Braveheart
The movie Braveheart, directed by Mel Gibson, tells the story ofWilliam Wallace, freedom fighter for Scotland at the end of the 14thcentury. The movie reflects the universal theme of freedom, with thespecific theme that some things are worth fighting for. The movie works because the story is complex on multiple levels.First there is the conflict between Wallace's desire to live in peace andsimply raise a family in peace. This desire is in conflict with The kingof England, Edward "Longshanks," and his determination to dominateScotland. His tactics, such as "prima noctur," where English landownershave sexual rights to every Scottish bride on the night of her wedding, areintolerable to Wallace. Within Longshanks are multiple conflicts: his onlyson is apparently a homosexual, making it unlikely that he will produce anheir with his wife. The prince's wife has met Wallace, and becauseLongshanks underestimates her abilities, is able to pass militaryinformation on to Wallace multiple times. Character entrances are particularly well handled. The first time wesee Wallace he is a child pretending with to fight the English by throwingrocks at them. When he returns to his village as an a
Wallace growsfrom a boy to a man, and from a man seeking peace and avoidance of conflictto a man determined to fight for what he knows is right. Thisreflects his great conflict throughout the movie. He is heard before he is seen, as a voice-over. However, the villains ofthe movie, Longshanks, his ineffectual son and Robert the Bruce's father,do not change. The character arcs reflect the kinds of conflicts some of them face. When the movie wasdone, I felt that he had given me some of his courage as well. Likely heir to the Scottish throne, at the beginning of themovie he wants to appease the British, preferring appeasement, believingthat this will eventually bring peace between the British and the Scots. Sophie wants tobe with Wallace but has a real need for love, since she will get noaffection from her husband. This is the samedetermination that allowed him to remain silent during his terrible torture-death. Braveheart encouraged the best emotions in me. He demonstrated his character when Hamish threw a large rock athim and he was able to communicate that he would not move, apparently readyto let himself be crushed by a boulder first. But above all, Wallace's determination wasinspiring. After Wallace'sexecution, he finishes what Wallace has started and leads Scotland tovictory.
Common topics in this essay:
William Wallace,
Robert Bruce,
Wallace Longshanks,
Princess Sophie,
Robert Bruce's,
Sophie Wallace,
Maura Sophie's,
British Wallace's,
Edward Longshanks,
British Scots,
robert bruce,
love wallace,
negotiate wallace,
threw rock,
prima noctur,
princess sophie,
william wallace,
wallace peace,
wallace longshanks,
|
Acceptance Essays
