It’s so precious and fragile, civilization. Your city can reside at its heights, and you at the heights of your city. You can read the words of the ancients and build upon their knowledge and be a part of the growth of your species. Then it can all come down, and you with it. It’s what can happen when no one stands up to the crazy people.
In Agora, Hypatia teaches in the Great Library of Alexandria, the repository of Western Civilization’s knowledge and the center of its intellectual life. She teaches in an environment much like that of a St. John’s College seminar, leading her students in discussion of the great thinkers who have come before them and exploring the flaws in their reasoning. Alexandria’s a city in ferment, with the rising Christian sect challenging the established order of the Pagans and Jews, but that competition seems distant and unreal. Euclid and Aristotle and the problems with Ptolemaic astronomy seem much more present. Until, that is, the crazy people start killing each other. That’s when the burning starts.
To give us this story, the story of the burning of the library and the dawn of the Dark Ages, Agora begins by recreating ancient Alexandria. Blending inspired set and costume design with detailed CGI matte work, the film makes its Alexandria feel like a thriving, dynamic, restive city. I’ve read about Alexandria, sure, and I’ve seen photos of ruins in National Geographic. Heck, I flew over the site of the old city the other day. But now, after seeing this film, I can visualize what it may have looked and sounded like to the people who actually lived there. That’s a feat in itself.
A world is not enough, however. Every story needs its beating heart, and this one has Hypatia, daughter of the Library’s curator, tutor in its seminars, and perhaps the greatest mathematician and natural philosopher of her age. Rachel Weisz, as Hypatia, has given me cause to reconsider her as an actress. She’s always been a great beauty and perfectly fine performer, but here she captures the joy of thought. We see her reasoning through the great scientific questions her day (some of which wouldn’t be answered for a millennium – oh, how much we lost when the crazy people took charge), and Weisz walks us through her frustrations, her ideas, her breakthroughs – all without histrionics, but with subtle changes in her face and body that suggest the genius behind the beauty.
The film combines these elements to break our hearts. We know what’s coming, we know nothing can stop it, and we weep for the people of Alexandria and a civilization heading toward eclipse. Crazy people thrive on all sides, in all factions, and the sane people don’t realize the threat until it’s too late.
If you care about ideas and the history of ideas, you need to Agora. This film will break your heart. If not, well, you’re crazy.
2 comments:
What a lovely review! I saw Agora when it first came out in NYC and loved Weisz' performance as Hypatia. Amenabar distorted some history in pursuit of his art. The Great Library of Alexandria didn't end as he depicted and Synesius wasn't such a jerk. However, that's what artists do. I don't go to movies for accurate history. For people who want to know more about the historical Hypatia, I highly recommend a very readable biography by Maria Dzielska called Hypatia of Alexandria (Harvard Press, 1995.) I also have a series of posts on my blog on the events and characters from the film - not a movie review, just a "reel vs. real" discussion.
Thank you, Faith. I find your site to be absolutely fascinating, and I recommend it to those who are interested in the subject matter!
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