Parting Of The Sea Analysis

One of the most well known Biblical stories, the Parting of the Sea is a tale that has been interpreted in many different ways. As Collins states, this story is the “narrative climax” of the story of the exodus. Although many details are changed in each interpretation, Moses’s portrayal has the largest impact on the story and can make two interpretations drastically different. Roger Young’s “Moses” portrays Moses as a run-of-the-mill Hebrew who achieves extraordinary things through God. Cecil B. Demille’s “Ten Commandments” turns Moses into a more classic hero who is physically and mentally elevated above his peers. Finally, Brenda Chapman’s “The Prince of Egypt” presents Moses as a kind yet timid leader of men with a deep connection to God. Altogether, these different portrayals of Moses have great influence on their respective film and highlight different aspects of the biblical Moses. Released in 1995, Roger Young’s “Moses” lends us the most textually adherent portrayal of Moses in the story of Parting of the Sea. Played by Ben Kingsley, Moses is shown as an unkempt Hebrew who does not stand out in the crowd in any way. He is short, dirty, and seemingly unconfident in his ability to stop …show more content…
Perhaps the most important lessons can be learned from Moses, the protagonist of the story, and such his portrayal is key to the message of the story. Roger Young’s “Moses” portrays an ordinary man named Moses who commits extraordinary acts through God’s power. Cecil B. Demille’s “Ten Commandments” features a Moses that is in every way greater than his peers and wields God’s power to protect his followers. Finally, Brenda Chapman’s “The Prince of Egypt” gives a Moses that is a gentle leader with a deep love and respect for both God and His people. These different portrayals of Moses lend each film very different messages and have great influence on the