Bearing in mind the historical location how do we see the character of James Bond as a 'barometer of his time'

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Bearing in mind the historical location how do we see the character of James Bond as a ‘barometer of his time’

In 1952 the novel Casino Royale first introduced the world to the character of James Bond. Bond was a hero to pot-war adults and children, who had lost confidence in the British ideology. Britain was no longer a super power. It needed rebuilding after the devastation of two world wars. James Bond reminded people of a time when Britain was great. It reminded men of an all powerful masculinity. The character of James Bond was and is very much a product of its time.

James bond was created by Ian Fleming. Fleming was an old Etonian man who spent most of the Second World War working for naval intelligence. James Bond was very much based upon Fleming’s experiences during the war. The people he met would later become the characters in his books. Fleming was a man who came from an upper class family of wealth and distinction. He was extremely well educated, although he never truly excelled academically. He was a man who made his own fortune, and forged his own individual path in life.

Fleming’s background is extremely similar to that of Bonds. It’s clear to see that Fleming has put his own values onto Bond. Due to this it can be considered that Bond is a barometer of early 20th century culture rather then that of the 1950’s. However Bond became a huge hit in the 1950’s highlighting that although he was a product of pre 50’s ideology, he was a character that was needed in a new post-war generation scared about there future after the mass destruction of the previous decades.

Bond is a reaction to the decline of British Imperialism. People wanted to believe that Britain was a super power. Bond showed us the myth that Britain was needed by the world. James Bond was an escapist figure for many. He harked back to good old fashioned time when it was truly great to be British. Reading the novels gave you back the feeling of pride in your country.  As Sarah Scott writes “Fleming wrote the books as a nostalgic reminder of the way things used to be. Presented is a world governed by educated middle class men and bond himself can be said to almost excessively uphold the foundations of archetypal Britishness” (Scott, 1996). This aspect of the novel certainly acts as a ‘barometer of his time’.

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The patriotic, jingoistic nature of Bond was what was lacking in society at the time. People weren’t sure of themselves and their ideology. It’s no surprise that in the next decade a cultural revolution took place that left old-fashioned beliefs out in the cold. In the 50’s Bond acted as an establishment figure that people could respect, and that didn’t challenge their views. Bonds values were almost Victorian, because of this people could look back at the past, and not worry about the uncertain future. In the real world things were changing, but reassuringly change had yet to affect ...

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