Pan's Labyrinth: Representations of Gender, Politics & Religion

Pan's Labyrinth: Representations of Gender, Politics & Religion

Representations in Gender:
- Clear binary opposite in terms of representation of gender in Pan's Labyrinth
- Male characters (except rebels/Doctor Ferreiro) are representative of a patriarchal society
                     - A system of society/government where men hold power, women largely excluded
                     - Spain in 1940's/under Fascist rule = example of patriarchy
- Del Toro presents link between oppression of fascism & how patriarchal systems of authority oppress women. Best represented through actions & behaviour of Captain
- Female characters generally represented more positively
- The women (Ofelia/Carmen/Mercedes) all suffer at hands of patriarchy

Representation in Gender: Captain Vidal
- Obsessed by his father's military exploits + equally determined his own son (refuses to believe child won't be a boy) is born close to him. More important than health of sick wife
- Scolds wife for discussing romance in public, dismissive of Ofelia (stepdaughter) -> examples of misogynistic attitudes in patriarchal society
- Appearance & actions (narcissistic grooming - shaving, polishing his boots, spotless uniform, precise way he fixes his father's watch) point towards excessive display of masculinity & desire for order and to control - linking masculinity & patriarchy to fascism/oppression

Representation in Gender: Ofelia
- Positive female representation: Strong willed, brave & independent in thought
- Resists fascism/Vidal through love of literature/fairy tales/imagination
- Scene which Ofelia ruins dress -> demonstrates her rejection of patriarchal values & rejection of conformity.

Representation in Gender: Carmen
- Passive character, subject to her husband's wills
- Allows herself to be controlled by her husband, confined to wheelchair at his request (representing her lack of agency/freedom), silenced at banquet when discussing their romance by him
- Her death during child birth -> unmourned by Vidal = extreme representation how women are oppressed in patriarchal society (Vidal's only concern = son/heir to continue his patriarchy)

Representation in Gender: Mercedes
- More positive representation to Carmen
- Caring/compassionate towards Ofelia, resourceful, strong willed
- Actively resists Vidal/fascists, supports Rebels by smuggling supplies to them
Representation changes throughout film:
- Start: timid/doubts own strength (suffers under same patriarchy as Carmen)
- End: More empowered + proves her strength
- Demonstrated through changes in key elements of film form as they relate to Mercedes: especially mise-en-scene, performance & cinematography
- When Mercedes caught by Vidal towards end of film, Vidal laughs that he should be left alone with her 'she is just a woman', shows undermining of women in a patriarchal society
- Mercedes able to support rebels as she was 'invisible' to Vidal = comment on how women are excluded in patriarchal society. (staging in this scene worth noticing: after short exchange, Vidal turns back to Mercedes to inspect his torture devices, thinks so little of her he turns his back to her + makes himself vulnerable)
- Key use of cinematography in scene show how Mercedes goes from a sufferer to empowered. Camera moves/tilts as she stabs Vidal, cuts to low angle shot of Mercedes standing over Vidal & subsequent reverse high angle shot of Vidal on his knees -> connotes Mercedes new-found empowerment.

Representation in Politics/Religion:
- Del Toro's negative views on fascism/Catholicism evident through the way they are represented in the film
- Banquet scene: Vidal/Priest attending meal represented as uncaring authoritarian. Represent middle class & ruling elite, manner they are represented suggestive of Del Toro's negative opinions on authoritarian groups that oppose free thought (embodied by Ofelia + her love of stories/fairytales)
- Negative representation of Catholicism -> linked to Del Toro's own beliefs as his negative feelings towards his own Catholic upbringing evident in banquet scene
- Contrast: rebels represented fairly positively + are shown to be more compassionate & comradely/humanised/freedom loving/empathetic than fascists

Representation - Summary:

- How film creates meaning and generates response through cinematography, mise-en-scène, editing, sound and performance (including staging and direction)

- How all aspects of film form including narrative contribute to the representations of cultures and societies (gender, ethnicity and age), including the ideological nature of those representations. 

Key questions when looking at films & their representations:
- How does film challenge/reinforce stereotypes?
- What's emphasised by the representation?
- What does representation neglect to tell us?
- Is a particular group under-represented or omitted entirely? Why?
- Dominant messages of film & how are they reinforced by representations?
- Dominant ideologies presented/criticised by representation on screen?
- Film's social & political contexts?
- How are elements of film form used to construct representations?