Duality in Human Nature
Abstract
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, directed by Peter Jackson used dramatic, literary and cinematic elements to create the central theme of duality in human nature. The struggles between good versus evil, as well as hope versus despair are the main dualities presented by Peter Jackson. Makeup, sets design and acting ability contribute to the dramatic elements to develop a theme of duality in human nature. Symbolism, allusion and irony develop the literary aspect of the central theme. Cinematic elements such as lighting, special effects and frame composition create more depth in the theme presented.
Introduction
In the movie, The Lord of the Ring: Return of the King, directed by Peter Jackson, based on the book written by J.R.R. Tolkien, the central theme that duality exists in human nature is created through cinematic, dramatic and literary elements. The duality is presented in the movie by generating the paradoxes between good versus evil, and despair versus hope. Frodo Baggins, played by Elijah Wood, shows the duality in human nature through actions, make up, and script choices. Shelob’s lair uses real sets to created a verisimilitude that made the dramatic elements reflect the central theme of duality in human nature, the struggle between good and evil. The makeup done to create the evil Mouth of Sauron created the effect of evil taking over the good in life. Symbols placed throughout the movie such as the flower crown around the fallen kings head, the light of earendil when Frodo and Sam are in Shelob’s lair, and the single flower on the tree of Gondor all represented the hope that allowed the characters to move forward on their journey. The Ring allowed Gollum to manipulate Frodo, because of The Ring Frodo still saw Gollum as Smeagol, a kind and playful Hobbit. Sam is not under the addiction of The Ring, and sees the evil in Gollum. Allusion’s, such as the reference to the Roman Empire, display how when desperate one will be wasteful with the most important things. Blue screen, special effects and frame composition create a theme of evil appearing larger than good in Frodo’s journey. Cinematic elements create a deeper connection in the theme of hope and despair between Frodo and Sam through frame composition. The central theme of duality of human nature, which was present in J.R.R. Tolkien’s book Lord of the Rings, was developed deeper connections through elements of dramatic, cinematic and literary devices.
Dramatic Elements
In The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, director Peter Jackson guided his crew to create costumes, makeup and character portrayal that developed the theme of duality in human nature. Frodo Baggins, played by Elijah Wood, is created using dramatic elements to show duality in human nature. Throughout the trilogy of The Lord of the Rings, Frodo struggles with The Ring and the choice of good versus evil. Makeup is used to show the duality in Frodo, his eyes are red and blood shot, but there is still a small twinkle in his blue eyes. As his addiction to the ring becomes greater, his eyes become redder, but the blue never completely disappears. Makeup was also used to create a corroded line around Frodo’s neck where the evil of the ring has worn away his skin, contrasting the untouched porcelain-like skin representing the good in humans. The level of acting required to create a believable struggle between good versus evil wasvery advanced. Elijah Wood exhibited exceptional acting skills to create a verisimilitude about Frodo. People rationally knew that hobbits did not exist but while watching the movie it was believable that Elijah Wood was more hobbit than human. When nearing the Volcano “I can’t manage the ring Sam, its such a weight to carry” (Frodo) says Frodo, the acting being so flawless that you believe that the ring is so evil that is has taken all the hope left in Frodo and turned it to negativity. The makeup used to create the Mouth of Sauron developed the idea that evil has destroyed any chance of good to survive. The rotten teeth, and excessively cracked lips that appear to be oozing puss, display the theme that evil has won over good, and there is no more room left for good to strive. Shelob’s lair is another example of the evil corroding the good. The set created as Shelob’s lair was to look as if evil has worn away the path to Mount Doom, and made Frodo and Sam’s journey much more difficult. Dramatic elements such as acting skills, set design and makeup create a central theme of duality in human nature through good versus evil and hope versus despair.
Literary Elements
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King the movie was based on the novel’s by J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien created the books based on some of his life experiences, making the central theme duality in human nature. Frodo is deceived by Gollum, by calling him Smeagol, thinking he may still have some good left in him that hasn’t been completely corrupted by the ring. Sam is not corrupted by the ring, and sees the effect of evil. “He’s poisoned you against me,” (Sam) Sam said to Frodo, when Frodo has lost sense of the good in his life because of the addiction to the ring. The hope Frodo has that there may be some good left in Gollum is symbolic, and ironic. It symbolizes the hope Frodo has, and the irony because the ring is doing the same thing to Frodo as Gollum, he just cannot see it. Throughout his journey, many items gave Frodo hope, such as the Light of Earendil. “May it be a light for you when all lights go out” (Galadriel) Galadriel said to Frodo about the “Light of Earendil” which was a symbol of hope in his time of despair. White light symbolizes hope, and gave Sam the strength to save Frodo from Shelob and Gollum. Mary and Pippin were walking and “The king has got a crown again”(Pippin) Pippin exclaims! The flower crown around the fallen king was a symbol of hope when Mary and Pippin were losing faith in the journey. Pippin wondered why they still guarded the tree of Gondor when it appears to be dead. “They guard it because they have hope.”(Gandalf) Gandalf explains. When the sword of Gondor was reforged, for a split second the screen shows the Tree of Gondor with one single flower which gave Gondor hope. When Boromir was killed, Denethor became desperate and ignored the potential and value of his other son’s life. Faramir went off to war, and Denethor continued to eat wastefully, an allusion toward the Romans who became so wasteful of everything before their empire fell. Denethor had the same attitude toward Faramir when he goes off to war. Pippin was instructed to sing to Denethor while he was wastefully eating, so he sang, ironically, “they all shall fade.”(Pippin) The literary elements, such as symbolism, irony and allusions created hope versus despair as well good versus evil, and the struggle between them in human nature.
Cinematic Elements
The cinematic elements used to create a central theme of good versus evil, and hope versus despair. When Frodo is passing Minas Morgul, the ring draws him toward the entrance, where there is an eerie green glow. The cross lighting used creates a green glow, giving the perception that evil had taken over. The same evil drew Frodo toward Minas Morgul. When Frodo and Sam wake up, Sam is bigger than Frodo in the frame, showing the hope that Sam invoked in Frodo throughout the journey. Frodo showed signs of despair; Sam was always there to keep him going. When the ring becomes too much for Frodo, Sam would not let the ring destroy Frodo, “Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can’t carry it for you...but I can carry you!” (Sam) Evil is placed to seem bigger than good in the movie, such as when Frodo is manipulated by Gollum. Gollum appeared to be larger than Frodo when he summons Frodo into Shelob’s lair, “Master must go inside the tunnel.” (Gollum) When Frodo entered Shelob’s lair and kept getting stuck in webs, the webs represented the evil of Shelob, and when an individual becomes frightened by evil, it appears larger than it is in reality. Frodo faced Shelob, she was above him in the frame, appearing much larger, to show the struggle between good versus evil. The special affects used to create Shelob were put in after the scene was shot, Elijah Wood had to act that he was being threatened by a giant Orc eating spider. Elijah Wood’s acting created verisimilitude that Shelob was a real spider. Hope versus despair as well as good versus evil are developed through frame composition, lighting, and special effects.
Conclusion
Peter Jackson and his crew used dramatic, literary and cinematic elements to create the central theme of duality in human nature. Dramatic elements used to create the duality in human nature included makeup, sets, and acting. Frodo and the Mouth of Sauron’s makeup are used to create the central theme of duality in human nature. Shelob’s lair set was created to show the evil corroding the path toward Frodo’s success. Literary elements such as irony, allusions and symbolism create the duality in human nature. Frodo referring to Gollum as Smeagol, as well as Sam’s hope for Frodo, the Tree of Gondor and the King having a crown are symbols of duality in human nature. Denethor eating so wastefully is an allusion to the way the Roman Empire was before it fell. Cinematic elements make up the last part of the theme. Lighting, special effects, and frame composition add to the duality in human nature. All three elements create the medium that allows the theme to be presented in a more clear way. Each element allows the theme to be developed deeper than it would ever be able to be in the book, written by J.R.R. Tolkien.
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