Essay - Way Down East Introduction the Theme of Guilt and Redemption...

Way Down East

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The theme of guilt and redemption is a key one in literature and drama, often with direct reference to biblical concepts of each and the link between them. In the film Way Down East by D.W. Griffith (1920), the central female figure suffers greatly because ***** a sexual indiscretion until she is redeemed ***** saved for a traditional role in the family. The film appears to suggest at the outset th***** it is the male who needs to be redeemed, but as the ***** progresses, ***** becomes clear that Griffith sees the roles of men and women ***** very traditional terms ***** that his idea ***** the double standard ***** women differs greatly from modern feminist thinking on the same subject. The structure of the s*****ry creates a m*****le villain, but it is still the female who suffers for her sin and who must achieve redemption before she can be made whole again ***** allowed back into trad*****ional society, a society th*****t is limited in scope for both men and women but always more so for women and a society that is especially un*****giving for women. Griffith seems at first to criticize t***** fact, ***** in the end he revels in it ***** sees the ***** of society in terms of the redemption of woman first and man second.

Guilt

***** concept ***** ***** in this film is biblical in nature and addresses ***** ***** guilt of the wo***** than ***** guilt of the man. In ***** beginning, the filmmaker states in a subt*****le that ***** are constant ***** their affections, while men are not. He indicates that the promiscuity of men means ***** in some manner the men ***** not as evolved as the women, and the implication is made that women are on a higher plane because of *****ir ability to remain faithful to one mate for life, ***** men are lesser creatures who are weak and so more given to promiscuous behavior. This might seem on first blush to be an indict*****t ***** men and their behavior, but in another way it is not. **********, it appears instead to give men a p*****s for their ***** behavior, as if they simply cannot help themselves and will not be able to do so until they evolve. Within the inherent pra*****e for women is also a higher standard for *****. If a man falls, he is just following his nature. If a wo***** falls, ***** is betraying *****r true nature and so committing a much graver sin.

In ***** structure of the film, Lennox Sanderson is the cad who seduces Anna and betrays her. Griffith may condemn Lennox, but he ***** seems to indulge him ***** a degree, much *****s ***** has tended to do at different times with ***** view that "boys will be boys."

***** introductory title card also calls ***** a simple story of plain people, referring specifically to ***** and her mot*****. ********** relatives are not such plain *****, and it