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The New World Essay

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The New World “The New World” is directed by Terrence Malick, starring Collin Farrell, Christopher Plummer and Christian Bale. The film is inspired by the historical characters such as Captain Smith, Pocahontas of the Indian American Tribe and John Rolfe, Englishman and also all white characters are English male soldiers The film follows a common premise of two unknown nation and cultures when they encounter each other. The film opens from a Native American point of view when they run to the shore to witness the three ships arriving to the new world. In one of the ships, Captain John smith is tied up in chains to be hanged to death for his prior mutiny after they reach onto land. However, Captain Christopher Newport who is the chief …show more content…

The age difference between both characters is inaccurate in “The New World.” However, Pocahontas was young and native, therefore, was completely enticed by Smith. Later on she also fall in love with another white English guy name Rolfe. At first, she does not realize that Smith is cleverer and experienced. The Powhatan people, however, fiercely refuse to accept the Europeans. I would say the affiliation between Pocahontas and Smith was mostly fiction and the film is not historically accurate. To make the long story short, Pocahontas eventually marries John Rolfe who is a settler. Rolfe helps her to make a new life and forget her past and grief of lost. Here he teaches her english and also shows her how to be an English woman. She changed herself from native Indian to English woman. Then they travel to England together and later she’s diminished by lung illness. It has been argued whether The New World movie carries out the idea of noble savage itself. Perhaps, it does a little. The Indians as a whole are idealized in some way. For example, according to the History professor Cathy Schultz, Powhatan's people "were far from the innocent, childlike creatures we see in the film." Schultz points out that Powhatan "ruled by conquest over the surrounding tribes," in contrast to the film's depiction of them as peaceful except where in conflict with the English.

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