Wings of Desire is a 1987 German film directed by Wim Wenders. It tells the story of an angel named Damiel who falls in love with a human woman, Marion, and decides to become mortal in order to be with her. The film also follows the story of an elderly man named Homer, who is struggling to come to terms with the loss of his wife. I chose to analyze Wings of Desire through a psychological lens because of the film’s themes of love, loss, and the human experience. These themes are central to the film’s plot and characters, and they are explored in a nuanced and thought-provoking way. Additionally, the film’s use of surreal and magical elements adds depth and complexity to the film, making it a rich and interesting work to analyze from a psychological perspective. A psychological lens in rhetorical analysis is a way of interpreting and analyzing a text, such as a film, through the lens of psychological theories and concepts. According to the Modern Language Association (MLA), this type of lens can be used to “examine how characters’ experiences, behaviors, and relationships are shaped by their mental states and emotions” (MLA Handbook, 8th edition, p. 72). By using a psychological lens to analyze Wings of Desire, we can examine how the film’s themes of love, loss, and the human experience are shaped by the characters’ mental states and emotions. As an example of the psychological lens applied to other content, I might analyze the television show Mad Men through the lens of Freudian psychology. This show follows the lives of several characters who work in the advertising industry in the 1960s, and it touches on themes of identity, desire, and the unconscious mind. By applying a Freudian lens to Mad Men, I might look at how the characters’ unconscious desires and conflicts are revealed through their actions and relationships.
In Wings of Desire, the psychological themes of love, loss, and the human experience are central to the film’s plot and characters. Damiel, the angel, is drawn to Marion, the human woman, because he is fascinated by the depth and complexity of human emotion. As he observes the lives of the people around him, Damiel begins to feel a sense of longing and desire for the human experience. This desire ultimately leads him to choose to become mortal, a decision that is met with both joy and sadness as he comes to understand the full weight of the human condition. The film’s depiction of Damiel’s decision to become mortal can be seen as an exploration of the human desire for connection and intimacy. Damiel is drawn to Marion because he is fascinated by her emotions and the depth of her experience, and he ultimately decides to become mortal in order to be with her. This decision reflects the human desire for close, meaningful relationships, and it highlights the importance of love and connection in our lives. At the same time, Damiel’s decision to become mortal also brings with it a sense of loss and sadness. As an angel, Damiel is able to observe the thoughts and emotions of the humans around him, and he is able to intervene in their lives in subtle ways. By becoming mortal, Damiel loses this ability and must confront the full weight of the human experience, including pain, loss, and suffering. This theme of loss and the human experience is also explored through the character of Homer, who is struggling to come to terms with the loss of his wife.
The film’s use of surreal and magical elements also adds to its psychological appeal. The angels in Wings of Desire are able to observe the thoughts and emotions of the humans around them, and they are able to intervene in their lives in subtle ways. This ability to see and influence the inner lives of others adds a layer of mystery and intrigue to the film, and it allows the audience to consider the ways in which our thoughts and emotions shape our experiences and relationships. The film’s depiction of the angels as able to observe and influence the inner lives of humans can be seen as a metaphor for the ways in which we are all connected and influenced by each other, as well as the ways in which our own thoughts and emotions shape our experiences and relationships. In terms of literary theory, Wings of Desire can be analyzed through the lens of existentialism. Existentialism is a philosophical movement that emphasizes the individual’s freedom and responsibility to create meaning and purpose in their own lives. The film’s themes of love, loss, and the human experience can be seen as reflecting the existentialist belief that we must each find meaning and purpose in our own lives. The film’s depiction of Damiel’s decision to become mortal and embrace the human experience can be seen as an exploration of the individual’s search for meaning and purpose in an often-unforgiving world. In terms of formal elements of film criticism, Wings of Desire is notable for its use of cinematography and music. The film’s black and white cinematography, combined with its use of sweeping aerial shots and dreamlike imagery, creates a sense of otherworldliness and ethereal beauty. The film’s score, which features a mix of classical music and contemporary rock and pop songs, also adds to its emotional depth and resonance. These formal elements work together to create a sense of magic and wonder, and they add to the film’s overall appeal and impact.
One review of Wings of Desire, by film critic Roger Ebert, praised the film’s “poetic and philosophical” nature, as well as its “beautiful” cinematography and “evocative” music. Ebert also appreciated the film’s themes of love and loss, stating that “Wenders captures the sense of a soul being torn between the eternal and the temporal, between the infinite and the specific” (Ebert, 1987). While Ebert’s review focuses primarily on the film’s aesthetics and themes, it aligns with my analysis of Wings of Desire through the lens of existentialism. Ebert’s reference to the “sense of a soul being torn” highlights the film’s exploration of the individual’s search for meaning and purpose in the face of difficult circumstances. This theme reflects the existentialist belief that we must each find meaning and purpose in our own lives, and it aligns with my argument that Wings of Desire offers a rich and thought-provoking exploration of the human psyche.
My consensus, in analyzing Wings of Desire through a psychological lens is that the film’s themes of love, loss, and the human experience, as well as its use of surreal and magical elements, offer a rich and thought-provoking exploration of the human psyche. By using the lens of existentialism, I can examine how the film’s characters navigate their own individual quests for meaning and purpose, and how these themes reflect broader philosophical questions about the human experience. Wings of Desire is a deeply moving and thought-provoking film that offers a unique and compelling exploration of the human psyche, and it is well worth analyzing from a psychological perspective.
Works Cited:
- Wings of Desire. Directed by Wim Wenders, Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Argos Films, Bioskop Film, Road Movies Filmproduktion. 1988
- Ebert, Roger. “Wings of Desire.” Chicago Sun-Times, 18 Apr. 1987, https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/wings-of-desire-1987.
- MLA Handbook. 8th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2016.