Gravitas and the rejection of the domestic sphere in Vera

Gravitas, which signifies power and difference, has not been widely adopted as a perspective by which to analyse characters in popular culture. The concept of gravitas has a long history; once believed to refer to gravity and the way that matter is dragged towards the centre of the earth, traditionally, it was a title bestowed on older men who demonstrated power, seriousness, heroism and dignity. This article suggests that gravitas is a position that can be earned and is not just a sign of reverence towards men but can also be used to describe women. Using the character of Vera Stanhope from the UK detective series Vera (2011–25) this article argues that Vera embodies considerable gravitas and commands a great deal of deference from her staff. However, gravitas is attained at the expense of a conventional domestic life, which includes a lack of interest in her personal appearance, distance from personal relationships and indifference to her home. In popular culture, many of these domestic aspects act as barriers to advancements in women’s professional careers, yet arguably, rejection of the domestic sphere allows Vera to embody and command considerable gravitas and for her to fully inhabit her role as a woman Detective Chief Inspector.