In this research paper I deal with the representation of the African Americans in Spielberg’s film Amistad, that has bee issued in 1997.
I chose this film because it deals with a very important case in American and African American history. The verdict of the Supreme Court had a great impact on the abolitionist movement and therefore on American history. Although the trial was not on the issue of slavery but of cargo, in the head of the people it soon became the issue of slavery, slaves and abolition of slavery.
The Amistad case did not only become known in the near vicinity of the New Haven jail where the Africans were being held in prison. The news of the captured Amistad Africans spread like fire and U.S. newspapers same as international newspapers featured them on the title pages.
In the following chapters I will go deeper into the general representation of the Africans in the film, the preparations to the film Amistad, and the differences between the film and actual
history. Doing that, I will also compare the representation of the slaves, respectively the Africans, in Amistad to the representation of the slaves in Birth of a Nation. I will add this
issue in different chapters when I think it is appropriate, and in one chapter I will specifically deal with the main differences.
Natalie Davis calls Amistad a ‘feature film’ because those kind of films are often described as inventory and with no connection to the experiences that have been real and to the historical past (5). In how far this really applies to Amistad and how the Africans/African Americans are represented in the film I will explore in this research paper.
In order to answer these questions I studied the film and secondary material on the film and the general issue of Slaves on Screen, which also is the title of Natalie Zemon Davis’ book
about different films that deal with this subject. For information about the Amistad Africans I consulted Howard Jones’ book Mutiny on the Amistad, that describes the historical events in detail. Apart from that, Black City Cinema by Paula J. Massood and the internet research project Exploring Amistad of the Mystic Seaport Museum were very helpful.
Table of Contents
Introduction
I. Plot Summary of Amistad
II. Ways to Amistad
III. How Close to History is Amistad?
1. The Depiction of Slavery
2. The African American Actors
IV. The Representation of Blacks in Amistad: Customs and Culture
1. The Abolitionist Theodore Joadson
2. The Meeting between John Quincy Adams and Cinqué
3. Language
4. Regional Differences within Mendedom
5. The Africans Encounter the White People’s Religion
6. Burial Rites
7. Traditional Dancing and Singing
V. The Representation of Brutality
1. The Schooner Amistad
2. The Middle Passage
VI. Comparison: Representation of Blacks in Amistad and Birth of a Nation
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This research paper examines the representation of African Americans in Steven Spielberg's 1997 film Amistad, analyzing how the film balances historical accuracy with cinematic dramatization. The central research question explores the extent to which the film portrays the Africans as independent, active participants in their fight for freedom, while contrasting this modern representation with historical stereotypes found in earlier cinema like Birth of a Nation.
- Analysis of the historical authenticity of the Amistad narrative and the depiction of the slave trade.
- Examination of cultural representations, including language barriers, religious encounters, and burial rites.
- Evaluation of character development, specifically the role of the fictionalized abolitionist Theodore Joadson.
- Comparative analysis of how African Americans are portrayed in Amistad versus the discriminatory tropes in Birth of a Nation.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Language
Amistad in fact mirrors the most distinctive facts about the Amistad Africans:
Throughout the film, the Mende language is used with subtitling when the Africans speak to each other or with the abolitionists and their following as for example Baldwin. The translator Richard Covey functions as mediator between the two cultures since his origin is the same as the Amistad African’s. He does not only translate, he also explains parts of the different cultures to Cinqué and his opposites. Another effect that is attained by this, is, that the audience also learns the most important words and sentences in the Mende language from Covey and the subtitling (cp. Davis 87).
Sometimes, Spielberg goes without subtitling. This has the effect that the audience gets the feeling of the Mende language without knowing the meaning of what is said. It also makes the difference between the Africans and the white people clear and puts the audience in the position of the white people who don’t understand Mende.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the significance of the Amistad case in American history and states the goal of analyzing its filmic representation and comparison to historical records.
I. Plot Summary of Amistad: Provides a factual overview of the historical events surrounding the 1839 revolt, the subsequent trial, and the return of the Africans.
II. Ways to Amistad: Discusses the motivations behind the film's production and the commitment to historical research during its creation.
III. How Close to History is Amistad?: Examines the criteria used to translate historical events into a feature film, including the depiction of slavery and the impact of casting.
IV. The Representation of Blacks in Amistad: Customs and Culture: Analyzes the depiction of African customs, religious clashes, and specific characters like Theodore Joadson and John Quincy Adams.
V. The Representation of Brutality: Explores the unflinching portrayal of violence, specifically regarding the conditions on the schooner and the horrors of the Middle Passage.
VI. Comparison: Representation of Blacks in Amistad and Birth of a Nation: Contrasts the modern, humanized portrayal of African Americans in Spielberg’s film against the racial stereotypes in D.W. Griffith’s work.
Conclusion: Summarizes that Spielberg successfully captures the essence of the Amistad case by focusing on the agency and humanity of the Africans.
Keywords
Amistad, Steven Spielberg, African American history, Slavery, Cinqué, Abolitionist movement, Historical representation, Film analysis, Mende language, Middle Passage, Cultural identity, Birth of a Nation, Theodore Joadson, Racial stereotypes, Human rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this research paper primarily about?
The paper is an academic analysis of how Steven Spielberg’s film Amistad represents the experiences and culture of African Americans, particularly the Mende people, against the backdrop of historical events.
What are the core themes addressed in this paper?
Key themes include the historical accuracy of film, the depiction of slavery, cultural and religious differences, the use of language as a barrier/bridge, and the evolution of racial representation in American cinema.
What is the primary objective of the work?
The author aims to explore whether Amistad accurately mirrors historical reality and how the film portrays the African protagonists not as passive victims, but as independent individuals struggling for their freedom.
Which scientific or analytical methods were used?
The author uses film analysis, compares cinematic scenes to historical documentation (such as court records and books like Mutiny on the Amistad), and performs a comparative study with D.W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections cover the film's plot, the depiction of brutal historical conditions, specific cultural scenes like burial rites and language, the creation of the character Theodore Joadson, and the interaction between different belief systems.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Important keywords include Amistad, Slavery, Historical representation, Cinqué, Abolitionism, Cultural identity, and Media analysis.
Why was the character Theodore Joadson included in the film?
The author explains that Joadson was invented to combine various real-life black abolitionists into one figure, allowing the narrative to represent the broader, essential role that African American activists played during the legal struggle.
How does the author interpret the scene where Africans interact with the Bible?
The author suggests that the scene serves as a symbolic bridge between cultures, where the Africans find parallels between their own suffering and the story of Jesus, illustrating that their appreciation of the text is based on shared human experience rather than forced conversion.
- Quote paper
- Anna Zafiris (Author), 2004, The Representation of African Americans in Steven Spielberg’s 'Amistad', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/143291
