The Real New World
By Lauren Eisner, with comments by Catherine Willard, Samuel Olson, Kelley Higgins, and Andrew Tye
[1] The innocence of the natives is forever frozen through the presentation of this scene (tape one: 1:02:30) marking October 21, 1492, in the 1992 film, 1492: Conquest of Paradise. The viewer is presented with entrancing scenery and belief in the fairness of Columbus. As a film audience, we hear Columbus speak the soothing words of his diary as the edenic visual scenes are captured on screen and in our hearts and minds. October 21, 1492, remains a date in history unlike none other, since the details of this day will forever be discussed as we decipher Columbus's story from that showcased in the film.
[2] The overall purpose of this scene is to portray the gentle innocence of the natives, but then parallel this innocence with their sharpness in mind and technology. Also, one of the main facets of the scene is to show the picturesque nature of these native lands and people and then contrast it with the end result of destruction by the Spaniards. Columbus's words of praise for this paradise would provide hope and belief in peace between these two cultures. The spectacular nature of this Eden permanently casts a cloud of doubt upon all and any justification of Columbus's actions to change the native way of life. This scene begins by showing the playfulness and all-out innocence of the native people. The children have fun with the Spaniards and paint Juanito, the Spaniard with the cleft lip, whom we later find out is not just different in looks than the others, but in spirit.
[3] Children run around naked basking in their own innocence and purity when Columbus first takes in all that now surrounds him. Through a gentle fog and melodic music, he speaks of this island as having returned to Eden. However, he honestly admits that these people, this place he sees before him will never be the same. Again, the viewer is faced with the impact of Columbus's actions and lack of justification behind his actions. Based on The Diario of Christopher Columbus's First Voyage to America 1492-1493 (ed. Oliver Dunn and James E. Kelley, Jr, U of Oklahoma P, 1989), this scene accurately portrays this day. In the Diario, Columbus describes lush forest and big lakes and feels that "it seems that a man would never want to leave this place" (105). (see comment by Catherine Willard)
[4] Columbus's connection with nature is accounted for both in film and text. After describing the numerous plants, fruit, and animals of this foreign place, he writes, "I am the most sorrowful man in the world, not being acquainted with them" (105). Columbus is in awe of the beautiful paradise, the Eden, into which he has entered, and his narrating continues through the film's scene, telling of gentle rather than forceful conversion of the people. "If the natives are to be converted to our ways, then it will be by persuasion and not by force. I believe that no man will ever see this land as we do, for the first time. We come in peace and with honor. They are not savages, and neither will we be. Treat them as you would your own wives and children" (1:02:16).
[5] Although Columbus speaks of this gentleness towards the natives in the October 21 scene in the film; the Diario entry is made on October 11. Scott combined different dates to create a full scene for his audience, although it was supposed to represent only one day. The October 11 entry: "I recognize that they were people who would be better free [from error] and converted to our Holy faith by love than by force-" (65). (see comment by Andrew Tye)
[6] When Columbus also tells all the men to treat these people as you would your wives, he is sending a mixed message. Here the film script is written for the current 20th century and past understanding of what women symbolize. Women were considered lesser than men in the patriarchal society of this time of discovery, and thus men needed to control women, care for them, and protect them. The admonition in this scene to respect and protect the natives portrays Columbus's original view at first contact that they needed Spanish guardianship.
[7] This scene far outstretches its boundaries and has an effect on the entire film. In the Debauchery scene (1:39:15), there is a definite connection to this one through the treatment of the natives. The positively portrayed October 21 scene sharply contrasts Columbus's gentle treatment of the natives to Moxica's harsh treatment. Columbus realizes the beauty of these people and that the lands he stood on would never be seen the same. In comparison, the typical villain, Moxica, views the natives as parasites and only useful for labor or sinful pleasure throughout the film but particularly in the Debauchery scene. This defined separation between Columbus and Moxica, good and evil, provides a continual scapegoat for any problems in the New World. In the film Columbus will therefore remain the heroic figure fighting for the good of all against evil. Although historically inaccurate, this portrayal of Columbus permanently binds the present-day, generally accepted view of Columbus as an American hero to the seams of all American history.
[8] The October 21, 1492, scene represents the innocent, childlike natives in cooperation with the Spaniards; however the following scene, Enter Utapan (1:03:27), presents adult cooperation. Utapan and Columbus communicate and want to understand each other. These two seemed destined to meet and learn from each other, but when Columbus spots Utapan's gold mask necklace, his greed is quickly spurred. These two scenes are linked; they demonstrate the need for true human understanding between cultures that greed is likely to destroy. (see comment by Samuel Olsen)
[9] In the October 21 scene the yearning for gold is simply not represented, which shouldn't be shocking because of the film's yearning to portray the heroism of Columbus. It should be noted that, historically, gold was one force that really was permanently imbedded in Columbus's mind and shown through his actions. Even in his one Diario entry for October 21, Columbus speaks of the valuables he hopes to find in the island, along with the gold he hopes the king will provide him. The distinction between film and fact are compounded through the lack of greed portrayed in the October 21 scene when compared to the exact Diario entry of Columbus. Perhaps surpassing material greed, however, the greed for dominance and power caused the Spaniards to deny all native culture and destroy their paradise. The only true exception to this is presented through Juanito's actions.
[10] The only Spaniard represented with any visible defect is Juanito. The natives were first drawn to Juanito in the film (0:56:13) perhaps because they viewed him as separate from the others and even more god-sent in his special characteristics. Juanito originally mixes in with the other Spaniards, yet throughout this scene he feels a connection to native culture. He allows the natives to cut his hair and paint him, which was a mark of barbarism to the Spaniards. While the men go hunting in their clothed uniform, we are reacquainted with Juanito, now shirtless and painted. Juanito far surpasses the basic Spaniard and comes to symbolize the possibility of keeping this unchanging Eden as it was meant to be. The ideal of not having the natives assimilate to European culture, but rather having the Europeans move more towards native culture is first magnified through Juanito's seemingly simplistic actions. Juanito is later one of the first to be killed, so maybe he did lose out in his stretch toward other cultures. More importantly, the negative message of what could happen if one should cross cultural boundaries is remarkable. The defining and drastically different cultures of the Spaniards and the natives remain evident throughout the scene.
[11] Hunting showcases the technologies of the Spaniards side by side with that of the natives. The weaponry of these two groups not only represents technological differences, but also extreme cultural contrasts. The gun, which was made of steel and built for the purpose of killing and violence, fails to kill the hunted bird. On the other hand, the arrow, seemingly less technologically advanced, targets the bird and kills it with one shot. The irony here is that the hunting/killing tool created by the superior, civilized culture of the Spaniards flounders under the naturally created arrow of the innocent, uncivilized natives. The Spaniards laugh at the success of the natives' primitive tool, however they are now forced to realize the usefulness and necessity of the natives themselves.
[12] The October 21, 1492, scene draws from a wide spectrum of characteristics of both the natives and the Spaniards. The natives have both innocence and intellect tailored to their specific needs and lifestyle. The Spaniards have exploratory yearning and eventual distaste in their discovery of these natives. The 1492: Conquest of Paradise film and the Diario entries provide different perspectives on this date in history. These two mediums provide a glimpse into what made up the intricate real new world. (see comment by Andrew Tye)
Comments
In these three paragraphs, Lauren describes the island that Columbus refers to as “Eden†but never delves any deeper than that in her scene analysis. After reviewing the scene several times, I see that the allusions to the biblical story to Adam and Eve are frequent. The ripe vegetation, exotic wildlife, and incredible beauty of pure nature can be seen as Columbus and his men begin to explore the island and become acquainted with its inhabitants. This is a direct parallel to the Garden of Eden in which Adam and Eve lived. Lauren touches on the innocence that is portrayed as the natives accept the white men into their village. She discusses how this innocence is seen as the children playfully laugh as they shave Juanito’s head, paint his face, and are generally fascinated by his appearance. It is this innocence that Adam and Eve once had before they were tainted with the temptation to sin. The sharp turn here occurs when Columbus is writing in his journal and Utapan approaches him, apparently fascinated with his leather-bound journal, quill, and ink. It is at this point that Columbus sees the gold on his chest and immediately asks him where he can find it. Ridley Scott’s reference to gold here marks a complete turning point in the movie. The gold, or “forbidden fruit,†in this movie is what marks the eventual downfall of the native civilization, like the taking of the fruit from the Garden of Eden in the story of Adam and Eve. Once Columbus holds that necklace in his hand, his lust for gold takes over and the “pure†island becomes stained by greed.
At this moment, all luck begins to change. The men leave in search for gold, bringing constant heavy rains and dark skies that are a sharp contrast to the beautiful sunlight that brightened the island every day since Columbus landed there. A crew member becomes weak with a fever and urinates blood, as the men press on in their quest to find gold. In between shots of their journey into the wild, Scott places a clip in which two separate rivers are combining as the water rushes down the mountain. On the left, the river is muddy, completely dirty from the torrential rains that had been falling. On the right, the water is pure -- somehow crystal clear with not a sign of mud, despite the substantial rains. Symbolically, at the bottom of the screen, the two rivers converge, as the clean water becomes tainted by the dark water. This represents the clashing of two very different cultures. The Spaniards represent the dark water here, as they overtake the clean, pure water, or the natives. It is here that dark and light symbolism begins and continues throughout the rest of the film.
Lauren does not mention that Columbus says that he and his men "look like gods and are treated accordingly," a line that creates a problem for me. As I watched this I was curious about how accurate that could be. Do Columbus's men look like gods and are treated accordingly, OR do they view themselves as gods and expect to be treated accordingly? It is almost ironic the way in which Columbus and his men assume superiority over the natives because, for instance, he is at their mercy when Martin Pinzon falls ill and relies on them for medicine. Immediately after coming to the natives for help, Columbus is seen telling the natives about HIS plan to bring more of his men to the island--without consulting the natives, who were obviously there first, and who don't need anything the Spanish would bring. (see comment by Kelley Higgins)
Also, at 1:05 Columbus says: "With Alonso’s death, I realize how vulnerable we are on this island and how much we have to learn. On every island, the natives will come with great generosity and trust.†To me this is almost the pinnacle of European arrogance with respect to the Natives. This is perhaps the most important example of European ignorance. After losing a member of the crew, Columbus realizes the power of the new land he is inhabiting and STILL refuses to acknowledge that the natives could help him in this area. Immediately after recognizing the power of the land, Columbus claims the natives will come with generosity and trust, while he should have written something like: "We will rely heavily on the natives and their knowledge of the landscape so we can survive."
To answer Andrew’s question, it seems that this is how Columbus thinks of himself in relation to the natives and is how he expects to be treated; it is not a true depiction of how the native’s view Columbus and his men. When Columbus leaves, the native chief rejects his offer to bring the word of god and says, “[we have] a god†(1:08:42). The natives worship nature as their god and not the Roman Catholic god Columbus is comparing himself to. This is one way that we know that Columbus’s ideal is once again not the same as the native’s reality. Columbus’s ignorance truly shines through in this passage as the translator responds on behalf of the chief, “he knows you like his women and gold.â€
Another quick point. This October 21, 1492, scene represents the innocent, childlike natives in cooperation with the Spaniards; however, the following scene, Enter Utapan (1:03:27), presents adult cooperation. Utapan and Columbus communicate and want to understand each other. These two seem destined to meet and learn from each other, but when Columbus spots Utapan's gold mask necklace, his greed is quickly spurred. These two scenes are linked; they demonstrate the need for true human understanding between cultures that greed is likely to destroy. In the scene, Columbus is able to repeat Utapan's name correctly the first time after hearing it. In contrast, Utapan struggles to pronounce Columbus's name and takes several attempts before pronouncing it semi-correctly. Whether sub-consciously or not, Ridley Scott again paints a picture of Native inferiority/stupidity in comparison to the Europeans.
Lauren’s mention of the Debauchery (women) and Utapan (gold) scenes remind me of the “Haiti: December 5, 1492†scene (1:06:37), in which Spanish interest in both women and gold is the punch line in an exchange between Columbus and the Native American chief. Columbus's specific intentions regarding the New World are initially vague in the film, but here -- in response to the direct question “Why?†-- he claims the Spanish are there to bring the word of God and civilization (in the form of medicine) to the Native population. In other words, Columbus treats native culture as a whole precisely as it is depicted here in the “October 21†scene, as operating on the level of innocent, ignorant, unsophisticated, oblivious women and children. The canny chief, though, gives the lie to that image and exposes the truth, which is that the Spanish are not in the business of improving but of perpetuation.
