It was breathtaking. And watching it in its IMAX version meant that we heard every whizzing arrow, every piercing spear, and every single bellowing Spartan war-cry. And it was awesome.Critics are going to be divided as to whether 300 as a film is all CG-wizardry and spectacle but no soul, or whether it has any real narrative resonance. Scholars are going to argue over the historical accuracy of the events and characterizations (here's a nice article to put things in perspective a little.) I personally thought that as a story, it was stronger than other ancient epic adaptations like Troy (silly), Alexander (even sillier), or Gladiator (ok, I'm not even going to go there).
Perhaps there is something about the David vs. Goliath nature of that battle at Thermopylae, its purpose, and the whole Spartan myth of the citizen-soldier that just resonates more strongly with me than massive empires rising and falling. It doesn't matter whether the narrative is historically accurate- that's not what myths are. Myths are essentially stories we tell ourselves (or allow ourselves to believe in) that perpetuate a certain vision of history and to some extent, the present. And that got Jude and I talking after the movie about what it means to be patriotic. Spartans believed that to defend their homeland was their destiny from birth, that to die for Sparta was the most honorable death possible. Do Americans/ Singaporeans, or citizens of any nation feel that way today about their country of birth? Do leaders of countries have to tap into or even engineer an imagined myth of their own in order to vitalize these feelings of fervent national belonging and membership?
My dissertation research is moving towards this direction- the role of schools in the political socialization of young children, particularly their development of national identity. Which is why this movie has been on my mind all day. What does it take to develop a citizenry as devoted and committed to a nation that to die in her name is preferable to kneeling in submission? Or perhaps patriotism in its traditional sense has become archaic, a thing of the past in this age of globalization, trans-migration and multicultural populations?
One of my favorite quotes from the film:
...only Spartan women give birth to real men.
-Queen Gorgo
3 comments:
Hey, when do we get a movie about battling wolverines??? >:(
Didn't you see The X Men, srah?
Only graduate students can turn a graphic novel turned cinematic extravaganza into a research question!
Anyway, to address your questions:
7.)Do Americans/ Singaporeans, or citizens of any nation feel that way today about their country of birth?
My guess is that although adults of many countries would do everything they could to defend their country, it would be much more difficult to convince children that an honorable death for their nation is the way to go, unless that's the current state of their world. Spartans were always fighting/defending. In the US, we haven't needed to defend our homeland...yet.
For Singapore and the US, both fairly young countries, the greatest attacks on our beliefs have been on freedom and independence. In that way, perhaps (the US, at least) we are the same.
#872:Do leaders of countries have to tap into or even engineer an imagined myth of their own in order to vitalize these feelings of fervent national belonging and membership?
Mmmm...yes, but I don't think today's leaders can use myths to affect their citizens in the same way. Perhaps back in Spartan times, the myths were much more grand. Now, we've got TV and media to propagate "maybe" rumors.
B.)What does it take to develop a citizenry as devoted and committed to a nation that to die in her name ...?
Schools are probably a part of it, but aren't a strong enough force on their own to convey this type of message in the absence of similar messages throughout society and as a child becomes an adult. Definitely, my attitudes about patriotism have changed or emerged as I've gotten older.
I was watching the Real Story of Black Hawk Down on the History channel the other day, as I watched I wondered if people, of any country, really care about such things? Does anyone have enough time to worry about the progress of their country along with the difficulties of life? Does not caring, or not caring to Spartan levels, mean less patriotism, or have we just not been as tested yet? (Maybe I'm thinking this b/c there hasn't been a war in US territory for long time?)
So...much...thinking.... Look, I feel like a grad student again! Wheeeeee!!
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