The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari Analysis

The seclusion endured by the narrator causes a dramatic change in her mental state. Her surroundings are now coming alive within the walls around her. “I didn’t realize for a long time what the thing was that showed behind, that dim sub-pattern, but now I am quite sure it is a woman” (736). Initially, the figure witnessed around the walls was merely just the shadow projected from the narrator creeping around the paper. Now this shadow is taking on not just any life form but ironically the form of a woman. Just like the narrator is trapped within the barred windows of the mansion, the woman is trapped within the patterns of the paper. This parallel view is transforming the narrator’s identity within the walls of the paper. However, this obsession begins to heighten. She begins to see the woman through every window in the bedroom. She appears to be creeping not only around the walls but now outside in the garden and along the

The vivid impression of imprisonment is seen throughout the story as symbols. One can obtain this from the yellow wallpaper, itself is a key point of the story. The estate that John and is wife had bought was an insane asylum. This is clearly seen when Jane says, “For the windows are barred for little children…” (809). These bars show the imprisonment of the narrator. Jane is stuck in the asylum all day, by herself of course. The wallpaper in Jane’s room represents isolation and this is obvious as Jane says, “It is dull enough to confuse the eye, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide” (809). Jane has not seen any other human interaction so she is slowly going

The purpose of this essay is to analyse the original drama text with a newer film version, while comparing the

Leni Riefenstahl was one of the most revolutionary and certainly most controversial filmmakers of the early twentieth century. The lasting influence of her innovative filmmaking techniques on twentieth century cinema is undisputed by scholars throughout history, but the exact nature of her work is surrounded by ongoing controversy. Riefenstahl’s production of the feature films “Triumph of the Will” (Source 3) and “Olympia” (Source 1) have left a lasting imprint on history; these films established Riefenstahl’s influential career as a film director under the years of the Nazi regime. Although these films are attributed by scholars and critics to be Riefenstahl’s greatest achievements they are also considered to be her greatest fault, for

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a German Expressionist film that was released in 1920. The film was directed by Robert Wiene. Expressionism is defined as a visible world that is reshaped and even, distorted by internal forces such as soul, spirit, subjectivity, and emotion. A major component of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is it contains various examples of mise-en-scène, which is associated with visual aspects such as props in the background or clothing and the makeup the actor is wearing. Moreover, “boxes within boxes” is seen numerous times throughout The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. One example where “boxes within boxes” is seen in the film is in Dr. Caligari’s tiny shack, where he has Cesare

The major influences that led to Leni Riefenstahl’s rise to prominence includes a fateful event that kindles her fascination with film, the continual influence of mountain (Berg) films and acclaimed director Dr Arnold Fanck as well as her first début as a director and producer.

She has become so completely obsessed with the wallpaper that she believes it is alive. She says she can smell it when she is not there and she spends most of her time in the room with the yellow wallpaper. Throughout the second half of the story, Gilman starts referring to a woman named Jenny, who could possibly could be another personality living inside of Jane’s mind. In the last lines of “The Yellow Wallpaper,” we are led to believe that it is Jenny who is speaking. Jenny is a person inside of Jane that is being “trapped” by John and Jane, according to Gilman,“Jenny” says, "I've got out at last," said I, "in spite of you and Jane. And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!(320)" We do not know whether her name is Jenny or Jane, but this line explains that Jenny felt like they were being trapped in the wallpaper by John and Jane. We cannot say for sure, but this possibly could be all in Jane’s mind, and since John practiced medicine, it is possible that Jane is imagining this whole thing, and she could really be in an insane asylum. In the ending lines of “The Yellow Wallpaper,” it could also be possible that Jane commits suicide. We also could believe that she kills John as well. Jane says, “But I am securely fastened now by my well-hidden rope-you don’t get me out in the road there.(320)” We could say that Jane or

This essay will explore the function of the narrative which helps the readers to perceive the meaning of the narrative. It will do so in terms of the point of view, narrative voice as well as the structure of the narrative. Furthermore, the setting of the story will be another focus which exploits the generic convention which reflects the social anxiety behind the story at the time. I

The cinematography of the film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was very effective to the audience at the time. During the 1920’s, it wasn’t common to have a horror movie like this with a dark and twisted visual style. Because of the cinematography of this German film, it actually had a major influence on the American films in horror and film noir genres. To get the cinematography right, they had to exaggerate the lighting to give off the feel of it being a horror film.

This is represented symbolically through the yellow wallpaper. She even realizes this about half through the story: “It strikes me occasionally, just as a scientific hypothesis, it is the paper”(page 426)! The “It” would be the illness people thinks she has, which is directly related to the mental barriers. At the end of the story she begins to rip the wallpaper off the wall, symbolically peeling away the mental barriers. “I got up and ran to help her. I pulled and she shook. I shook and she pulled, and before morning we had peeled off yards of paper… I declared I would finish it to-day”(page 429)! As she finishes removing the wallpaper from the walls her husband finally comes home. As he opens the door, he realizes he is no longer in control of her when she says, ““I’ve got out at last,” said I, “in spite of you and Jane. And I’ve pulled off most of the paper, so you can’t put me back””(page 431). By this time in the story we are no longer dealing with the narrator we saw in the beginning; there is nothing left of the old narrator at this point. What we see now is the new rebellious and free spirited narrator. Also, when the narrator refers to a person named “Jane” on page 429 one could make the assumption that she was Jane. If this is the case, then the mental barriers were attached to Jane as an

Hans Janowitz’s and Carl Mayers’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is the first and most influential silent expressionist horror movie that paved the way for horror movies of the future. This movie is directed by Robert Wiene, who gave this horror film a unique dark and twisted style. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari tells a tale of psychological guilt and insanity through the main character’s unconscious fantasies and delusions. Francis is the real sociopath in this film, who assisted in Alan’s murder.

In The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, one specific place that covey the inner, subjective experience through non-relastic visuals is near the beginning when the man lights up the torch in the street. In the particular scene, the walls and windows are asymmetrical and distorted shapes. When this scene came up, my first two thoughts were eerie and strange. Then two young man walked and read the wanted poster that said the reward is 1000 marks. In reality, walls and windows are straight-up and symmetrical. A second specific place is when Cesare kidnapped and carried Jane up a distorted hill. With this distorted hill, it showed the audience the trouble mentality of human. I believe that the director wanted us to foreshadow or hint the troubles lying

This paper will draw analysis of the film in the view of its genre, plot, themes and contexts from the movie itself and various scholarly articles. The film will be analysed drawing lessons and historical contexts of the Roman Empire and the 1st Century. Lastly, this paper will offer an

German Expressionism emerged in the 1920s prior to World War I, and continued to be influenced as the war raged on. The style that developed due to Germany’s ban on foreign cinema was an abstract, low-budget method cultivating around the rebellious and manic nature of the films. German Expressionism embodies the political ideals of the time because it was born from the ashes of World War I. Hanz Janowitz and Cal Mayer’s, The Cabinet of Dr. Cligari, directed by Robert Weine, can be said to have transformed and shaped political views in Germany, along with the expressionism in the entire film industry as a whole through its use of complex story lines and the creation of abstract settings. Weine’s film fosters the idea of total authority and

Caligari is not only manipulating the spectator’s experience, but also Cesare’s every move. When Cesare has awakened, Caligari directs him to walk forwards. The shot has expanded back to a wide-shot showing Caligari and Cesare’s full bodies to capture their performance. Cesare, whose costume is all black, moves in a zombified manner, slow and uncertain steps. The duration of this shot enhances the caution of Cesare who moves under the careful direction of Caligari. Low-angled shots are used to firmly place Caligari in a position of power, solidifying Wiene’s use of Caligari as a symbol for authority while also positioning the viewer through the spectator’s