ESSAY ON: Lars von Trier’s “Dancer in the Dark” and “Breaking the Waves”: Strength, Devotion and the Ideal Portrayed in the “Unlikely” Simple Central Characters

Number of Pages 5

This research paper: This is a 5 page paper discussing the central characters in two films of Lars von Trier, “Breaking the Waves” and “Dancer in the Dark”. Two films of Lars von Trier, “Breaking the Waves” and “Dancer in the Dark” tell the story of two women who prove their strength through their devotion to the ones they love. In a strange scenario and a play between reality and the ideal however, von Trier portrays both women as seemingly simple and frail with their strength only being revealed later in their ultimate sacrifices for others. Bess in “Breaking the Waves” originally is portrayed to viewers as perhaps somewhat “mentally touched” as she talks to herself and God. While these may be seen as weak characteristics in reality, Bess portrays the ideal as her devotion to her husband leads to her compromising her own life. Similarly, Selma in “Dancer in the Dark” appears simplistic to viewers in the onset of the film but her dedication to her son and her perseverance to provide for him the savings he will require to save his sight override any concern for her own safety and she too sacrifices her own life for his; both women’s devotion portraying the ultimate ideal in devotion, selflessness and strength. Bibliography lists 4 sources.


File: D0_TJLarsV1.rtf


Send me this paper »

« Back to Topic Listings

Copyright © 2000-2024 The Paper Store Enterprises, Inc. & Fast Papers On-line.
All rights reserved. Search for your essay here.

U.S. based premium essay, research and
term papers service since 2000.