The Metamorphosis of Malay Women in Popular Malay Television Dramas

Abstract

 Despite the popularity of Malay television dramas, little attention has been given to how these narratives construct and convey the idealised notion of Malay womanhood. This study investigates five popular Malay television dramas and focuses on the metamorphosis of the main female characters within these narratives. The paper explores how gender, religion, and socio-cultural expectations intersect to shape the portrayal of the ideal Malay woman through the lens of Crenshaw’s intersectionality theory using a multimodal discourse analytical approach. Findings reveal that there is a recurring pattern across all five of the female characters as each narrative progresses despite their differing contexts. The female characters are portrayed negatively at the beginning of their narratives as they exhibit defiance while their eventual transition towards the end portrays them in a positive light as they are positioned into more subordinate or subservient roles. This highlights how Malay popular culture reflects and reinforces gender expectations that are shaped by the interplay of gender, religion, and culture.