D. W. Griffith's "Way Down East"

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the characters and plot of D.W. Griffith's film "Way Down East" and explains that, in order to identify with the characters, it is necessary to first understand what their lives were like and what it was like to live at that time. The paper describes the societal morals and standards of the era in which the film was written and the sexual double standards that existed at that time and explains that the message that Griffith wanted to convey in the movie was that these double standards were unfair and unjustifiable.

From the Paper:

"Anna Moore is a model of "true womanhood" in the Victorian sense (Welter, 1983). Purity and constancy are considered prime virtues, and she is portrayed as this type of woman. Griffith sees the ideal Victorian woman as delicate, sweet, innocent, very domestic, and sheltered from evil and the corruption of the real world. Anna, when she comes to Boston, is exactly like this. Ironically, it is precisely because of these virtues that idle, rich Lennox Sanderson, a sly, conniving womanizer, is attracted to her and determined he will have his way with her. He sees seducing her as an adventure and doesn't care that trusting him will ruin her. He tricks her by arranging for a fake wedding ceremony, and because she is infatuated by him and impressed with his sophisticated ways, she consents to marry him."

More papers on D. W. Griffith's "Way Down East":

• Analytical Essay # 72205 : "D.W. Griffith's "Birth Of A Nation"
• Film Review # 75352 : "Way Down West"
• Research Paper # 14475 : "D.W. Griffith, John Ford, Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock and Ingmar Bergman"

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