Were Knights 'Real' in Shrek?

“A program of values that knights in the Middle Ages have been expected to follow”, values that had been additional defined as loyalty, defense, courage, justice, faith, humility, and nobility, this is chivalry (Merriam-Webster & Gonder). Shrek showcases what is recognized as an “ironical revisitation” of the classic tale of the knight, teaching readers that Shrek’s evolution all through the film represented the characters shift from ironic mockery of the clichéd knight, to someone a character who genuinely embodied a knight (Travels in Hyperreality). The film virtually quickly sets itself up to as a film that takes spot in a fictionalized version of the Middle Ages the film presents several fictional characters (i.e. Pinocchio, the Large Negative Wolf, the Three Tiny Pigs, and so forth.) and paints them as mainstays of the planet Shrek inhabits. Regardless of the reality that the film inhabits a fictionalized universe, featuring type and harmless versions of most fictional characters, the knights in the film are far from kind, and far from chivalrous. In spite of the knights seemingly inhabiting the same socioeconomic class as they did in the Middle Ages, noble males who worked beneath the king, the knights in Shrek appear to ignore all senses of courage, justice, faith, and nobility, in favor of an overwhelming loyalty to their tyrannical leader, Lord Farquad. The very first act of Shrek begins by familiarizing the audience with a selfish, volatile, and content ogre. Shrek’s selfish nature is embodied by his want and content material with living alone – as portrayed by the opening montage – and his volatility by his insistence on scaring the basic public that surrounds his swamp. Rather than beginning the film by introducing a character longing to embody what it signifies to be a knight, and to be a knight, Shrek introduces a character that desires nothing a lot more than the opposite, an ironical satire of the clichéd knight. Shrek straight juxtaposes this clichéd trope, and this is quite properly illustrated at the outset of the film Shrek starts the film sitting in his outhouse making snide remarks about the ‘classic’ tale of the knight. Interestingly, the audience isn’t even privy to the fact that Shrek is in his outhouse until 45 seconds into Shrek’s narration of the book he’s reading. As he reaches the end of the story and discusses how the knight and princess he’d saved would fall in enjoy, Shrek remarks, “like that is ever going to happen”, proceeding to tear the final page of the story out and – seemingly – use the story he sees as a, “load of sh*t”, as a signifies to wipe his sh*t (Scene 1). Even though this scene virtually instantly clarifies that this film is a satire and not a supposed to be a ‘love story’ – as the 1st 45 seconds imply – it also serves as the perfect introduction for Shrek’s crass, volatile and blunt behavior. Further suggesting that this film will serve as a mockery to the classic knight’s tale, in addition to stating that it (the outcome illustrated in the knight’s tale) won’t ever be occurring, is the reality that – as aforementioned – Shrek uses the final web page of the story as toilet paper, implying each the story and what it represents are “beneath” Shrek. Interestingly this scene actually serves as much more than a signifies of establishing the story as a satire, it also introduces the obvious truth that Shrek is clearly not knight-like and he does not want to be. Shrek’s position as a character who juxtaposes a knight is additional evidenced by the sequences that follow Shrek’s time in the bathroom playing to Smash Mouth’s All Star the montage follows Shrek as he goes by way of his typical day: painting ‘keep out’ indicators, brushing his teeth with mud, showering with mud, and consuming eyeballs (Scene 1). Shrek’s selfish attitude endures via the films initial act till it’s final manifestation in which Shrek, for his personal motives combats numerous knights (who are supposed to represent chivalry) remarkably this further plays into the films all round satire as well. Rather than combating the beast and slaying it, as the knight did at the beginning of the book (in Shrek’s outhouse), these knights are really bested by the beast (Scene two). Shrek remains a selfish creature of satire throughout the duration of the movie’s initial act but, much like the clichéd hero in the tale whom he detests, Shrek starts to evolve into some thing a lot more as the story progresses and his true quest begins. The second act of Shrek displays the character’s shift from opposition to/of being a knight to an embracement of the lead to he has taken up, whilst his motivations at this point in the movie are selfish in nature, his shift from selfish and closed off is also extremely evident. At this point in the film the audience has observed Shrek display traits of loyalty – to an finish – courage, and even nobility in his lead to. It is at this point in the film that the audience also sees Shrek’s shift from “creature of satire” – a character whose actions make the film a satire – to a satirical plot device – a character whose existence and getting are the satire. Ahead of the films second act it was Shrek’s direct actions (his words) that created the film a satire of the classic knight’s tale, but during the second and third acts of the film it is Shrek’s basic action, as a hero, that nevertheless tends to make Shrek a mockery of the clichéd tale of the knight, simply because Shrek isn’t a knight. Shrek’s development is most exemplified in a scene in which the audience sees him walking via a field of corn with Donkey. The two ultimately reach a clearing and Shrek picks an onion and, soon after a remark from Donkey, begins to describe how he – like the onion – has layers. This scene in certain expresses just how significantly of a shift Shrek has made since the starting of the film, soon after telling Donkey that “Ogres are like onions”, Shrek proceeds to explain that they have layers, and then halts his response (Scene two). At initial glance, this line does not appear to represent a lot but following cautious evaluation it really seems to very best represent Shrek’s shift into a character that represents a satire of the clichéd knight Shrek’s comments about Ogre’s possessing layers also denotes that he is wearing an armor. Much like each Shrek, and an onion, knights wear a protective armor to protect the true human inside, and beneath that armor resides a living becoming with emotion and depth in stating that he is like an onion – and by extension a knight – Shrek is admitting that he’s a more complicated character then previously believed. In peeling back the layers of an onion, the onion becomes rawer in each a literal – eyes burning and tearing – sense whereas Shrek admits, at this point, that he is comparable – with feelings beneath his protective hide. Shrek wears a figurative armor to protect what his character has buried deep inside, beneath his layers, he has the potential to be more chivalrous and heroic, effectively establishing the “monster” as the “knight” of the story, and additional representing the movie’s satire. By the movie’s third act, lengthy gone is the selfish ogre who the audience had been introduced to at the outset of the film, and in his place the spectators are presented with a character with not only depth, but an individual who cares for others – a stark contrast to the Shrek we knew. The film’s second act presented the audience with Shrek’s prospective to be much more than he was, whilst the final act of the film capitalizes on this notion this cements the character as the idealized and clichéd knight, creating the “beast” into a “knight”, and additional satirizing the knights tale noticed as the starting of the film. 1 of the final scenes of the film attributes Shrek – after debating if he need to or need to not – halting Lord Farquaad’s marriage ceremony (to Fiona). Even though at initial glance the audience may interpret these actions as selfish – which whould be a regression for Shrek’s character – they are soon treated with to Shrek stating that, “He’s [ Farquaad’s] just marrying you to be king”, confirming Shrek’s actions have been to benefit both himself and Fiona (Scene three). The scene resumes as Shrek states that “He’s not your accurate love”, a line cut brief as Lord Farquaad laughs and states, “the ogre has fallen in adore with the princess” (Scene three). After an exchange in between Shrek, Fiona, Farquaad and [a] dragon, Shrek returns to his swamp with Fiona and openly welcomes guests to his “new” residence. The entirety of the film’s ending is representative of Shrek’s shift as a character, in saving Fiona from a loveless marriage – he shows honor – and in welcoming individuals into his swamp and possessing a pleased ending (until Shrek two), Shrek shows that he – regardless of what was mentioned at the outset of the film – did partake in the very same type of fairytale story he had when laughed at. In undertaking this, Shrek confirms itself as a satire of the clichéd tale of the knight, rather than having an actual knight fulfill the role of hero, the monster, and the honorable knights and heroes fulfill the part of the monster. Whilst Shrek is a film set in what can only be described as an incredibly fictionalized version of medieval instances, most of the films characters seem to serve as extremely satirical requires on characters of the classical and clichéd tale of the knight. Not only is the princess far more than capable of taking care of herself, not a damsel in distress, but the hero of the movie is in fact the “beast”, rather than the knight and the knights of the film are the “monsters”. Rather than remain a selfish, self centered and irrational beast, Shrek evolves all through the film to embody traits typically only observed the most chivalrous knights of medieval instances such as honor, a drive for justice, potential to accept humility, loyalty, and defense.