Johnny Depp in Poes Works - Essay Example

Johnny Depp in Poe’s Works Johnny Depp is an ideal actor who can appear in any of Edgar Allan Poe’sworks including “the Raven” because of his versatile nature, style and talent which enables the character to be recognized and gain prominence during the performance. In order to understand how and why would, Johnny Depp out of all other Hollywood actors, be perfect for any of the roles in Poe’s works one needs to appreciate the fact that Depp himself was a fan of Poe’s works and took inspiration from it. One also needs to do a close study of the various befitting characters from Poe’s works whom Depp can adopt conveniently. Depp is known for reflecting and opting for roles which depict his personal experience which he is capable of exaggerating while acting his part. The ups and downs in Depp’s personal life did not seem to affect his growing career in films probably because he was dedicating all his positive energy in the character he becomes. Hence Depp can be Prince Prospero from Poe’s story “The Masque of the Red Death”. This character is portrayed as a carefree prince who is neglectful in dealing with the Red Death his country suffers from. He wishes to escape with the nobles and holds a generous masked ball for them. However he is angry of what he is afraid of and that is death approaching his doorstep. Depp will represent this character well as he is fond of giving himself a mysterious and roguish and at the same time a creepy and daunting look. His eccentric nature allows him to blend with the surreal and dark characters which belong to the works of Edgar Allan Poe. He might as well be well suited to appear in “the Raven” which symbolizes the loss of love and isolation from the narrators life. Depp can fall into the category of sad people who are capable of living up to world’s expectations. In the above mentioned poem written by Poe the narrator is mourning for his love when a soft tapping his heard on the window and a raven appears with a serious but comical movement in his room without paying attention to the narrator. The excitement in the narrator’s speech can be performed with artistic intelligence by Depp who knows even the slightest emotions which need to be displayed for the audience: And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating “'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door - Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; - This it is, and nothing more,” (Poe 1966) The narrator is annoyed at the only response the raven is capable of giving him which is “nevermore” which not only dishearten him but also astonishes him. This expression can be well played by Depp alone: Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, “Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store, Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore - Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore Of ‘Never-nevermore’” (Poe 1966) Thus it becomes evident that Depp is capable of giving his best shot in nearly all of Poe’s works because they offer him many opportunities which he has always craved for. In another story by Poe “the Pit and the Pendulum” the narrator is an unnamed protagonist who undergoes persecution during inquisition and ends up fainting frequently. Despite this agony he manages to control his fear and maintains his rapport by keeping his logical abilities intact. Again in one of the famous stories by Poe, “The Fall of the House of Usher” the lead character, Roderick Usher is a unique and intriguing character which can excellently performed by the multi-talented actor Johnny Depp. In this story Poe himself is doing a philosophical study between the mind and the body. Roderick’s indulgence in the world of fantasy and his love of books is contrasted with his bed-ridden and ill sister Madeline. However there is a strange resemblance in both these characters in terms of mind and the body and this is what Depp will be good at imitating. As his sister dies, Roderick loses his sanity and the Usher’s mansion also collapses. Depp would love to cast in the comical double role of “William Wilson” which would give him a chance to battle with himself on screen. “Wilson's rebellion was to me a source of the greatest embarrassment; -- the more so as, in spite of the bravado with which in public I made a point of treating him and his pretensions, I secretly felt that I feared him, and could not help thinking the equality which he maintained so easily with myself, a proof of his true superiority, since not to be overcome cost me a perpetual struggle. Yet this superiority -- even this equality -- was in truth acknowledged by no one but myself; our associates, by some unaccountable blindness, seemed not even to suspect it” (Poe 1966). As if thinking aloud Depp would be able to create another Sparrow in his lifetime. The audience would love him for playing a double role and the narration is going to make it even more exhilarating. The few of the works mentioned above are only a glimpse of why Depp would be a perfect character in most of Poe’s works. The fearsome and tantalizing style with which Depp appears on screen befits any of the major characters Poe has painted in his short stories. Even if Depp has to be play a role of a lonely self-obsessed man he would give himself a chance to do so. He is well known for eliminating his own self from the roles he opts for despite the fact that these roles may be very close to his personal life. His involvement with the story and the script and his love for the collection of books would naturally enable him to execute his part. References Poe, Edgar A. Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Garden City, N.Y: Doubleday, 1966. Print. Read More