“When I was young, I met this beautiful girl by a lake.”
The following paper focuses on how the afterlife is allegorized in Vincent Ward’s film. Ward combines motifs from various religions. Ancient, Western and Eastern versions of afterlife merge to an individualistic Great Beyond. The leading literary influence seems to come from Dante‘s The Divine Comedy, especially considering the movie’s depiction of Hell. Also several parallels to art work stand out. Of course, as no sources can prove it, it is just speculation if, especially the referred literature and paintings were an inspiration for the film. However, some parallels cannot be dismissed out of hand.
For a clearer arrangement, I assembled the research paper in a Heaven (Chapter 2.1.) and a Hell (Chapter 2.2.) section and will then summarize my observations as well as explicate how this all fits into the science fiction genre (Chapter 3). Unfortunately, apart from various reviews on the internet, no other secondary text on What Dreams May Come can be found in literature. On that account, my paper mainly bases on the film itself and several reference books on theology, philosophy and mythology. Namely, The Oxford Companion to Philosophy and Boxton’s The Complete World of Greek Mythology as reference books as well as work on afterlife: Coward’s Das Leben nach dem Tod in den Weltreligionen and Braun’s Das Jenseits – Die Vorstellungen der Menschheit über das Leben nach dem Tod.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. THE AFTERLIFE IN VINCENT WARD’S WHAT DREAMS MAY COME
2.1. HEAVEN
2.2. HELL
3. SUMMARY
4. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Objectives and Core Themes
The research paper investigates how the afterlife is allegorized in Vincent Ward’s film "What Dreams May Come." It explores the intersection of religious motifs, philosophical concepts, and art, examining how the film constructs its unique vision of Heaven and Hell while referencing works such as Dante’s "The Divine Comedy."
- The cinematic representation of the afterlife as an individualistic, imaginative construct.
- The integration of religious and mythological motifs (Christianity, Greek Mythology, Eastern traditions).
- The influence of literature and fine art on the film's visual and thematic narrative.
- The role of the soulmate motif and the concept of reincarnation in the plot.
- The classification of the film within the science fiction and fantasy genres.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. Heaven
Heaven, in a physical sense refers to the sky or firmament. In theology, and this is the more relevant definition in this context, it means paradise in the afterlife, considered to be the home of the God or Gods in religion. In various religions and spiritual philosophies it is often described as the holiest possible place, accessible by people according to different standards of faith or other virtues. Very common is the belief that the deceased live on in that place. Best known is the concept of Heaven in Christianity and European culture but it is also common in Islam and Eastern religions, even though the details differ in important respects, especially to the crucial issues of the conditions of achieving Heaven and visual nature.
No religion obviously gives a clear description of what Heaven looks like, any envision is speculation. Just as much speculation as Ward’s created Heaven in this feature film. In What Dreams May Come, Heaven is whatever one wants it to be, like a dream. In the afterlife, everything what one can be able to imagine is possible. Ward follows a concept of many actually individual Heavens. It is based on the assumption that Heaven exists in a state of flux and that its inhabitants assume identities that please themselves. Heaven, in one sense, means becoming who you want to be and, of course, where you want to be. Or as Albert Lewis says: “’Here’ is big enough for everyone to have their own private universe.” It seems to be a place with endless space and potential.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of the film's plot, production background, and the critical reception, while outlining the research approach and the author's primary focus on the afterlife as an allegory.
2. THE AFTERLIFE IN VINCENT WARD’S WHAT DREAMS MAY COME: Analyzes the conceptualization of the afterlife in the film, detailing how it synthesizes diverse religious and philosophical traditions.
2.1. HEAVEN: Examines how Heaven is depicted as a personalized, dream-like realm shaped by individual imagination, love, and artistic influence.
2.2. HELL: Explores the film's interpretation of Hell as a place for those who are "self-absorbed" and unable to accept their own death, drawing significant parallels to Dante’s "Inferno."
3. SUMMARY: Concludes the analysis by contextualizing the film within the tradition of afterlife-themed cinema and reflecting on its status as a science fiction work.
4. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Lists the primary and secondary sources, including films, novels, and scholarly literature on theology, philosophy, and mythology used in the research.
Keywords
Vincent Ward, What Dreams May Come, Afterlife, Heaven, Hell, Dante, The Divine Comedy, Reincarnation, Soulmates, Philosophy, Mythology, Cinema, Science Fiction, Visual Effects, Artistic Influence
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research paper?
The paper explores the representation and allegorization of the afterlife (Heaven and Hell) in Vincent Ward’s 1998 film "What Dreams May Come."
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The research addresses themes of death, consciousness, the nature of Heaven and Hell, the soulmate motif, reincarnation, and the influence of religious and classical mythology on modern cinema.
What is the primary objective of the study?
The objective is to analyze how the film synthesizes various cultural, artistic, and religious motifs to create a unique, individualistic afterlife, while assessing whether the film fits into the science fiction genre.
Which methodology is applied in this analysis?
The author uses a qualitative approach, primarily analyzing the film itself alongside secondary reference works in theology, philosophy, and mythology.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body details the visual construction of Heaven, the nature of Hell for the "self-absorbed," the philosophical implications of the soulmate bond, and the cycle of reincarnation depicted in the movie.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Vincent Ward, Afterlife, Heaven, Hell, Dante, Reincarnation, Philosophy, Mythology, and Cinema.
How does the film depict the nature of Heaven?
Heaven is presented as a state of flux and a reflection of the individual's mind and desires, functioning similarly to a dream-like reality rather than a singular, static location.
How is Hell interpreted in the context of the film?
Hell is described not as a place of external punishment by judges, but as a self-created state for those who are too "self-absorbed" to realize or accept that they have died.
What role does Dante’s "The Divine Comedy" play in the author's analysis?
The author uses Dante’s work as a primary reference point to explain the film's portrayal of Hell, particularly the classification of sins and the narrative arc of the descent into the underworld.
- Quote paper
- Antje Schoene (Author), 2010, How Heaven and Hell are construed in Vincent Ward’s What Dreams May Come, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/149602
