Antagonist: Stepping Stone for Protagonist
A powerful antagonist is crucial to the development of any protagonist in an epic film. The director’s Gladiator, Ridley Scott and Zack Synder 300, validate this without fault. The themes of duty, betrayal and death in both films captivate the villainous nature of the antagonist, which in turn brings out the heroic qualities of the protagonist. Maximus Decimus Meridius together with King Leonidas are admired for their noble qualities and possess many commendable attributes. The filmic technique assists distinguish them from their antagonist.
Commodus does not fulfill his duties as a son and this draws attention to Marcus Aurelius’ admiration for Maximus. We see this when Commodus arrives at the end of the war, which Rome triumphs in against Germania. The film techniques used are indicative of how Maximus is far more superior than Commodus. Furthermore, in this scene Maximus is framed by his soldiers, and he is the focal point in the composition. The shields of the Soldiers suggest that he is protected. The vertical lines of the spears ar...
When I watched the movie Gladiator (1999), the protagonist named Maximus. He shows the qualities that would represent on how great he was for Rome. In Aristotle’s ideas about tragedy
In Joseph Campbell’s book, The Hero With A Thousand Faces, he talks about the “Monomyth,” otherwise better known as, the “Hero’s Journey”. This is the major theme throughout this book as well as the majority of Joseph Campbell’s studies. Campbell’s idea of the hero’s journey can be seen in many books, movies, television series, etc. That is an idea I will discuss at a later date. For this paper I would like to discuss and explain the hero’s journey, as well as give my opinions on the idea. This is a very interesting and eye opening idea that Campbell has presented us with and has made The Hero With A Thousand Faces one of the most important books of the past one hundred years.
Ridley Scott’s epic film, Gladiator, considered one of the greatest films in recent years, won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Scott’s film, tells the story of the fall and rise of the great Roman General, Maximus Decimus Meridius. The Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, tells Maximus that he wishes that he ( ) the emperor after his death, instead of his son, Commodus. Angry, Commodus, murders his own father, thus becoming the emperor, and sentences Maximus and his family to death. Maximus escapes, but the Emperor’s men murder his family and burn his home. Slave traders, capture Maximus, and sell him into slavery. Maximus must rise to the top once more, and enact his revenge on Commodus. Through a liberal humanistic critique, the film contains an inherent meaning, shows the enhancement of life and propagation of values, and reveals that human nature never changes.
In Campbell’s A Hero With A Thousand Faces, the author explains all seventeen steps of the hero’s journey, and how many fictional characters achieves some of them throughout a transforming moment of their lives. However, he never spoke of the Journey in the non-fictional world. After reading and analyzing the life the Wright Brother’s I concluded that they also went through the same steps while inventing the first aeroplane, and that their invention shaped our culture for the better.
What is a Hero? In the Novel Mythology by Edith Hamilton it speaks of many Greek Gods and Goddesses, you get a clear outlook on many of the characters in the novel. Many of these gods fit some criteria on what a hero is. An Epic Hero is a character who is brave and takes risks to accomplish tasks not only for themselves but for the goodness of others. A Hero is someone who doesn't only do things to benefit themselves but benefits the people around them and goes on quests to establish their greatness. Who is also glorified by their community. In the Novel two characters by the name Theseus and Perseus meet many of these characteristics. Perseus is very brave and goes on a quest to capture an item that is very dangerous
Campbell once said “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself”. Joseph Campbell was an American mythologist who discovered that all cultures’ myths and stories were essentially the same, and that all people follow the journey of an archetypal hero no matter where they are from, or what they believe in. Odyssey, Speak and Wonder Women reflect the modern day need for the hero’s journey as the characters face a call to adventure, trials, and the return and betterment of the hero’s home.
"I am Odysseus, Laertes' son. The whole world talks of my stratagems, and my fame has reached the heavens. My home is under the clear skies of Ithaca" (Book IX l. 19-21). This quote comes from Odysseus introducing himself to King Alcinous, and, in turn, he announces the goal and purpose of his quest: to go home. In the same way, in the film Gladiator, the hero introduces himself to his enemy saying, "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius...Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next." This is the response Maximus gives to the Caesar Commodus as he removes his helmet and announces his goal and purpose: gaining peace and restitution through the vengeance of his family. These works demonstrate two similar stories arranged in different narrative planes. The Odyssey operates as a quest, whereas the Gladiator operates within the plane of restitution. When compared, these two works are similar, yet they attain their respective purposes in two opposite trajectories.
Maximus was a great warrior in the Roman legion under Emperor Marcus Aurelius. His first courageous feat occurs when he defeats the last of the Barbarians of Germaina. Leading his army along a 12 year campaign he brought it to an end. Next he risks his life as he defies the new Emperor Commodus, knowing that this could mean death. Commodus was the only son of Marcus Aurelius. However Commodus killed his father and took the place of Caesar.
‘Titus Andronicus ‘is a play by William Shakespeare that went to become very popular during his time. The play was performed in Rome after the defeat of the Goths by the Romans. The Goths were people from German who invaded their country. Throughout the play, violence can be seen inform of brutal murders, sexual violence and mutilation, suicide, wars and conflicts. This is normally heightened by the urge of the characters to revenge. Examples of such cases include: the raping and mutilation of Lavinia, Titus’s daughter and the killing of Alarbus. Shakespeare presents stage violence that makes the audience concentrate and understand in a better way.
...istory through the use of a popular topic amongst modern readers. Strauss does often times go far too deep describing the landscape, using names of Italian cities and natural landmarks rather in depth, which loses a reader not wholly familiar with Italy’s landscape. Strauss also quite openly marvels at the figure of Spartacus himself, which could be a bias on the part of the researcher that some readers might call into question. Also, Strauss makes some definitive statements regarding why events happened, yet due to the nature of small samples of evidence, Strauss is mainly just making inductive guesswork, although usually logical guesswork. Overall though, Strauss effectively tells a lively story that enriches the reader’s knowledge on Roman history in an entertaining way.
The Hero’s Journey is a basic template utilized by writers everywhere. Joseph Campbell, an American scholar, analyzed an abundance of myths and literature and decided that almost all of them followed a template that has around twelve steps. He would call these steps the Hero’s Journey. The steps to the Hero’s Journey are a hero is born into ordinary circumstances, call to adventure/action, refusal of call, a push to go on the journey, aid by mentor, a crossing of the threshold, the hero is tested, defeat of a villain, possible prize, hero goes home. The Hero’s Journey is more or less the same journey every time. It is a circular pattern used in stories or myths.
The movie starts out with an opening battle between the well-equipped Roman army and a Germanic tribe defending their lands. Russell Crowe is the main character in the movie and he plays a roman general named Maximus. Maximus is a good hearted warrior with valor and honor that is constantly displayed in the epic. He is loved by the roman people and the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The Roman army led by General Maximus defeats the ragged Germans in the opening scene. After a successful march through Germany, Maximus has a meeting with the emperor. The emperor tells the general that Maximus will rule Rome after Emperor Aurelius's death instead of Aurelius' son Commodus. Maximus being a humble gracious man is shocked that a common general could rule Rome. Commodus kills his father in anger and believes he has been betrayed by his father. He then orders the death of Maximus and his family in his rage.
If Maximus dies there he will not have his vengeance on Commodus and Maximus won’t be able to help Marcus Aurelius’ vision of Rome happen. However, since Maximus has courage he isn’t scared but has the moral strength to say what he needs to say to Commodus. The only reason why Maximus is spared is because of the Romans in the Coliseum watching this scene take place. The crowd is screaming to Commodus that Maximus and the gladiators should be spared and Commodus listens to them to appease the crowds and gives a thumbs up, to signal that the gladiators are spared and they live to fight another battle. However, in Roger Eberts’ review of the Gladiator he talks about how Commodus’ thumb signal is wrong and is actually condemning the gladiators to die. “…since the practice at the Colosseum at that time was to close the thumb in the fist to signal life; an extended thumb meant death”. Eberts is saying that historically speaking, the hand motion that Commodus uses in the movie to spare the gladiators in the arena is actually condemning them to their
N.p., n.d. Web. The Web. The Web. 25 Apr. 2014. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard The "Life of a Gladiator.
The expectancy theory proposes an individual will behave or act in a certain way because they are motivated to select a specific behavior over other behaviors due to what they expect the result of that selected behavior will be. In essence, the motivation of the behavior selection is determined by how much one desires the outcome to be. This is shown when Maximus is initially recognized as a supreme gladiator by his owner Proximo, the man who taught him how to fight as a gladiator. Proximo took great interest in Maximus’ abilities and encourages him to go to the Roman Coliseum to fight for his freedom. Proximo advises him that if he is able to “win the crowd”, he will earn their respect and eventually his freedom. Performance to Outcome poses the question on whether success will lead to reward. The reward in this case would be after successfully winning battles, and the crowds’ favor, Maximus would gain his freedom and seize his opportunity to kill Commodus. Maximus’ strong desire of vengeance for the murder of his family drives him to win every battle he comes up against. Infuriated by Maximus’ success, Commodus sets up a fixed fight between Maximus and Tigris of Gaul, the undefeated gladiator. Maximus prevails in the battle and against Commodus’ orders, spares Tigris’ life. Maximus’ defiance of the emperor and mercy to Tigris made him more popular to the crowd than even Commodus