The Dionysian and the Apollonian in The Night of the Hunter
When a story-teller or artist wants to bring the audience into an unfamiliar world, they may employ some classical ways of storytelling to ease the audience in. They may use Dionysian themes to present an Apollonian story to the audience. Charles Laughton’s The Night of the Hunter is a great example of a film doing this. The events that take place in Charles Laughton’s The Night of the Hunter are those of pure horror, it is a story of good and evil and seems to be a rational Apollonian story. However, the dreamlike images that Laughton uses to portray these events transcend their grisly reality and instead allow the viewer to experience the story as a child would a Grimm fairy …show more content…
As lighthearted as children’s stories can be there is a purpose behind most of them. In an article by C.M. Hewins, the history of children’s stories is explored, particularly one example of a book called Puer ad Mensam by John Lydgate from 1430: “O Babees yonge," the writer says, "My Book only is made for youre lernynge." The "Babees" are exhorted to salute their lord; to hold up their heads and kneel on one knee; to look straight at whoever speaks to them; to answer sensibly, shortly, and easily; to stand till told to sit; to keep head, hands, and feet quiet; not to scratch themselves, lean against posts, etc. They are told to turn their backs on no one, to be silent while their lord drinks, and, when allowed to sit down, to tell no low stories or scorn any one, but to be meek and cheerful, and thankful for praise. They are warned not to interfere in affairs of the household, to be ready for service” Almost 600 years ago children's stories were used …show more content…
The bedroom in which the mother is murdered by Harry Powell is an unsettling shape, with very acutely angled walls joining together at a sharp point. It doesn’t seem like a friendly or inviting room that you would want to live in. The room is reminiscent of a cathedral, but the sharpness of the angles seem to be exaggerated to such a point that the room itself seems threatening and violent. The shape of this room seems to be a clear representation of Harry Powell - seemingly clerical, but actually evil. Not until the murder scene do you see a wide shot of the bedroom, with the full shape of the room central in the frame. The room also seems to be very barren with only a bed, lamp and chair. The focus is meant to go to Willa and Harry and the set does
When a story-teller or artist wants to bring the audience into an unfamiliar world, they may employ some classical ways of storytelling to ease the audience in. They may use Dionysian themes to present an Apollonian story to the audience. Charles Laughton’s The Night of the Hunter is a great example of a film doing this. The events that take place in Charles Laughton’s The Night of the Hunter are those of pure horror, it is a story of good and evil and seems to be a rational Apollonian story. However, the dreamlike images that Laughton uses to portray these events transcend their grisly reality and instead allow the viewer to experience the story as a child would a Grimm fairy …show more content…
As lighthearted as children’s stories can be there is a purpose behind most of them. In an article by C.M. Hewins, the history of children’s stories is explored, particularly one example of a book called Puer ad Mensam by John Lydgate from 1430: “O Babees yonge," the writer says, "My Book only is made for youre lernynge." The "Babees" are exhorted to salute their lord; to hold up their heads and kneel on one knee; to look straight at whoever speaks to them; to answer sensibly, shortly, and easily; to stand till told to sit; to keep head, hands, and feet quiet; not to scratch themselves, lean against posts, etc. They are told to turn their backs on no one, to be silent while their lord drinks, and, when allowed to sit down, to tell no low stories or scorn any one, but to be meek and cheerful, and thankful for praise. They are warned not to interfere in affairs of the household, to be ready for service” Almost 600 years ago children's stories were used …show more content…
The bedroom in which the mother is murdered by Harry Powell is an unsettling shape, with very acutely angled walls joining together at a sharp point. It doesn’t seem like a friendly or inviting room that you would want to live in. The room is reminiscent of a cathedral, but the sharpness of the angles seem to be exaggerated to such a point that the room itself seems threatening and violent. The shape of this room seems to be a clear representation of Harry Powell - seemingly clerical, but actually evil. Not until the murder scene do you see a wide shot of the bedroom, with the full shape of the room central in the frame. The room also seems to be very barren with only a bed, lamp and chair. The focus is meant to go to Willa and Harry and the set does