Laura GarberFeb 29th, 2016
Marxist Theory Batman Analysis
“Society does not consist of individuals but expresses the sum of interrelations, the relations within which these individuals stand,” said the political philosopher Karl Marx. Marxist theorydeals with class, labour and people’s relationship with power. The Dark Knight, the second film in the Batman trilogy, demonstrates many of those topics, making it best viewed through a Marxist lens. An in depth view of the film through a Marxist lens reveals many things that one wouldn’t notice at first glance.
Social hierarchy and class struggle, two aspects of Marxist theory, are visible in the movie. The characters can easily be categorized into social classes and the classes’ traditional interactions can be seen. The viewer is first introduced to the proletariat: the Joker and his men. They have simple technology, little to no money, and use crime as a way to gain power. Their interactions with the others are violent, disruptive and are often an attempt to gain power or wealth; they are depicted as the villains. They want to overthrow and disrupt order and hierarchy. Then there is the bourgeoisies; the working class. Alfred, Batman’s butler and confidante, fits into that class. This is an example of the working class being in assistance to the ruling class, something Marxist Theory touches on. Finally, there is the ruling class, where Batman fits in. He has power, money and control. Batman not only fights crime, but he manages to maintain his power and stability in society. Batman is the hero of the film, but this is because of his power and wealth allowing him to be the part-time crime fighter he is.
One of the final ways we can read the text through a Marxist lens is when analyzing technology. Technology is one of the outside forces that can affect an individual. Batman gets the best of it, having advanced technology like sonar mapping and high-tech vehicles. This is what allows Batman to be such a successful hero. The proletariats, like the Joker, have weapons, which they use as weapons of destruction, like knives, transport trucks and homemade bombs.
Power is the central theme of the movie and it is a power that rests in the hands of the wealthy elite who rule Gotham in order to maintain their status through the preservation of law and order. When viewed with a Marxist lens, several ordinary things become symbols of power. For example the skyscraper can be seen as more than just a high-rise building that lines the streets of Gotham. Much of the elite activity, like Bruce Wayne’s dinner parties and the discussions between Lieutenant Gordon and Harvey Dent, takes place on the top floors of skyscrapers. The ruling class is literally placed above the rest of society. Theproletariat class isseen on ground level or below. The Joker and his men are often in dark parking garages, rooms with exposed piping and the like.The idea of the skyscraper as a symbol of power is finally represented when the Joker stands at the top of a building, when he thinks he has beat Batman, only to be put back in his place by the Dark Knighthimself. The skyscraper seems to be a depiction of the amount of power the classes have, based on status and wealth. Another symbol of ruling class power is the two-headed coin used by Harvey Dent the DA.Since the coin has two heads, the user of the coin has all the odds stacked in his favor. Harvey thus has all the power over the lives of others and this shows that through unscrupulous means he maintains his power and authority. This demonstrates the principle that power is not always in the hands of those who deserve it.
The Dark Knight tells of more than just the story of Batman and the Joker. With a deeper look, the viewer sees class struggle and separation, the role of power and wealth, and the importance of technology. These aspects are all apart of Marxist theory, making it the best lens to view the movie through.