Apocalypse Now / the God Wrath As the Director of Apocalypse Now Francis Coppola's has now lives up to its magnificent name, unveiling not only the numerous aspects of combat, but also the conflicts among anticipation and dullness, shock and misfortune, violence and attractiveness. Apocalypse is a 1979 American classic about a war film set during the Vietnam War, but the movie is not about the Vietnam War. The film follows the central character, on a secret mission to assassinate the renegade and presumed insane Colonel Walter E. Kurtz played by (Brando). The God Wrath Aguirre, Wrath of God, is a 1972 West German classic film written and directed by Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski. The story follows the explorations of Spanish warrior Lope de Aguirre, who principals concern was to fine the lost city of gold along with a group of conquistadores down the heading down the Amazon River in South America. Aguirre, the Wrath of God was one of the most thought-provoking pictures the central emphasis was on the main …show more content…
In my opinion an unstable individual. Additionally, Kurtz, who was a well-respected leader, one of the best soldiers in the Military, he built-up a jungle of refuges upriver inside his nemesis terrain, and rule the Montagnard people as his isolated military. Kurtz way of thinking is along the lines of Aguirre, but he was a self-centered individual with a lot of psychological, spiritual, and emotional problems. Also, Kurtz understands the complex conceptual method of controlling individuals and taking control of their lives and property. This is similar to that of Aguirre, who is the main character in the Wrath of God. Aguirre believes that he has the right to claim all the land that he travels through. As compared to an Apocalypse movie opening
Kurtz’s lack of restraint and hunger for ivory consumes not only his soul but drains all of his physical existence. Upon seeing him, Marlow states, “I could see the cage of his ribs all astir, the bones of his arm waving (126)”. Conrad focuses on the physical features of Kurtz to display the madness that has consumed him. However, though Kurtz’s body is deteriorating, Kurtz’s mind continues to thrive. Conrad shows this in Marlow’s shock of witnessing a flame of passion that remains in Kurtz’s eyes as he converses without signs of exhaustion (126). Conrad continues to describe Kurtz as a shadow composed of tranquility and satisfaction. Conrad’s incorporation of this detail signifies the evil and greed that consumes Kurtz and is reflected through his physique. However, the power of Kurtz’s presence is personified through the action of his words. As the strength in his voice captures Marlow’s attention, it merely reflects his influence upon his followers. The power reflected through his voice displayed his confidence as well as his position as a leader for the natives. Hi demeanor displays an air of arrogance that makes others feel less equal to him. Those who follow him fear him, but also continue to respect him.
“the fiery floods of the fierceness and the wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power”. The alliteration is attention-grabbing and provokes a feeling of fear. Also, God’s power is demonstrated in this imagery. The phrase “rush forth with inconceivable fury” shows power since flood waters wipe out everything in its path. The idea of God’s power is further demonstrated in the phrases “inconceivable fury” and “omnipotent power”. There are black clouds of God’s wrath now hanging directly over your head, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder;” Edwards stirs fear by creating a dreadful image of a storm. The image of black clouds and thunder over their heads is fearful. People are often fearful of storms and natural disasters. This metaphor compares a large storm to the size of God’s wrath. This provokes the audience to also fear God’s wrath. Also, the metaphor makes God’s wrath comprehendible to the audience.
Following the successes of Hernan Cortes with his conquest of the Mexica-Aztec Empire of Mexico and Francisco Pizzaro with his conquest of the Inka Empire in the Andean Region of South America, many other Conquistadors embarked upon expeditions to discover and conquer wealthy Native American civilizations. Among this new wave of conquistadors was Lope de Aguirre who accompanied an expedition led by Gonzalo Pizarro, a brother of Francisco Pizarro, to find the lost city of gold known as El Dorado. The film Aguirre: The Wrath of God is a work of historical fiction that provides additional insight into the motives and behaviors of the Spanish and Aguirre during this expedition, Spanish-Native American Relations, Spanish-African slave relations, the status of role of women within colonial society, the role of the Catholic Church within Spanish society, and the nature of Spanish society within the context of Aguirre’s excursion. Aguirre: The Wrath of God provides insight into the desire for a wealth of gold and glory by the Spanish when undergoing these harsh expeditions, the abuse and subservience Native Americans were subjected to by the Spanish Conquistadors, the African slaves served the Spaniards and had to complete exhausting and humiliating work, the inferiority of women compared to Spanish men and how easily they were dismissed by Spanish men, the desire for not only conversion but gold and wealth for the Catholic Church by allowing the Conquistadors to commit atrocities in the New World, and the Spaniard belief in the righteousness of their conquests in the New World due to the successful Reconquest of Iberia from the Moors.
This paper will be discussing the two movies The Green Berets (1968) and Apocalypse Now (1978), and argue how The Green Berets is a propagandist pro-war film depicting the unrealities of the Vietnam War while Apocalypse Now is an ambiguous anti-war film that shows the social and political absurdities of the Vietnam War.
Look at the description of the oil painting by Kurtz of the blindfolded woman. Remember this image; it will have important connections at other points in the novel. What impression does the painting give of the character of Kurtz the painter? of the woman?
God’s righteousness can also be seen in his wrath. We first see the wrath of God in the Old Testament.
He puts such confidence in the three Weird Sisters that he can’t even see that their evilness is leading him down the wrong path. His appointment to Thane of Cawdor makes him believe that he is better than anyone else, even Duncan. Why should he be more qualified for the position of king that any one of Duncan’s other trusted comrades? The truth is that he isn’t; He only believes himself to be. This superiority complex cannot be illustrated better than through Kurtz. Not only does he believe himself to be higher than God, he actually thinks of himself as a god. The way the natives worship him and how the "chiefs . . . would crawl" (Conrad, 133) to him are examples of the way he tricked the ignorant natives into thinking of him as a god. They carried him around on a stretcher and just adored him even though he forced them to get ivory and punished them harshly. Because of his powerful position and because he truly believed that he was in many ways better than everyone else, Kurtz was able to convince everyone he came in contact with of this theory of his god-like stature. Both men thought of themselves as superior because of the titles and duties earned from their evil and cheated ambition.
Edwards uses words like “wrath” and “omnipotent” to display the power that God posses, and chooses negative connotation words to describe the relationship between God and man (para. 15, 46). Making the comparison of the relationship between God and humans like a spider web or thread, the author wants the audience to know that it can be broken at any time, and that the “pit is prepared” down in hell for sinners (para. 17). Edward chooses diction that leaves humans hopeless, and at the mercy of God. He wants the audience to know that God is always in control, using words like “if God should permit” and “the mere pleasure of God” (para. 13, 7). Additionally, Edwards uses diction to portray God as merciless and immoral, saying that has God is “without pity” and “will have no compassion upon you” (para. 41). This leaves the audience despaired, and they feel as if they have no choice but to reestablish their relationship with God, or certainly face an “everlasting destruction” at any time God pleases to (para.
Over time, Kurtz slowly lost his restraint due to being in an uncivilized habitat. Kurtz first wanted to make profit for the company and allowed himself to be controlled by ivory. The manager says: “Mr. Kurtz lacked restraint in the gratification of his various lusts, that there was something wanting in him- some small matter, which when the pressing need arose, could not be found under his magnificent eloquence” (53). Kurtz’s desires caused him to lose control and lessen his grip on reality. Marlow sees that Kurtz has no restraint left in him: “He struggled with himself, too. I saw it, I heard it. I saw the inconceivable mystery of a soul that knew no restraint, no faith, and no fear, yet struggling blindly with itself” (61). Kurtz gives up by the end of the book. He has no more left to give, and has allowed himself to succumb to the chaos that engulfs him. The disorder and confusion of Africa has corroded Kurtz and has caused him to lose restraint.
In Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards created the emotion of fear by using imagery and figurative language to persuade his audience. He used imagery and figurative language so the wrath of God is more fearsome and gave you a mental picture of hell in your head.
Although Kurtz was alone, that loneliness helped him in the end. Through isolation, Kurtz was able to see who he really was. The main place where Kurtz finds himself is on his deathbed. Marlow says, ‘"But the wilderness had found him out early, and had taken on him a terrible vengeance for the fantastic invasion. I think it had whispered to him things about himself which he did not know, things of which he had no conception till he took counsel with this great solitude-and the whisper had proved irresistibly fascinating’"(Conrad 57). Marlow is saying that since Kurtz has been in the wilderness,
Apocalypse Now is the story of a Green Beret named Willard who journeys through Vietnam by river to confront an officer who left the army in the pursuit of his own private war. Willard's journey is not just a trip down a river, it is a metaphorical journey, and creates the effect of multiple levels of meaning. In addition to a superbly constructed story, Apocalypse Now can be viewed as a social commentary, an exploration of human conscience, or a moral metaphor. I truly enjoy dissecting and analyzing movies, as well as literate, at this level. I try to understand what the author, or film maker is really trying to say.
From his first mention in the novel--“[Mr. Kurtz] is a very remarkable person”--it is made clear to readers that Kurtz is no ordinary member of the Company. Before narrator Marlow actually encounters this man, he is described as “exceptional”, “of the greatest importance to the Company”, and a “universal genius”. Readers learn that Kurtz came to Africa “equipped with moral ideas” and has brought in an unprecedented amount of ivory, which is the primary goal of the Company. Overall, Kurtz is a prodigy, expected to move up the Company hierarchy quickly, and becomes a sort of obsession for Marlow. Despite this, higher-ups in the Company seem to fear, and
In Heart of Darkness, Kurtz is depicted as an upstanding European who has been transformed by his time in the jungle- being away from the society he was used to that could have prevented him from becoming such a tyrant. I have experienced being in a situation where I was very different from the people around me. It forced me to figure out their interests so I was able to join in on their conversations. By the end of the day, I no longer felt alone. So that experience taught me that I am going to come across diversity in life, but I need to be open and accepting of it. If I had chosen to just be shy, I wouldn’t have learned this lesson. I didn’t find myself being pulled toward base, cruel instincts as Kurtz, but I think that’s because Kurtz had no one to control him. If a person gains that much power, it may lead to the transformation that Kurtz experienced. –pg. 144 “But his soul was mad. Being alone in the wilderness, it had looked within itself, and, by heavens! I tell you, it had gone mad.”
The apocalypse is a common subject addressed in films and such Doomsday scenarios have become increasingly popular since the beginning of the Cold War. These films provide a different cause for the downfall of human kind and approach the subject with various degrees of despair and hope. Despite the obvious differences in approach that different directors take, these films all serve to highlight not only the negative qualities of human kind that led to and are represented by the agent of destruction but also to highlight the strength of the survivors who keep the will to fight for their lives despite the bleak circumstances. For the most part, The Mist, adapted from a Stephen King novella, sticks closely to the archetype. The Mist, a