Gladiator Movie Assignment
Reading Assignment: Watch (ie. not technically a "reading") the movie Gladiator (directed by Ridley Scott)
Overview: The movie Gladiator is a Hollywood production of course, but it is actually pretty accurate in terms of larger themes of Roman history and the conflict between a Republic and a Dictatorship. In it, Russell Crowe's character, Maximus, goes from a well-regarded and humble general of the Roman army imbued with the virtues of citizenship, to a pariah who is "killed" (along with his family) because he resists the power mongering of a tyrant. One thing that I want to highlight is the manner in which a republic is susceptible to the manipulation of bad leaders provided the citizens do nothing to stop it, or are benefitted by it.
What To Do: Watch the movie after reading the question sheet provided here. This only a guide to help you pick out the things that I want you to pay attention to. Pay particular attention to the scenes outlined in below.
Outline of Significant Passages:
Battle Scene - (4:30 - 9:00 these numbers refer to time stamps in the movie): Notice the organization, order and "team courage." The success of the Roman army depends upon order, discipline and the idea that the individual does his duty for the larger good - ie. Legion phalanx system of triple battle order (triplex acies) in which all men have to be disciplined and do their job and no more
Back to Barracks General? - (17:40-19:00): Notice the "political" power that Maximus would have, and the battle for his loyalty between Emperor and Senate. Conceive of Julius, Augustus Caesar, Marius, Sulla etc. Maximus, denying ambition, follows a virtue of selfless service to the state, echoing Cincinnatus
Four Chief Virtues - (33:00-36:00): Commodus and Marcus Aurelius discuss the virtues, after Marcus, who believes that Commodus is not a moral man, tells Commodus that he will not be Emperor. Historically, they are: Wisdom, Justice, Courage and Temperance, and Commodus' are: Ambition, Resourcefulness, Courage not on a battlefield, Devotion. Note that the virtues of the Empire are all selfish, of Republic are selfless
Death of Maximus' Family - (43:00-46:00): As part of the orders given in Germania by Commodus, Maximus' family and villa are destroyed. It is an emotionally powerful scene which grounds the effects of injustice.
Proximo, Win the Crowd - (1:08-1:11): Proximo, the experienced Gladiator, advises Maximus to "win the crowd" if he wanted freedom. Maximus intends to get the crowd on his side, as the only way to have any power
100 Days of Games - (1:05- 115): Senators Gauis and Falco discuss the emperor's plan to have several months of games to distract the people
Slave, Reveal Your Name - (1:09-1:33): Maximus is forced to reveal his identity to Commodus, but even though Commodus wants to condemn him, he cannot because the crowd supports Maximus.
Comprehensive Questions to Think About While Viewing:
The intent of the following list of questions is to focus your viewing of the movie to the themes that I would like us to pull out of it. Gladiator, under its Hollywood appeal, is actually rather factual - at least symbolically. That is, the events of the movie are fiction, but the narrative beneath it speaks to the condition of the Roman Empire that developed in the first to third centuries A.D. Hence, if we look at it as the condensation of two hundred years of history into one narrative tale, then we can gain some general historical value from the film.
1. Identify the following characters: Maximus, Marcus Aurelius, Commodus, Quintus, The Senators (Gaius, Falco, Gracchus). What do these people represent? Try to see what their different motivations and interests are.
2. How does Maximus gain the respect of the troops? Does Commodus?
3. After his military duty, what does Maximus want? What do the senators and Commodus want him to do?
returning to Rome? To answer this question, pay close attention to the dialogue between Maximus and the Senators as he comes into the tent after the battle at the beginning of the film.
5. What are the four traditional virtues? (Pay attention to them, Commodus states them in the scene wherein he is told he will not be emperor) What are Commodus' virtues? How do they differ? Can you see an essential difference between his and the traditional?
6. Why does Commodus want Maximus' allegiance?
7. Why does Marcus not want Commodus to assume the emperorship?
8. What does Marcus entrust Maximus with? How does he react?
9. Why is Maximus arrested? What happens to his family and estate?
10. What is Commodus' attitude toward the Senate? (Pay attention to the scene in which he discusses the senate with Lucilla while sitting on the throne) What does he want to do to it? Why?
11. What is Maximus' fate? Why did this happen.
12. How is the "mob" characterized in the movie? How can we describe it? (Specifically think of the scene when Gracchus and the other Senators were talking about the games in the market).
13. Notice the odd relationship between the power of the emperor and that of the mob. (Specifically, pay attention to the scene when the emperor has to spare Maximus' life in the combat arena)
Questions for Further Thought:
1. Considering that the story is more or less historically accurate, could the United States
come under the rule of an emperor?
2. How absolute do you think your career is? Is it up to you? (Think in terms of Maximus' "career")
3. Do you think Maximus' fate could happen to someone here?
4. Do you think that your property, and family are in the same kind of danger that Maximus' were?
5. What are four REAL virtues to us today?
6. Do you see any parallels between the Roman mob, and "the people" today?
7. Are there things in our society and media that are popular and spectacular, but wrong?