Sunday, September 2, 2012
"Troy" Question 2: Religion and the Gods
In the Iliad,
the gods play a major role in the action, often in person, and the action moves
back and forth between the divine and human levels. What role does religion play in the
film? Which characters are most closely
linked with the gods? How are the gods
brought into the story? How does the way
the film handles religion affect the way that the audience perceives the
meaning of events in the film? What
specific scenes, events, props, and sets raise the issue of religion in the film? What do you think the director's attitude towards organized religion?
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2 comments:
Unlike in the Illiad, the gods have no direct influence upon the human actions in "Troy". They are only given physical form through Trojan statuary, though even the majority of Trojans characters express little faith in the gods ability or desire to affect their lives. Priam is the most obvious believer as he states repeatedly that this war is the will of the gods and does not hold Paris or Helen responsible for the war. Priam tells Hector about a time when he prayed to Apollo to save him(Hector) and had his prayer answered, while they are standing in the temple. Apollo, through his statue, hovers in the background of many scenes set inside the city. Priam's religion seems to be his defining characteristic in this movie.
Priam is an older king, a grandfather and unable to fight, and his devotion to his religious beliefs comes across as old fashioned. His thinking that the gods directly influence human lives seems to be left-over from another time, and not something that the other characters in the film will be able to carry on. Hector, for example, is shown as dutiful towards but disbelieving and distrustful of the gods ability to intercede for them. Even Paris, who is shown as weak and unwilling to fight, increasingly favors a militaristic viewpoint.
Agamemnon, in stark contrast with Priam, is shown without concern for religion or the gods. He believes that his deeds are what will make him great and allow his name to live in history. As entirely militaristic Agamemnon does not attribute his success in uniting the forces from across Greece to the work of outside forces, but to his own ability. His disrespect for the gods extends to a willingness to kill Priam and attempt to rape Briseis while in a temple.
Visually he is a battle hardened mid-aged man, he really comes across as Viking-like. His dedication to seizing power in "Troy" is his defining trait and leaves little room for any others. It seems to have consumed him and left no room for others, including religion. The majority of Greeks are shown with a disregard for religion, including Achilles who is otherwise in opposition to Agamemnon throughout the story. Interestingly, the younger Trojans seem to be moving slowly towards this emphasis on militarism throughout the film. Perhaps this suggests the impending victory of the Greeks over Troy, and the dominance of the Greek viewpoint moving into the future.
Religion plays a major role in Troy. Religion is what separates the power-hungry Greeks from the god-fearing Trojans. While the Greeks pay homage to the gods almost ‘after-the-fact’—believing that they support only the strong—the Trojans hold every action as having been a direct intention of the gods and that they are only actors within the gods’ plan.
Further separating the Greeks from the Trojans I would argue that while hubris is a fatal flaw of the Greek’s—including both Agamemnon and Achilles—religion is the fatal flaw of the Trojans. Achilles refusal to fight for Agamemnon out of hurt pride leads to Patroclus’ death; Agamemnon’s excessive lust for power eventually leads him to his death by Briseis while attempting to ‘conquer’ her (the one that got away). Similarly, Priam’s complete devotion to the gods, forgoing all other judgment besides his priest’s in the battle after Menelaus’ death results in the mistaken death of Patroclus, the desecration of Hector’s body, and the eventual destruction of Troy.
It’s quite telling that the director has a disdain for organized religion. Throughout the movie, any fanciful piety or devotion to the gods is only met with suffering. From the Myrmidons sacking Apollo’s temple and killing the priests, to the decision to attack the Greeks on the beach, to the decision to bring the Trojan Horse inside Troy’s walls; each time a character places their lives in what they perceive to be “the gods’ plans” they fall victims to their piety.
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