Romanticism in Pan's Labyrinth

Image: The Pale Man Source: Indiewire

        Romanticism swept across Europe following the Enlightenment period and the birth of new ideas. The movement emphasized emotion and individualism. It also focused greatly on the imagination. Literature was to be creative and original as the content came from the author’s own vision. Although the movement was eventually succeeded by Realism, the ideals of the Romantic period continued to be present in art and literature, even in modern times. 

An accredited film of the early 2000s that echoes themes of the Romantic period is Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth. The film tells the story of a young girl, Ofelia, who is forced to live with her brutal step-father, Captain Vidal. She is led to an old labyrinth by a fairy, where she meets a faun who explains how she’s actually a princess and must complete specific tasks. This is where the story introduces a fantasy world, as supernatural beings help guide the young girl. Ofelia first gets rid of a giant toad that’s killing the ancient fig tree there. On top of her magical quests, she must balance problems in the real world as her pregnant mother falls sick with her younger brother. The faun gives Ofelia a magic plant to help cure her so she can continue on. In the next task, Ofelia enters the Pale Man’s forbidden feast where she retrieves a dagger. As she leaves, Ofelia awakens the horrifying creature who begins eating fairies and almost catches her as he chases her out (Shmoop). These scenes evoke emotions such as fear or terror as Ofelia flees for her life. 

Throughout the movie, a fantasy world with mythical creatures is explored. The presence of magic and frightening monsters helps display the artist’s imagination. The original work heightens the viewers’ emotions with particular dark and chilling scenes. These themes and emphasis on emotion throughout the film are the same ideals that can be found in literature during the Romantic movement.