The film, Battleship Potemkin <\/i>is a very accurate depiction of Russian life in the early 1900\u2019s.\u00a0 From the image of officers physically abusing the men on the ship to the massacre at the Odessa staircase, Eisenstein certainly brought the image of revolution to life in a shocking and thought-provoking way.<\/p>\n
In the film, after Vakulinchuk was murdered, his body was placed by the harbor with a candle and a paper that read, \u201cKilled for a plate of soup.\u201d\u00a0 This notion resonates with the Russian people, and they unite on behalf of the common goal of holding the oppressor\u2014in this case, the Tsar\u2014responsible for their injustice.\u00a0 The scene that depicted Vakulinchuk\u2019s body in the tent, and the response of the Russian people, seemed to parallel Mazower\u2019s depictions of liberal uprisings.\u00a0 The violent response that Tsars utilized to quell the people was common not only in Russia, but among several European cities during the rise and fall of democracy.\u00a0 I also found it intriguing how immediate the response of the Russian people was upon viewing Vakulinchuk\u2019s body.\u00a0 It was as if a spark ignited and rapidly spread across the city.<\/p>\n
The massacre itself on the Odessa staircase is a painfully accurate visualization of Mazower\u2019s descriptions.\u00a0 He states, \u201c\u2026 the congress sought the creation of socialism by ending exploitation, \u2018crushing completely\u2019 the bourgeoisie and vesting power in the working population as expressed by the Soviets\u201d (12).\u00a0 Eisenstein\u2019s scene on the Odessa staircase is a literal representation of the Russian powers silencing those in favor of liberalism.<\/p>\n
It is clear by the end of this film that democracy in Russia will be suppressed.\u00a0 The Russian people have two clear options: respect authority and stay alive, or rebel and be killed.\u00a0 The film ends with a bleak view of what the future will hold for Russia in terms of authoritarian leadership.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The film, Battleship Potemkin is a very accurate depiction of Russian life in the early 1900\u2019s.\u00a0 From the image of officers physically abusing the men on the ship to the massacre at the Odessa staircase, Eisenstein certainly brought the image … Continue reading