Thursday, November 20, 2014

What was Amon Goeth's inner conflict in the movie, Schindler's List?

This is probably one of the most intriguing aspects of the
film.  Some have criticized the film as being one- sided in its depiction of Goeth.  I
tend to see Goeth as a fairly intricate character.  No doubt, his cruelty and his evil
are undeniable.  However, there is an ethical or a moral dimension that is brought out
in his depiction.  He is shown to be struggling between embracing the better angels of
his nature and the dark forces which so easily take hold and guide him.  There is a
moment in the film where he and Schindler discuss what justice is and how the ability to
pardon is what defines it.  In the very next scene, when one of his servants commits a
transgression, Goeth "pardons" him instead of berating him.  Goeth then stands in front
of the mirror, studying what it means to pardon someone, how his face contorts with an
act of benevolence, and for a moment, both Goeth and the viewer fully grasp this moment,
an instant where there is clarity and when Goeth might be able to embrace the good that
is so needed amidst a world of evil.  However, this is temporary as he notices a
hangnail or something on his figure and the very next moment is seen with him shooting
at the boy he "pardoned."  There is a complexity to Goeth in his relationship with Helen
Hirsch, his servant and the woman towards which he shows any possible notion of love. 
In no way can Goeth be seen as a sympathetic figure.  However, where the film excels is
that it probes into the nature of evil and what psychological dimensions are brought out
within it.  I don't see the depiction of Goeth as simplistically reductive, but rather
one where there is a level of conflict and complexity, as evil and the darker aspects of
human nature usually are.

No comments:

Post a Comment

What accomplishments did Bill Clinton have as president?

Of course, Bill Clinton's presidency will be most clearly remembered for the fact that he was only the second president ever...