Characterization Of King John In The Lion In Winter

Despite King Henry’s constant drive to make John his successor, it’s evident simply through the films characterization methods that this will never occur. The Lion in Winter presents each character with a look specific to their personality. Eleanor is shown as elegant through her fine clothing and well kept hair. Richard is shown as regal, often wearing expensive clothing and keeping his appearance fit , and King Philip is shown as rich and powerful through his fur coats and crowns. On the other hand, John is shown as a filthy boy who rarely bathes and despite being a prince, often wears rags for clothes. Instead of dressing similar to the rest of the noble characters, John looks as though he rolled out of bed, skipped brushing his hair, and began his day without looking once into a mirror. To add on to his horrible appearance, John also walks around with a hunch in his back and his head hung low, as though he were a servant. In sly ways, the movie further emphasizes his poor appearance in scenes such as the outdoor compromise one with Eleanor, Geoffrey, and himself. After disagreeing with his mother, John sits down in the dirt, leaning against a pigsty, while muttering “poor john”repeatedly. His overlook is quite similar to the filthy pigs sitting behind him,

John is often found looking to his father for permission, and yelling out when in need of defense. He simply can’t fight a battle himself, as he too often relies on others to help him in his frequent times of need. If you look at John’s character overall, he’s more similar to a young boy than a soon to be king. The scenes where he’s shown making figurines for his father, or when he uses language such as “you turd”, display him as immature, and unfit to take on such a vast role. Even when it comes to woman, John is forced to bring servants back to his bed, most likely due to his inability to get a real partner such as