Gladiator analysis (Kurt Vonnegut style)
Happy beginning
In the beginning of the film the hero is clear be seen (Maximus). Maximus is the commanding general in the film, he is the best as what he does and is highly respected across the lands. His king is much fond of him and have a fantastic relationship. Maximus has been told after this will be his final battle and will be let of duty to happily retire and return to his women of his life and son. Maximus at this level of Kurt Vonnegut scale is good. Maximus leads his army against the rebels of the woods. The fight was messy a lot of soldiers were lost but they had won. They had successfully extended their empire, the king was very pleased and so was Maximus. The news had spread back to Rome that they had extended their empire. The princess and prince decided to make the trip down to congratulate their fathers work. On upon reaching you could see the prince was jealous of the relationship between the king and Maximus. The king was getting old and soon the title would have thought to be handed down to his son. Later that evening the king called Maximus into this quarters and explained to him he was ashamed of the way the empire is heading. He thought it to be corrupted and unfair and wanted to hand over the crown to Maximus. Maximus was reluctant to accept the crown as it was a big task and wanted to dearly go home but after some haggling he accepted. He knew it was best for his country. In the Kurt Vonnegut table Maximus happening had risen. Essentially he wouldn’t have to risk his life anymore, could clean up the empire and be with his family as that’s what he wanted essentially.
Down Hill
The king had called his on into his quarters to tell him the news of his decisions. The prince broke down and went into hysterics of how his just wanted his father’s love. He then went about murdering his father as he knew that as the news of the crown not being passed down he will automatically receive the crown. The news had spread through the war camp of his father’s death and the prince had now been crowned as the new king. The now new king immediately had Maximus exiled and sent to be killed. Maximus happiness obviously had dropped nearly rock bottom, he essentially had lost everything he once loved. He was captured and bound and with a group of men sent the rode into the forest where Maximus was to be executed. Maximus is skilled fighter and swordsman and with a few slick moves escaped the men. He immediately hit the road horse back and rode for days back to his family as he had feared the worse. After days of travelling exhausted Maximus reached his home and was welcomed to his worse fear. His family had been slaughtered and hung on show outside his gates to his home. Maximus on the scale had now reached rock bottom. He had lost his family and had been exiled from his land. He collapsed in exhaustion ready to die it seems. As he came round he realised he had been picked up by a slave owner. They travelled for days and until they reached his compounds. He finally had recovered from his injuries and was made to fight as a gladiator with the rest of the slaves.
The come up
A lot had fallen but a few had survive the lifestyle of a Gladiator. Maximus was told with a few selected gladiators were given the chance to fight at the coliseum in Rome. Maximus realised this would be the closest he would be able to the king to avenge his family’s deaths and die in peace were he can be with his family. On the Kurt Vonnegut scale it looked like things were looking up. Maximus and the selected few gladiators headed for the Rome where they would battle with the finest gladiators in front of the biggest audience ever. Maximus moved through the rounds with ease quickly and easily becoming the crowd’s favourite. Maximus had one the competition, where he would be awarded his freedom by the king. The king asked him to remove his helmet and on doing so the king’s face had dropped. Maximus named and displayed his title and called the king out. As the peoples favourite the king couldn’t kill Maximus. He was forced to accept Maximus battle. Before the battle the king had went into where Maximus was being held and stabbed him. As the battle proceeded it was clear to see Maximus wasn’t feeling his. But no doubt Maximus slayed the king finally getting his revenge. Maximus power was immediately reinstated and before dying explained to his peers what the king wanted. Maximus collapsed slowly passing into the afterlife where he would be in peace of his family. Maximus had got his revenge cleaned out the corruptness in the empire and laid to rest in peace. On the graph Maximus had shot up as he finally was able to get what he wanted.