Conclusion

In The Birds, Alfred Hitchcock crafts a vivid portrayal of anxieties concerning the mounting Sexual Revolution and the liberation of women from the cult of domesticity through the powerful symbol of bird attacks. Melanie Daniels must ultimately choose whether she will continue in her deviant pattern of behavior and follow the path of Annie, a path that leads to death, or become the idealized submissive woman, like Lydia. Hitchcock presents these options to Melanie not only visually but musically as well, through the inclusion of several occurrences of diegetic music. The Birds is ultimately a film that greatly fears the changes that the next ten years might bring to society. Hitchcock responds to the threats of women with misogyny, hoping that by merely shoving them down and stripping them of their power that the problem they present will eventually dissipate. However, this film must be considered within the context of Hitchcock's historical moment. Hitchcock was not unlike many men and even some women around this time and the film serves the important function of acting as a mirror on society. Through that mirror the viewer is able to see the anxieties of the time more clearly and ultimately comes away understanding where both the director and the characters he crafts are coming from.