Paper Summary:

This paper examines the dualistic roles of spirituality and sensuality for Mary Magdalene in the film "The Last Temptation of Christ," by Martin Scorcese. It shows how the central role of Mary Magdalene provides a realistic balance of spiritual and sensual in the male characters of this film, uniting the human and divine elements within the male characters of Scorcese's controversial film.

From the Paper:

"In conclusion, the character Mary Magdalene provides the key link to dualistic roles of sensuality and spirituality in Martin Scorcese's The Last Temptation of Christ. Throughout the film Scorcese constructs Mary's character as a symbol of earthly desire and the inner workings of spirituality that unite man with God. By advocating the realities of Christ's desire for Mary, the film portrays her as a woman that has seen the horrors of sexual sublimation, but it is tempered through Christ's equally excessive spirituality. This is the unity between man and woman that is made possible by Mary's major role in the film as the balance between heaven and Earth. This is how Mary represents the balance of Sensuality and spirituality within the last Temptation of Christ by martin Scorcese."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Chilton, Bruce. Mary Magdalene: A Biography. New York: Doubleday, 2005.
• Erhman, Bart. Peter. Paul, and Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in History and Legend. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.
• Iannone, Carol. The Last Temptation Reconsidered." 1996. First Things First. 27 November, 2006. <http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft9602/iannone.html>
• Kennedy, Tammy. "Presenting Mary Magdalene: A Feminist Reading of The Last Temptation of Christ." Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 9.(Spring 2005). Thomas Gale. 27 November, 2006. <http://find.galegroup.com>
• Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome. Paul: A Critical Life. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1998.

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