An essay on how the forbidden love trope perpetuates an unbalanced view of gender power dynamics.
Recently, we started watching the television program Riverdale. For those that do not know, it is based on the characters in the classic Archie comics. It is set in the same universe as the re-envisioned Sabrina The Teenage Witch called Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. It was a sleepless night and we started watching season 1 of Riverdale.
Spoiler alert! We will be discussing key plot elements of the first 4 episodes of season 1.
The story begins with a murder, of course, and then reveals secrets in everyone’s life. Archie is one of the main protagonists and has an interesting start to his storyline. He has a glow-up over the summer and this leads to a sexual relationship with a teacher at his school.
So begins the classic storytelling trope of forbidden romance. However, in this case, it is not just taboo, it is illegal.
Abuse of authority
Archie is a high school student. While his exact age is not revealed, it doesn’t matter. The music teacher holds a position of authority over the students. Therefore, being 18 or not doesn’t make what she does is not acceptable.
Archie having an affair with the music teacher is an unbalanced power dynamic. She has more control over the situation whether he acknowledges this power or not. People would say that gender role put him in power, but that is a fallacy of thinking.
For example, she sways his ability to make a report to the police. The teacher and Archie were on a date when they heard a gunshot. The gunshot was originally believed to be the fatal wound of the dead student in the main storyline. The teacher begs Archie not to tell the police because it would ruin both of their lives.
In reality, Archie making the confession would only get her fired and potentially charged with a crime. Archie is afraid for his reputation. Keep in mind that he is a victim.
The teacher is taking advantage of a student. It doesn’t matter if he is willing to participate in the relationship. He is a teenager that is infatuated with his teacher and it clouds his judgment.
It’s not forbidden love
The idea of a male student sleeping with their teacher is often used in the film as forbidden love. Often, if the teacher is male and the student is female the teacher is seen as a predator. There is a myth that women cannot be predatory towards men. The idea that men are always the ones in power is, frankly, wrong.
Gender does not make you immune to unwanted sexual advances or being taken advantage of by the same or opposite sex.
A taboo relationship with a teacher is not a mysterious storyline to be explored. It is an example of society’s hypocrisy when it comes to what is right and wrong with those in power.
Men versus women stereotypes
When Jughead finds out about the affair he is silent. While expressing that it is wrong he still does not report the crime. Betty and Veronica take a different approach and start investigating the teacher. They think that proving she is a fraud will make Archie end the relationship. They don’t report it.
Flip the script and flip the genders. If the teacher was male, the classmates may have reported it to the police. The inaccurate assumption that Archie is making a decision to sleep with the teacher and is competent plays a role in the story.
Men are assumed to be in control, so they leave it to them to end the relationship. Women are assumed to be submissive, so they would say the teacher is taking advantage of the student.
The unbalanced view of this issue is the reason people in power will take advantage of vulnerable people. Society needs to accept that women can be predatory. Also, the forbidden love troupe should not include crimes against teenagers.
The point is that having an affair with a teacher is not forbidden love. It is a crime. It is wrong.