Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Kane, Christ Archetype?



In the Western film, High Noon, there is one main character that really gets the audiences’ sympathy. His name is Marshal Kane. His is the deputy of the town. His enemies come to get revenge on him, but he can’t get anyone to lift a finger to help him. He is forsaken by those he is trying to save, even his brand new wife. In this respect, he is similar to Christ, making him a Christ archetype.

Kane goes around and tries to rally a group of “special deputies” to assist him, but none of the town is brave enough to support him. He has one person willing to help him take a stand against the outlaw, but he is only going to help if there are others, which doesn’t happen. His wife is a Quaker, who abhors violence, and she tells him leave with me or I’m gone. She forsakes him briefly as she plays with the ideals of her morals. Just like Christ, all those that that he held close to him left him alone to die. The protagonists both are forsaken by those they hold dear, making the antagonists seem victorious. The only discrepancy between the two stories is that in the end Kane’s wife gives up her Quakerness to save Kane, by killing an outlaw. The only difference is also the key factor which changes the ending of the story, if she hadn’t stepped up; Kane would have died making the two stories identical.

1 comment:

  1. Check out Brooke's take on the ending and see if you agree: http://datcaoolfilmblog.blogspot.com/#!/2012/10/high-noon.html

    I wonder if his wife giving up her "Quakerness" can maybe be viewed as Jews renouncing Judaism to become Christian. Of course, it's also kind of weird that the Christian has to give up her religion to follow the Christ figure.

    There are a few minor editing pieces that, when cleaned up, will improve your post even more (e.g. audience's, comma splice in last sentence).

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