The Prize of Being a Gladiator - Essay Example

The Prize of Being a Gladiator Many people are often hooked by TV series such as Spartacus, the question is: did gladiators really exist as part of Roman society? Apparently, people always love to watch violence onscreen even if it is scripted as in the case of wrestling. But this kind of TV show is incomparable to the violence demonstrated by gladiators in the arena. In fact, the bloodied arena as form of entertainment reflects the people’s bloodlust as they watch mangled bodies and decapitations live.

Are these gladiator fights as senseless as they seem or do they have historical depth that we can learn from? To answer such questions, I chose to research about the film Gladiator with Russel Crowe as the lead character. The movie received no less than five awards in the 73rd Academy Awards in 2000. The movie Gladiator is inspired by true events which made filmmaker Ridley Scott exert his best effort to reconstruct the whole Roman society and capture the zeitgeist of that period ( Neelin, 1998).

Although there are some parts of the movie that omitted important historical events or characters, the whole movie is a valid representation of Roman culture and politics during that period. The costumes, setting, cinematography and screenplay depicted the brutality of gladiators who are actually Etruscans according to historical sources. That period was marred by barbarian invasions such as Germanic tribes that tried to penetrate Rome. Wars were fought on almost all sides of Rome to protect its people from foreign invasion.

When it came to the costumes, the nobility of Rome were dressed richly showing how rich the Roman empire was. Even the costumes of the soldiers and gladiators were well-depicted showing that the team behind this movie was serious in delivering an epic that would forever be impressed in the minds of people. The fields where Maximus home is located is beautiful similar to that of the movie 300. At the very start, the scenes from the home and field showed bright colors depicting hope that would be cut-short by a twist of events.

The plot runs on the story of two powerful characters – Maximus Decimus Meridius and Commudus , pitted against one another in the midst of betrayal and vengeance. Commudus is a real character often described in ancient history books. History books reveal that Commudus ( whose real name is Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus ) is the son of Marcus Aurelius. However, the details of his father’s death cannot be attributed to him directly as the film projected because Marcus Aurelius died of old age.

However, the movie Gladiator was perhaps conveying the sentiments of old Roman Senators during that time regarding Commodus. It seems that Commodus was busy spending his time and resources on debauchery rather than political affairs as he held numerous feasts with orgies ( Neelin , 1998). In fact, speech made by Casius Dio after the death of Aurelius bluntly states that the deceased emperor’s frustration in life would be his son. Although this requires further historical investigation, the movie was able to project an image of a crazy sociopath Roman emperor in Commodus.

Maximus Decimus Meridius is not a real person; rather, he symbolizes many things in the movie. The articles of Neeling about the real story behind Gladiator is interesting because he pointed some generals that could have been Maximus. Nevertheless, the character played by Russel Crowe is not real and never had the chance to fight with Commodus in the arena. Commodus himself did not die in the arena even if he was a gladiator. He died on the hands of an athlete which can be considered quite ironic.

Ridley Scott was brilliant to have created the brave character of Maximus which could symbolize anything that opposes the ideals of Commodus. Although Commodus did not really kill his father, the movie portrayed him as murderer which tries to capture the dangerous if not borderline personality of this emperor. Regrettably, it would take another research to dwell in the real circumstances that surrounds Commodus. Indeed, Neeling’s article about the movie is a helpful guide for students like me.

The movie Gladiator is a successful portrayal of Rome and gladiators that fought in the arena. It contained various elements – fear, betrayal, rape, and victory that made the film a blockbuster. In fact, it is very inspiring to watch especially the end part when Maximus reunited with his wife in death. Although it is not an accurate historical epic, it can be a rich source of literature for students who want to learn more about Roman culture and society during that time. Moreover, ideals such as bravery and loyalty are emphasized in the movie even if it meant death in the end.

Works Cited David, Neelin . "Ancient Roman History Timeline." EX0vEdATe. Exovedate, 1 Jan. 1998. Web. 19 Apr. 2011. http://www.exovedate.com/ ancient_timeline_one.html Gladiator (Widescreen Edition). Dir. Ridley Scott. Perf. Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen. Dreamworks Video, 2000. DVD.