Sunday, November 27, 2005
What's This?! A Comic Book Question...
...from a serious source? Jollyblogger is wondering about literary reference in "Batman Begins."
First of all, as someone acquainted with a few screenwriters (it's a hazard of living in Southern California where, actually, everyone is either an actor or has a script they are trying to sell) it is amuzing to wonder if a screenwriter has read something -- there is no limit to what they may or may not have read, from the wisest to the most profane. But, I digress.
Is the flower in Batman Begins a reference to Novalis' blue flower, which David quotes Jacobs quoting Novalis with this passage
The balancing of motivation and limitation is vitally important in Batman. His genesis is essentially vengeful, and yet modern sensibility discounts vengence as a legitimate motivation. Why is Bruce Wayne so obessesively focused on his task, yet never crosses the line into genuine vengenance, and he never kills? It is not an easy question to answer. The answer to that dilemma has always been that he seeks justice, not vengenance. Yet perfect justice in unattainable both for the legal system, thus the need for someone outside the system like Batman, or for Batman himself, for perfect justice would actually demand the death of some of his enemies.
Thus to offer a metaphor for the quest for justice would be most appropos for any Batman piece. Particularly since it is in that quest that Bruce Wayne finds the peace for his soul that Lewis claims he found in his joy.
It is also interesting that Bruce Wayne is lead to the blue flower by his eventual nemesis who claims to represent true justice. The metaphor of the search for justice is shared by both good, Batman, and evil, Ras Ah Ghul. They are supposed to be the right way to find Lewis' "joy" - again Batman - and the wrong way to find it - again Ras.
The symbolism of the flower in the movie is indeed quite similar to Novalis/Lewis. Given that most screenwriters are most avaricious readers, I think the likelihood quite high. Frankly, I wouldn't be suprized if the screenwriters read Lewis too.
As example I have a good friend writer that has talked about Christian parallels and symbolism in, of all things, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (A show John Mark Reynolds coincidentaly wrote about yesterday) I used to go to church with one of the Buffy writers. Coincidence? I think not. Nope, I wouldn't be surprized at all is the reference is quite precise.
Jacobs goes on to explain why Lewis calls this experience "Joy," but I am pointing it out to speculate about whether Bruce Wayne's experience is based on any of this. I am sure the writers/producers/directors of Batman didn't read Jacobs, and I doubt they read Lewis, since Jacobs mentions that Lewis mentioned the Blue Flower without giving any explanation. But I do wonder if the Batman folks may have come across Novalis.David is referring to the blue flower that plays a pivotal role in Bruce Wayne's training to become the Batman. There is a blue flower referecne running through the three authors mentioned, Novalis being the original source.
First of all, as someone acquainted with a few screenwriters (it's a hazard of living in Southern California where, actually, everyone is either an actor or has a script they are trying to sell) it is amuzing to wonder if a screenwriter has read something -- there is no limit to what they may or may not have read, from the wisest to the most profane. But, I digress.
Is the flower in Batman Begins a reference to Novalis' blue flower, which David quotes Jacobs quoting Novalis with this passage
There is no greed in my heart; but I yearn to get a glimpse of the blue flower [aber die blaue Blume sehn' ich mich zu erblicken]. It is perpetually in my mind, and I can write or think of nothing else . . .I would be fairly certain of the reference. The longing which Novalis describes is what Lewis calls "joy" in his autobiography. Lewis uses this longing as his driver towards Christ. The modern interpretation of the Batman myth is remarkably similar, save for the fact that Batman finds his salvation in his search for justice, not in Christ.
Often I feel so rapturously happy; and only when I do not have the flower clearly before my mind's eye does a deep inner turmoil seize me. This cannot and will not be understood by anyone. I would think I were mad if I did not see and think so clearly. Indeed since then everything is much clearer to me.
The balancing of motivation and limitation is vitally important in Batman. His genesis is essentially vengeful, and yet modern sensibility discounts vengence as a legitimate motivation. Why is Bruce Wayne so obessesively focused on his task, yet never crosses the line into genuine vengenance, and he never kills? It is not an easy question to answer. The answer to that dilemma has always been that he seeks justice, not vengenance. Yet perfect justice in unattainable both for the legal system, thus the need for someone outside the system like Batman, or for Batman himself, for perfect justice would actually demand the death of some of his enemies.
Thus to offer a metaphor for the quest for justice would be most appropos for any Batman piece. Particularly since it is in that quest that Bruce Wayne finds the peace for his soul that Lewis claims he found in his joy.
It is also interesting that Bruce Wayne is lead to the blue flower by his eventual nemesis who claims to represent true justice. The metaphor of the search for justice is shared by both good, Batman, and evil, Ras Ah Ghul. They are supposed to be the right way to find Lewis' "joy" - again Batman - and the wrong way to find it - again Ras.
The symbolism of the flower in the movie is indeed quite similar to Novalis/Lewis. Given that most screenwriters are most avaricious readers, I think the likelihood quite high. Frankly, I wouldn't be suprized if the screenwriters read Lewis too.
As example I have a good friend writer that has talked about Christian parallels and symbolism in, of all things, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (A show John Mark Reynolds coincidentaly wrote about yesterday) I used to go to church with one of the Buffy writers. Coincidence? I think not. Nope, I wouldn't be surprized at all is the reference is quite precise.
