The Dark Knight

Aug 01, 2008

Posted by: John Admin

Uncategorized

WARNING DARK KNIGHT SPOILERS
For full information on spoiler policy read my first blog entry “Through Wizarding Eyes”

The movie that is taking the box office by storm this summer and a movie that will be forever remembered for a brilliant performance by the late Heath Ledger. If any of you haven’t seen this film yet it is a must see fantastic movie. Although the headlines for this film have mostly been surrounding Heath Ledger, if Potter fans look a little closer they will see a storyline that is startlingly similar to one in Harry Potter.

Early on in the film we are presented with a character named Harvey Dent. He is nicknamed the “White Knight” because of his heroic antics in putting hundreds of Gotham’s worst criminal’s behind bars. He is very popular with the people of Gotham early on in the film. Most look up to him as someone they automatically trust. Sound similar to Potter’s “White Knight”? Our beloved Albus Dumbledore. The Potter series also beings with people’s view of Dumbledore as a trustworthy man who would never be corrupted. Unfortunately both heroic figures suffer life-changing traumas.

Harvey Dent’s fiancée Rachel is murdered on the Joker’s orders, and Dumbledore’s mother is killed by his sister. Both Dumbledore and Dent are corrupted by these traumas. However the main difference between Dumbledore’s and Dent’s situations is the age at which the traumas occur. Dumbledore’s mother is killed when he is seventeen, while Dent is already a mid-aged engaged man. The might be most shocking thing about the situations is that they both characters reacted in similar ways. The Joker a very unstable character approached Dent and gave him the persuading he needed to help the Joker’s cause. Dent went around looking for revenge by murdering the people responsible. It was a disturbing change of character, but one that was completely believable considering what he had been through. Dumbledore was also subject to a similar negative influence immediately after the loss of a loved one. This man was Grindlewald. Grindlewald convinced Dumbledore that to avenge the loss of his Mother (which by extension was partly the fault of three young muggle boys) he should help promote Grindlewald’s agenda of putting the muggles in their proper place for “The Greater Good”. Dumbledore also looked for revenge the same way as Dent through planning to punish the muggles. Dumbledore was a younger more innocent man then Dent and he was able to change his ways, while Dent died before he could redeem himself. Both men had major flaws and therefore needed men braver then them to cover for them and act as their “Dark Knight”

Batman acted as the Dark Knight for Dent. He took the fall for Dent’s murders and in a brave fashion he accepted his job as the heroic villain of the Dark Knight. Dumbledore’s mishaps did not come back to haunt him until later in life when the Deathly Hallows presented themselves to him for a second time. As a young man the Deathly Hallows had been vital to Dumbledore’s and Grindlewald’s plan to usurp the muggles. When Dumbledore foolishly tried to obtain the resurrection stone, he was cursed and was destined to die in the near future. To hide the secret of the Hallows and the discovery of Voldemort’s horcruxes from Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Snape needed to take the fall. He killed Dumbledore, forever tainting his reputation and leaving himself distanced from the relative of the woman he had loved. He also assumed the position of “The Dark Knight”. He covered up the faults of a man who’s reputation preceded his own, but in order to do this he had to show bravery beyond anything Dumbledore had ever shown.

These similarities really are amazing, and these parallels are what keeps Potter current (as does the release of Beedle the Bard!!!!). Hope you enjoyed my first blog, and if you get a chance get out and see The Dark Knight!
Sam





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.