Psychoanalysis, London, Routledge (1994).

Elizabeth Grosz, Jaques Lacan - A Feminists Introduction, London, Routledge (1991).

F.W. Hodgson, Modern Newspaper Editing & Production, London, William Heinemann Ltd (1987).

Richard Holt, Sport and the British - A Modern History, Ed. Keith Thomas, Oxford, Clarendon Press (1993).

Michael A. Messner, Power At Play - Sport And The Problem Of Masculinity, Michael S Kimmel ed., Men And Masculinity, United States Of America, Beacon Press, (1992).

Juliet Mitchell, Psychoanalysis and Feminism, London, Penguin Books (1990).

George L. Mosse, The Image of Man - The Creation of Modern Masculinity, Oxford, Oxford University Press Inc. (1996).

Ed. Jerome Neu, The Cambridge Companion to Freud, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press (1991).

Jonathan Rutherford, Men's Silences - Preicaments in Masculinity, London, Routledge, (1992).

Strasbourg Council of Europe. European Convention on Spectator Violence, European Treaty Series No.120 (BQ341.184) (1985).

D.W. Winnicot, Home is Where We Start From, Ed. Clare Winnicott, Ray Shepherd, Madeleine Davis, London, Penguin Books, ( 1990).

Women's Aid Federation of England, Domestic Violence Service Provision And Policy, WAFE briefing paper, August, (1996).

Elizabeth Wright Ed. Dianne Chisholm, Juliet Flower MacCannell, Margaret Whitford, Adv Ed. Feminism & Psychoanalysis - A Critical Dictionary, Oxford, Basil Blackwell Ltd (1993).

Committee for the development of Sport :Iikka Won, Peter Fenterm, Bothumil Svoboda, Goran Patriksson, Wladimir Andreff, Wolfgang Weber, The Significance of Sport for Society- Health, Socialisation, Economy, Council of Europe Press (1995) prepared for the 8th Conference of European Ministers Responsible for Sport (Lisbon 17- 18 May 1995).

Appendices 1

To accompany Chapter 1 - Representations of Paul and Sheryl Gascoigne by John Askill, "Beaten Sheryl in Last Ditch Gazza Talks", The Sun, Friday 18th October 1996 p1.

Appendices 2

by Julie Burchill, "Pitch Battle Ends With Woman Carried Off On A Stretcher", The Guardian, Saturday 19th October, 1996, p5.