Kill Bill, a Quentin Tarantino movie, focuses on the revenge of a woman whose child was taken away from her. Bill was her former lover, whose child she was bearing. She fled Bill because of the dangerous lifestyle he lived. Bill eventually found her, shot her, and took the baby from her womb. She awakes 4 years later from a coma. Her main goal is to find Bill and avenge her attempted death and her child’s death.
In the movie there is a lot of extreme violence and death, a main characteristic of a Jacobean drama. The “Bride” who is seeking revenge has to kill many of Bill’s underlings, and every kill usually involves a sword that produces projectile blood from every cut.
The Kill Bill series which extends to three parts, involves the “Brides” revenge, but also romances spark. Every romance seen in the movie is not a typical lovey-dovey romance. Romance in these movies only exist in gruesome ways. The movies contain rape, and other hidden sexual themes.
Kill Bill also has themes of battle of the sexes. Throughout the series woman who are enemies eventually become allies. Although not a huge theme, men vs. women conflicts do arise.
Although Kill Bill takes place in the real world, it has a vibe of it taking place in a surreal remote world. This probably because of Tarantino’s filming style. The movie has a lot of plot, which is driven by The Bride’s revenge, and is like a modern day The Duchess of Malfi. The Duchess of Malfi‘s main conflict was men not wanting a woman to marry another man and bear a child. Kill Bill is very similar to Malfi because a conflict of the film is about a man not wanting his lover to marry and run away with their child.
I can see the themes of a Jacobean Drama in Kill Bill. I think that the elements of jealousy and revenge much like those that Ferdinand has for his sister the Duchess in the Duchess of Malfi can be seen in this Movie. The idea’s of revenge and taking revenge with ultimate violence, and that no party can be satiated until the other has reached it’s doom. The me vs. him attitude is present, only one of the parties can be happy and ultimately that leads to the destruction of both. Wether the example is of Bill and his ex-lover, or in the duchess of Malfi with Ferdinand and his Sister the Duchess, both of them end up dead and alone. We can learn from a Jacobean Dramas, that history and themes of revenge repeat themselves and no one is safe, not even family from family and lovers from lovers!
Definitely a great comparison. One of my favorite films. We clearly see the violence and the revenge similarities. I liked how you brought up the not so typical romance comparison as well.
This is a great match in my opinion. Kill bill is a film that involves a lot of violence that is fueled by revenge. I think it is a fitting match to the Duchess because the these of violence and revenge, a complex relationship, and just sheer violence is very Jacobean. I really enjoy this example. Thanks for sharing!