His Dark Materials: Language and Representation blog tasks
1) Write an analysis of the episode - using your notes from the screening in class. Make specific, detailed reference to moments in the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots and movement, editing, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)
You can currently watch His Dark Materials on BBC iPlayer here.
Camerawork, editing and sound:Mise-en-scene:
Narrative and genre:
You can access our notes from our close-textual analysis in class here - you'll need your Greenford Google login to open this.
2) How does His Dark Materials fit the conventions of the fantasy TV genre?
- Emotive, often quest-based narratives
- Political narrative themes or social commentary
- Iconography including magic, mystical creatures or similar
- Often set in imagined worlds or time periods
3) Applying Propp's character theory, what character roles do some of the main characters in His Dark Materials fit into?
4) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in His Dark Materials? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)
- Lyra Belacqua - hero
- Mrs. Coulter-villain
- Lord Asriel Belacqua-father figure
- Lee Scoresby-helper
- Will Parry- side kick
4) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in His Dark Materials? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)
“The fuse has been lit” - action code.
Enigma codes - what is Mrs Coulter trying to do?
5) What examples of binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) can you find in His Dark Materials? How do these create narrative or drama for the audience? You can find reminder notes on all these narrative theories here - just scroll down to narrative.
Representations
1) How are women represented in His Dark Materials? Are gender stereotypes reinforced or subverted? Think about Lyra and Mrs Coulter here.
Also creates binary opposition - Will and Lyra are now the good guys against the bad guys.
Binary opposition - good/bad people. Young/old. Creates conflict and narrative.
Representations
1) How are women represented in His Dark Materials? Are gender stereotypes reinforced or subverted? Think about Lyra and Mrs Coulter here.
Women in HDM are presented as leaders and powerful so feminine stereotypes are subverted here.
2) How are men and masculinity represented in His Dark Materials? Think about Will and Lee Scoresby here.
2) How are men and masculinity represented in His Dark Materials? Think about Will and Lee Scoresby here.
The men in HDM are presented as submissive and empathetic , this subverts the stereotypical way that men are presented in film.
3) How is age (e.g. teenagers; adults) represented in His Dark Materials? Does the show reinforce or challenge stereotypes about young people? Think about Lyra and Will plus the abandoned children they meet. Also think about Mrs Coulter and other adults.
3) How is age (e.g. teenagers; adults) represented in His Dark Materials? Does the show reinforce or challenge stereotypes about young people? Think about Lyra and Will plus the abandoned children they meet. Also think about Mrs Coulter and other adults.
Stereotypically adults are meant to be the responsible and strong headed people who direct those who cannot direct themselves. And children are meant to be the ones who need directing and the emotional ones. However it sems the roles are challenged. Throughout the episode we can see the adults acting very irrational and irresponisble when the Cardinal has a tantrum when things don't go his way and when Mrs Coulter was torturing the witch. However when it came to the kids they had a sense of direction to find a sense of community and logical explanation eg. Lyra and Will deciding to stay together and the other kids they found in the deserted world with no adults.
4) How is race and ethnicity represented in His Dark Materials? Are stereotypes reinforced or subverted?
4) How is race and ethnicity represented in His Dark Materials? Are stereotypes reinforced or subverted?
Diversity of cast reflects modern social and cultural contexts (2020 Britain).
Diversity - witch played by black woman.
This subverts the stereotype of black women being portrayed as evil in film because she killed the Cardinal and saved the witch being tortured.
5) What representations of the world can you find in the episode - is it like real life? A fantasy world? Something from the past or future? Give examples from the episode.
The show definitely has some real life aspects for example it shows the Cardinal and his ministers governing the country meaning that world is a Christocentric society just like the one we live in however they don't have nearly the same amount f power as they used to. The Cardinal says something about how he wants people to forget about the rift and act as if it never happened , which is what the director and writers are trying to communicate. They are trying to say that the government is brainwashing us into forgetting history , however one of his ministers says we can't do that because the public have already interacted with it and it's in plain site. This conveys the way the younger and older generation think , propaganda verses the people has historically never ended well. Also the steam punk genre gives us an insight into a crossover of new/old showing steam balloons and gadgets.
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