300 Movie Themes

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300 is a movie about the war between Persia and Sparta. This movie is accurate to what truly happened in 480 BCE with a few exceptions. It demonstrates the historical factors of gender, geography, society, and religion during this time period accurately and helps give an understanding to the Battle of Thermopylae. 300 shows how the Spartans and Persians played a prominent role in the events in history. This movie shows the detailed events of the Battle of Thermopylae, the important historical concepts of 480 BCE, and is mostly accurate to the events of history.
300 tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae, which occurred between Sparta and Persia. King Leonidas, the Spartan king, is visited by a Persian messenger who demands Spartan submission
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Geography is represented when Leonidas used Hot Gates to trap the Persians between the Phocian Wall, which was built of rocks and the bodies of dead Persians, and the edge of a cliff that dropped off into water. Persians were not accustomed to the conditions of the terrain in the Hot Gates, thus giving the Spartans another advantage. Religion is depicted in the movie through the Ephors and the Oracle, a girl chosen because of her beauty to relay prophecies from the gods. Both of these characters are representations of Spartan beliefs in the gods and their power. The Ephors deny Leonidas’ request for war because it is the season of the Carniea, a religious festival, showing again the importance of religion in Sparta. Persian religion is shown in the worship of King Xerxes who claims to be an immortal god, but is proved wrong when Leonidas’ sword scars Xerxes face. Spartan society is submissive to the gods and any decision made by the king or the council must be approved by the gods. 300 shows the militant society of Sparta. Men were raised to be soldiers and were trained since childhood as seen in the beginning of the movie in the upbringing of Leonidas. Spartan soldiers were loyal to each other and their country. Thier loyalty is demonstrated when Leonidas says that he would die for his men and when he tells them that Sparta never retreats and never surrenders. Gender is represented in 300 through Queen Gorgo. Spartan women were not equal to men as seen through Theron’s abuse of Queen Gorgo, but were very close. Queen Gorgo shows her strength when she speaks out against the Persian messenger. Her reason for speaking to a man without being asked is that only Spartan women give birth to real men. In contrast to Spartan women, Persian women are submissive to men as seen through all the women used as slaves to Xerxes in his palace. These four concepts were all depicted

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