The Dark Lord or the Messiah
Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Artist Statement
Since his first appearance in 1977, Darth Vader has been considered to be the epitome of evil. However, this is a hasty reaction we make in categorizing a very complex and interesting character. The concept that Vader is not genuinely evil can be grasped by understanding what constitutes a tragic hero. Examining his tragic flaw, his fall, and his connection to the protagonist of Shakespeare’s Othello are vital to unveiling the true identity of this man of mystery—or machine of mystery considering Vader is half mechanical. Likewise, biblical influences, such as Jesus Christ and St. Michael the Archangel, can be seen in Vader suggesting that he is actually the savior of the Star Wars universe. As it turns out, Darth Vader triumphs over the Dark Side of the Force and proves that he is not the all powerful God of Evil that he is so often perceived to be. I was inspired to write about Darth Vader because of how prominent of a character he is in our culture. There are many people who know about Darth Vader, but there are few people who actually know who he is. Thus, he is categorized as an evil villain, and often considered to be the greatest of all time. In my presentation, I hope that people will be able to sympathize with someone they always thought was pure evil and as a result, understand the injustice of judging something at face value.
Location
University of the Pacific, Classroom Building
Start Date
5-5-2007 9:00 AM
End Date
5-5-2007 12:30 PM
The Dark Lord or the Messiah
University of the Pacific, Classroom Building
Since his first appearance in 1977, Darth Vader has been considered to be the epitome of evil. However, this is a hasty reaction we make in categorizing a very complex and interesting character. The concept that Vader is not genuinely evil can be grasped by understanding what constitutes a tragic hero. Examining his tragic flaw, his fall, and his connection to the protagonist of Shakespeare’s Othello are vital to unveiling the true identity of this man of mystery—or machine of mystery considering Vader is half mechanical. Likewise, biblical influences, such as Jesus Christ and St. Michael the Archangel, can be seen in Vader suggesting that he is actually the savior of the Star Wars universe. As it turns out, Darth Vader triumphs over the Dark Side of the Force and proves that he is not the all powerful God of Evil that he is so often perceived to be. I was inspired to write about Darth Vader because of how prominent of a character he is in our culture. There are many people who know about Darth Vader, but there are few people who actually know who he is. Thus, he is categorized as an evil villain, and often considered to be the greatest of all time. In my presentation, I hope that people will be able to sympathize with someone they always thought was pure evil and as a result, understand the injustice of judging something at face value.