Philip Marlowe: Last Knight in The City, Chivalry dies with Philip - Movie Review Example

First Full Academic 23 July The Last Knight in the – Chivalry Dies with Marlowe Introduction The Big Sleep focuses on the adventures of private detective Philip Marlowe as he solves two intertwined cases of murder and deceit. The first case is on a bisexual pornographer who blackmails General Sternwood with potentially scandalous pictures of his daughter, Carmen Sternwood. The second case centers on the disappearance of the General’s son-in-law Rusty Regan who is married to his eldest daughter, Vivian Sternwood. As Linder pointed out “several deaths occur before Marlow discovers that Carmen, in a wild rage, has murdered Sean Regan, and that Vivian has kept it from her father” (138). It can be claimed that Philip’s commitment to upholding his two deeply held personal values—honor and integrity—allowed him to successfully close these two cases. More importantly, his highly masculine character that has been honed by his active lifestyle allowed him to remain goal-oriented and results-driven throughout his journey. As such, his adherence to a chivalric code has led critics to label him as a knight. But as Griggers asserted “inside Chandler’s characterization of Marlowe lies a complex and uncertain central figure who often uses his biting one-liners to sidestep serious personal questions that might give the reader any insight into his views on women, relationships, or his mysterious past”. Thus, it is crucial to ask, does Philip Marlowe epitomize the real characteristics of a knight? If so, how do we define a real knight and can we see such characteristics being embodied by people in modern society? In this paper, we first take a brief look at the development of people’s definition of chivalry. Through this examination, we intend to highlight the significant notions that are attached to the concept of chivalry. Then, we utilize these findings to analyze Marlowe’s character in relation to two important things: first, his general view on the significance of ethics in human life; and second, the nature of his interactions with other people. With this, we aim to underscore Marlowe’s internal motivations and aspirations in life. Lastly, we take the discussion on a wider perspective by highlighting the loss of chivalry in today’s society as people overlook the importance of ethics in daily lives. A. Conceptual Implications of Chivalry The concept of chivalry began after the fall of Roman Empire as lawless young men on horseback roamed the countryside in search of a fight. They threatened any form of societal order by spreading chaos and harassing women. Eventually, these young men opted to change their barbaric lifestyle and adopted the code of knighthood which included values such as loyalty, humility, respect, prudence and courtesy. In return, these men may gain property by marrying the daughter of a lord or by fighting in frequent tournaments. In this regard, the knights’ training, ceremony, and tournaments were crucial in the development of chivalry since, as explained by Moore, they have “the dual virtues of providing both a means of testing the knight’s prowess and of expiating his violent energies”. Although such a lifestyle helps in reinforcing the highly masculine image of a real knight, it is worth noting that exercising good manners is also a definitive aspect of knighthood. As Moore discussed, “a knight could be barrd from tournaments for any un-chivalrous behavior, including deserting his lord in battle, destroying vineyards and cornfields, or repeating gossip about a lady.” Although there have been a number of conceptual evolution as regards the meaning of chivalry, it is crucial to note that its primary tenets have been preserved and adopted. According to Moelker and Kummel, “Chivalry consists of models of courteous behavior that are part of formal or informal moral codes of conduct that make interpersonal behavior more civilized” (292). In a sense, chivalry does not only regulate the behavior of people in a social context, but it also brings forth some normative models that involve sacrifice, courage, loyalty, and respect toward one’s enemies. The goal of chivalry, thus, banks on turning people into civilized individuals not by instilling fear in them, but by educating them about the importance of doing good acts. At this point, it is worth noting that chivalry helps spell out ethical standard that foster the development of manhood. Men are called to be truthful, loyal, courteous to others, helpful and caring to women, supporters of justice, and defenders of the weak and the poor. Gentlemanliness, therefore, stands at the center of chivalry. In a more general outlook, it can be said that the major conceptual implications of chivalry point at being other-centered, that is, being mindful of other people’s feelings by respecting them. B. Chivalry in Philip Marlowe Through the previous discussion, it can be claimed that the concept of chivalry essentially stresses on the importance of upholding values at all times. These values influence the person’s view of his purpose in life, which in effect, guides his actions toward himself and others. Furthermore, such notion implies that the person’s purpose in life should be geared toward attaining that ideal image that is marked by honor and integrity. With this in mind, let us now analyze Philip Marlowe’s character by reviewing his perspective on masculinity and personal values. Marlowe is a type of detective that believes that the law ought to prevail, thus, he lives to uphold the law by helping punish evil deeds. He is able to accomplish this primarily by strengthening his core competencies as well as by adopting an active lifestyle. For one, Marlowe’s main competency as a detective lies on his ability to solve cases by going beyond the facts of evidence through examining the drives, personalities, and identities of the people involved in the cases. Thus, it is by acquiring an objective outlook on a case, devoid of any cultural or personal bias, that Marlowe is able to better understand the primary motivations of the persons involved in a case. And because every case provides him with various interpretations on morality, Marlowe is able to realize the importance of holding on to a firm set of ethical standards—idealizations that will not be easily shaken by his various experiences as a detective. As Semansky highlighted, “Being true to a professional code of conduct sustains him through the ever-changing landscape of right and wrong that marks the world of the private investigator”. With this, it can be further stated that Marlowe’s personal values have tempered his cynical view about the society in which he is part of. Specifically, he distrusts the commercial fruits of capitalism, as well as the booming trend of consumerism in modern cities. To him, these developments can lead to the corruption of people’s minds as it distorts the essence of human life, as emphasized by the neglect of ethical behavior and disciplined lifestyle. In a similar light, Marlowe views femininity as a threat to his highly masculine character, as he sees their beauty as a distraction to his commitments at work. To him, romance and marriage are things that he should avoid if he wants to professionally succeed as a detective. Having discussed the fundamental facets of Marlowe’s character, it can be claimed that chivalry is rooted in his understanding and upholding of honor in his life both as a man and as a detective. Indeed, the supremacy of a firm set of ethical standards has guided him in not only forming an ideal image that he wants to set for himself, but also in interacting with different people in society. C. Loss of Chivalry in Today’s Society At this point, it is now necessary to widen the scope of discussion by stating the primary reasons behind the loss of chivalry in the society today. For this matter, we need to use the character of Philip Marlowe as an example of a chivalric individual. As such, the figure below summarizes the similarities between the characteristics of a chivalric knight (as discussed in part A) and the personality of Philip Marlowe (as discussed in part B): In this figure, it is important to underscore that chivalry pertains to the supremacy of self attaining the ideal identity in one’s life. Such identity or image, however, is tied to a specific set of ethical standards that serves as guide to how one behaves in society—his perceptions on reality, his interactions with other people, and his definition of his role as an active participant in a social environment. Although chivalry has specific implications that are always tied with the concept of masculinity, we must properly understand the concept not as a code of conduct for men but as a state of active commitment to upholding, protecting, and nurturing one’s ethical standards, whatever one’s gender may be. Chivalry, therefore, means being proactive in preserving good behavior in a society that is filled with various temptations. With this in mind, it can be claimed that the primary reason behind the loss of chivalry can be linked to the continued weakening of moral standards in society. The effects of consumerism, hedonism, and hostility often culminate in the questioning of one’s purpose in life. If we are to review the figure again, it can be stated that the ideal self identity that is ought to embody personal values is now being replaced with a materialistic view of self worth…an image that is un-chivalric. Indeed, the empirical notions that are brought about by commercialism and globalization have led people to equate happiness with the acquisition of wealth, success, and fame. Such materialistic mindset results from a number of factors. For one, mass media contribute in the dissemination of this message as seen on how television programs and films package how the modern man ought to live his life—that which is surrounded by vice and violence. Aside from this, social instability as brought about by the weakening of people’s trust in the government due to corrupt public officials can also bastardize the value of ‘serving others’. Indeed, such a state can lead people to question the practicality of cooperation and unity since focusing on one’s good can obviously provide more opportunities for acquiring wealth and power. Lastly, the continued destruction of the most basic and most important unit in society—the family—can also lead to such problems. When children begin to witness hatred and violence in their homes at a very young age, it is more likely for them to think that doing such acts is permissible. All of these issues lead to one overarching solution—the need to renew ethics in society in order for people to understand the real essence of living. It is by educating the people that material objects are but means to an end that they begin focusing on developing their individual identities that are marked by high ethical standards. It is through ethics that knights will be formed. Bibliography Linder, Daniel. “Chandler’s The Big Sleep” The Big Sleep. Ed. Vol. 59 Issue 3. Spain: University of Salamanca. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 July 2012. Griggers, Cody. “The Big Sleep and Farewell My Lovely.” The Raymond Chandler Website. Web. 22 July 2012. Moore, Terrence. "Chivalry now." Claremont Review of Books Winter 2004: 72+. Literature Resource Center. Web. 23 July 2012. Moelker, Rene & Kummel, Gerhard. “Chivalry and Codes of Conduct: Can the Virtue of Chivalry Epitomize Guidelines for Interpersonal Conduct? Journal of Military Ethics. Vol. 6 No. 4. Academic Search Complete. Web. 23 July 2012. Semansky, Chris. "Critical Essay on The Big Sleep." Novels for Students. Ed. David A. Galens. Vol. 17. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 22 July 2012. Read More