Existentialism In The Dark Knight (final)
This entry is still under numerous revisions due to my misunderstanding of the subject. Sorry for the constant changes or delays of updating. Reminder that this entry is for my Philosophy class. Be sensitive to this entry. Thank you! ^_^
The infamous movie called
The Dark Knight has rolled in a handful of mixed reviews from the press after its release. With a set of controversial cast members at play in the film, it portrays numerous instances where existentialism persisted numerous times through the characters involved in the story. The definition of 'existentialism' is still vague on my end but I will certainly try to express my own way of the film's relation to the subject of existentialism.
All I know is that existentialism, according to Jean-Paul Sartre, is "existence precedes essence" meaning that we did not choose to be here but instead, we were "thrown into this world" and that we are capable of defining ourselves on our own instead of other things defining us, such as religion. It is also accepted in the ideology that life is fitting in the terms 'absurd', 'anxiety' and even 'alienation'. If this perspective good enough to define existentialism, I believe it is fitting now to lay down what is 'existential' in the said film,
The Dark Knight.
Existentialism through the characters
For my end, I believe I can see through the ideology through the major characters of the film who are Batman, The Joker and Harvey Dent. I believe that these characters have this way of thinking that is existentialism in nature in a way. I will not delve into the minds of the other characters for the story itself definitely rolled around them anyway, personally.
Bruce Wayne/Batman
The character of Batman, although his intentions are to fight criminals, has a very diverse principle backing up his intentions. It is actually supported by his actions whenever he fights the criminals, instead of teaching them a lesson, he simply eliminates them as much as possible. Based on my brief readings about Batman's so-called 'biography', he is driven to do such heroic actions due to his own emotional setback during his childhood during the time his parents were killed by a petty mugger. With this at mind, his attitude towards the people that adores his actions does not decently reciprocate the same way as his adoring fans' gratitude towards him.
"I don't need you help!"
This was his line during the time he caught his so-called "fans" imitating him. His mindset of making his own plot regarding a certain criminal is his own business and he deals with his problems on his own and simply takes the help of others in order to fulfill his plans to catch the criminals. It is existentialism in nature the fact that he built himself as the "Batman" in order to become a person beyond those criminals. He is his own person. Being an outlawed vigilante highlights this nature of his. He being a hero is ironic to the fact that he doesn't reinforce the rules but instead, breaking through it by simply concentrating on simply putting down the felons.
His source of viewpoint in life is his misery. He simply sees the world filled with misery. It is simply senseless. How did I end up saying that? Well, he lives within
THAT viewpoint.
For some reason, in the film, he was being defined as useless especially at the part where he was blackmailed by an associate and yet he simply ignores it. As simple as that also adds up to the fact that no one can actually make him something. During the early part of the film, his butler, Alfred, even defined him saying that Batman has its limits, that he is simply a man, indirectly speaking. Still, Bruce, as Batman, claims that he doesn't have any limits. He was actually equating himself to the hero Batman.
The JokerThis character is a scary mastermind that threatened the city after Batman, Harvey Dent and Lieutenant Jim Gordon got all the criminals in Gotham. However, in the movie, the story basically revolved around his cunning ideas to prove something to the outlawed vigilante Batman which is the fact that they are the same. He is not into the money itself.
Anarchy would be the right term for the thing he desired most to happen. No government. Simply the fact that there is no need for rules and honor and respect to limit the people. In this view, the Joker is an existentialist. The fact that in existentialism, you are not to be defined by external factors but yourself. This what made the character Joker really interesting on my part. The Joker is actually a philosopher if you look closer at his background. Having to find out that his character was born out of the world with parents who didn't support him since childhood, no wonder his way of thinking that he is himself is no question at all.
One of the actions that can uplift him as an existentialist would be the fact that he is not afraid. Like in existentialism, we must overcome fear. He simply do what he wants to do and says what he wants to say without a hint of fear crossing his own senses. He is simply free from all borders of limitations. Every move is a possibility for him, especially when he plotted a very twisted yet artistic series of events.
For some reason, I believe he believes that he can do anything and he was actually explaining it indirectly throughout the film. Personally, this made him a great person in a way and yet he is being feared at because he can also display that freedom of oneself can even create the worst for others. This would be also the message that he is passing through Batman. They are both beyond the rules and yet Batman is still all tied up to something which limits him to be actually be true to himself.
The Joker is simply a masterpiece, indeed.
Harvey Dent/Two-FacedThis district attorney is a person who teases with luck. Flipping a coin whenever he comes to a point where things are out of his control. However, he would end up saying that he makes his own luck. Another existentialism viewpoint. No one defines you. Nothing defines you. It is yourself that makes who you are.
He said in the movie this line:
"Do you want to die a hero, or live through life seeing yourself becoming the villain..."(something like that... haha!)
I found this line very intriguing in a sense that it expresses numerous things for the characters of the movie. It could possibly mean, in the realm of the center ideology of this post, that being a hero is also defined by other people as 'good', 'just', 'brave', 'strong' and that if you do too much, like hurting an actual human such as a criminal, you become a villain yourself because you are now in the definition of 'hurting other people is bad'. Harvey only meant that being a hero is two-faced. He also said at some point, after his accident of burning half of his face, that it is better to actually reveal the true you rather than going back and forth to one face or the other. He claimed from the very beginning that everyone is two-faced and that he is also living that principle.
Such belief of having to reveal the truth itself by character is also evident in his actions as a public servant, being an attorney earlier in the film. This is also within the realms of existentialism. Being truthful or revealing the truth is self-recovery. You do not need to suffer because you are hiding what must be open to all.
All of the characters in the film, at some point, revealed their being 'existentialist' in many ways. Many of the characters also portray similar traits of the subject matter but I simply chose these three characters, not just to make this post as short as possible but also to easily grasp the idea of the film having such underlying reasoning behind it. Personally, it is the Joker's film. Everything evolved around the hands of The Joker. A joker is a happy person but also a cunning one.
Well, I hope after numerous posts and edits and retrieving and hiding and posting it again would make this post, better. I believe this would be good enough for a post. It is actually too long already. >.< The Dark Knight. =)
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by
LekLek on 7.28.2008 @
06:11
1 star(s):
Hi Alex,
This is an excellent reflection. I don't mind it being too long:-)You get 4.0 for this entry.
cheers,
Ms.Jeane
Comment?
Jeane, at
8/08/2008 9:25 PM