Conquest Of Paradise 1492 Analysis

The film 1492: Conquest of Paradise tells the story of Christopher Columbus and his journey west to discover the “New World”. It also gives us a look into the life that he lived as a father and a husband both before and after his many voyages across the Atlantic. An example of some of the more personal and relatable parts in the film includes the many trials and errors that Columbus had to go through in order to begin his journey. Although this film gives us as viewers a rough idea of the many important points and incidences that lead up to the exploration of the New World, the film fails to retain some of the more significant events that were crucial to the story of Columbus’s exploration west. The film begins by showing us Columbus and his younger son Ferdinand Columbus sitting beside the ocean. This is used to show the viewer that Columbus can be relatable in that he is seen as a family man wanting to provide for himself and his family. Returning from this family outing, Columbus is then

Casas express’s that, “they are not wanting in the capacity and skill to rule and govern themselves.” Compared to the movie, this could be somewhat true. The film does show Columbus as sympathetic at first, but then slowly gives us the real Columbus; one who rules over the natives and forces them into slavery for his own self interests. Columbus historically did this in order to send a sort of shock wave of fear to those who opposed him; this being mainly the natives and surrounding tribes. Being that Casas considers this treatment to be unfair to the natives, he explains how it is also seen as an unholy act taken against the basic teachings of God. He reminds the reader that the natives are not subject to be withheld from “Christ’s Kingdom” and are therefore considered to be equal to