Hypatia taught astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy at Alexandria around 391 AD. Her student Orestes, as well as her personal slave Davus, are both in love with her. As the city’s Christians, headed by Ammonius and Cyril, acquire political power, the city’s educational institutions may fall, along with slavery’s control. Jump forward 20 years:
Orestes, the city’s perfect, is at odds with the Christians, who Cyril heads. A group of newly empowered Christians is now vigorously enforcing its cultural hegemony; first, they perceive Jews as impediments, then nonbelievers.
Hypatia is uninterested in religion; she is more concerned with the movement of heavenly bodies and “the brotherhood of everyone.” Her former slave, on the other hand, does not see it that way.
Contents
All Discussion Of Agora 2009
Cast and Characters
Hypatia of Alexandria is played by Rachel Weisz. When she got the screenplay, Weisz was already a fan of Amenábar’s work and was highly intrigued by the part. Despite the fact that she had never heard of Hypatia, she believed her past was still relevant to the modern world: “Nothing has really changed.
I mean, we have great technical and medical improvements, but fundamentalism still exists in terms of people murdering one other in the name of God. In other civilizations, women are still treated as second-class citizens, with no access to education.”
Amenábar disagreed with Weisz’s wish to dive further into Hypatia’s sexuality and wants. She was also given scientific training to enhance her portrayal of the character.
Weisz discussed her style and approach at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival: “We have no way of knowing how people behaved in the fourth century. I assume they were still human beings experiencing the same feelings we have now.
There were, I suppose, cultural traditions that were distinct. We approach acting in such a way that the characters become flesh and blood, and the performance becomes really genuine.”
Davus, Hypatia’s father’s slave, is played by Max Minghella. Davus is in love with Hypatia, but it is unrequited love; thus, Davus converts to Christianity. At the conclusion of the film, when Hypatia is about to be stoned to death, he chooses to suffocate her because he still loves her and does not want her to feel any physical pain. Davus was created as “eyes for the audience” and is not based on any historical accounts.
The story of Agora (2009) Film
Meanwhile, societal instability starts to challenge Roman power in the city, as Pagans and Christians clash. When the Christians begin defiling the pagan gods’ statues, the pagans, including Orestes and Hypatia’s father, ambush the Christians in order to crush their growing power. However, in the subsequent conflict, the pagans are surprisingly overpowered by a strong Christian crowd.
Hypatia’s father is severely hurt, and Hypatia and the pagans seek safety in the Serapeum Library. The Christian siege of the library ends when an emissary of the Roman Emperor proclaims that the pagans have been pardoned but that Christians are free to enter the library and do whatever they choose with it.
Hypatia and the pagans depart, hoping to salvage the most important manuscripts before the Christians take over the library and burn it. Davus makes the decision to join the Christian armies. He subsequently returns with a gladius and begins sexually abusing her, but shortly sobs and hands her his sword. She does, however, remove his slave collar and informs him he is now free.
Orestes, who has now converted to Christianity, becomes prefect of Alexandria some years later. Hypatia is still researching the movements of the Sun, Moon, the five known “wanderers” (planets), and the stars.
Some Christians mock the idea that the Earth is spherical, claiming that those far from the top would fall off it. When they question Davus for his thoughts, he avoids controversy by claiming that only God knows these things.
Hypatia also studies Aristarchus of Samos’ heliocentric concept of the solar system; by dropping an item from the mast of a moving ship, she shows Orestes that a conceivable motion of the Earth would not impact the speed, relative to Earth, of a falling object on Earth.
However, because of religious objections to heliocentrism, the Christians have now prohibited Hypatia from teaching at the institution. Christians and Jews clash, with each committing violent crimes against the other
Cyril (Sami Samir), the head of the Christians, sees Hypatia as wielding too much power over Orestes and organizes a public ceremony to compel Orestes to submit her. Synesius, Hypatia’s old classmate and now Bishop of Cyrene, came to her aid as a religious authority counterbalance. Still, he refuses to support her unless she joins Christianity, which she rejects.
Hypatia makes a personal discovery, hypothesizing that the Earth circles the Sun in an elliptic orbit rather than a circular orbit, with the Sun at one of the foci. Cyril persuades a crowd of Christians differently, and they elect to stone her instead.
When everyone rushes outside to get stones, Davus quietly suffocates her to save her from the agony of being stoned to death and informs the crowd that she fainted. As they begin to stone her, Davus flees.
The Meaning of the Movie
Religion is a battleground—the end of the world. A lady is a symbol of a way to imagine reality. The end result is a stunning film—a sample of a longer narrative with more words. The director’s ambition is enormous. He anticipates saying everything. And that is one of the mistakes.
The blend of science and political warfare, the love tale and the gray figures of Christianity, the encyclopedia page and the game with historical facts, the drama and witness are all part of a peculiar curtain. And it’s merely the beginning.
For many, the word “Agora” is heresy. Others should first contact Hipatia’s name. Or a narrative about our day in which contempt for traditional values pervades at every turn.
It’s just an opportunity to identify oneself, in my opinion. It’s not a show, but it’s a vital inquiry. About historical cycles and the cost of being cool, about sacrifices and expectations, and about refugees in the globalized empire. A bizarre film about humanity’s lost era. On December 21, 2012, about one and the will to be more than just a shadow.
The Message of the Movie
Rachel Weisz plays Hypatia, a fourth-century mathematician, philosopher, and scientist who was years ahead of her time as Christians and pagans fought for dominance. When Christians demolish a temple and the contents of huge library scrolls, Hypatia strives in vain to rescue what she can.
Years later, Hypatia is still studying the moon and stars, and she is mocked for her ideas, much like Galileo many years later. It reaches the point of mob rule when she is labeled a witch after getting caught up in the political crossfire of the day, and when given redemption by joining Christianity, she rejects, and I’ll just say that we don’t get a happy ending.
Religious bigotry persists, and Agora communicates a crucial message about freedom and intellectual curiosity without interference from stupid, narrow-minded hypocrites. The scenery is spectacular, but at over two hours, it might have been trimmed down a little, but it’s still a terrific epic picture.
Historical Accuracy
In an interview, Antonio Mampaso, a Spanish astrophysicist and one of Agora’s scientific advisers, declared that “Hypatia lived in Alexandria between the fourth and fifth century CE, until her death in 415. Apart from secondary sources, only three main sources reference Hypatia of Alexandria “.
He went on to say that although none of Hypatia’s works have survived, it is believed from secondary sources that her primary subjects of study and labor were geometry and astronomy.
Mampaso stated that Hypatia developed the hydrometer, which is still in use today, and that her father Theon of Alexandria, along with Hypatia, probably invented the astrolabe. However, it is widely assumed that the astrolabe was developed many centuries earlier and that the device was known to the Greeks prior to the Christian period. Similarly, the hydrometer was created before Hypatia and was well-known throughout her lifetime.
In this sense, Pappus of Alexandria is said to have used the hydrometer before Hypatia was born. Synesius wrote to Hypatia, describing a hydrometer and asking her to build one for him. There is no indication that the historical Hypatia ever investigated the heliocentric hypothesis provided by Aristarchus of Samos or discovered evidence to support it.
The Ending of the Movie
Hypatia is still researching the movements of the Sun, Moon, the five known “wanderers” (planets), and the stars. Some Christians mock the idea that the Earth is spherical, claiming that those far from the top would fall off. When they question Davus for his thoughts, he avoids controversy by claiming that only God knows these things.
Hypatia further analyzes Aristarchus of Samos’ heliocentric concept of the solar system by having an item thrown from the mast of a moving ship, demonstrating that a conceivable motion of the Earth would not impact the velocity, relative to Earth, of a falling object on Earth.
However, because of religious objections to heliocentrism, the Christians have now prohibited Hypatia from teaching at the institution. Christians and Jews engage in a deadly war.
Cyril, the Christian leader, believes Hypatia has too much power over Orestes and organizes a public ceremony to compel Orestes to submit to her. Synesius, Hypatia’s old classmate and now Bishop of Cyrene, comes to her aid as a religious authority counterbalance. Still, he refuses to support her unless she joins Christianity, which she rejects.
According to Hypatia, the Earth circles the Sun in an elliptic orbit rather than a circular orbit, with the Sun at one of the foci. Cyril persuades a horde of Christians that Hypatia is a witch, and they vow to murder her. Davus attempts to flee ahead to alert Hypatia, but she is apprehended. They have stripped Hypatia and are ready to skin her alive, but Davus convinces the crowd to stone her instead.
When the crowd rushes outside to gather stones, Davus suffocates her to save her from the agony of being stoned and informs the mob that she fainted. As they begin to stone her, Davus flees.
Ending Explanation of Agora (2009)
Alejandro Amenabar, the film’s director, said that he intended to make a film that would pique viewers’ curiosity in the universe, much as Carl Sagan’s work had done for him. Finally, he produced a historical video that delves into the nature of the universe and much more.
Based on true events and the life of Hypatia, “the philosopher” (Rachel Weisz), “Agora” takes place in 4th century Alexandria, at a period when the worship of traditional Egyptian deities was being challenged by Judaism and a newly permitted Christianity.
Hypatia leads a Socratic classroom and attempts to unravel the physics of our solar system based on astronomical observations. She is fascinated with conic geometry, which leads her to some new thoughts.
Her existence revolves around Alexandria’s vast library, a repository of various books and a symbol of intellectual development. However, she is unwillingly drawn into the politico-religious fight for control that engulfs the whole city, which is part of the Roman Empire.
This is a stirring video that examines the essence of man, particularly as it relates to religion. It exemplifies religion’s long standing hostility to scientific techniques. And it sheds light on the life of a one-of-a-kind lady who deserves to be celebrated.
Box Office
Agora was Spain’s highest-grossing picture of 2009, making more than $10.3 million in its first four days of release on October 9.
According to Rentrak Theatrical’s North American theater monitoring data, Agora “got the greatest per-theater-average of any picture in the marketplace” over the Memorial Day holiday weekend of May 28 through May 31, soon after its U.S. limited release.
Despite its excellent per-theater average, Agora was never extensively distributed in the United States. According to Box Office Mojo, the film’s broadest distribution in the United States was in just 17 theaters.
By December 1, 2009, the picture had earned more than $32.3 million (€21.4 million), and by February 1, 2010, it had reached almost $35 million. Agora’s global box office profits as of January 10, 2011, were roughly $39 million. The sales figures for DVDs and Blu-rays are not publicly accessible.
Conclusion
In 391 AD, the Roman Empire was in turmoil. On one side are the adherents of radical new religion, on the other those who cling to traditional beliefs. The struggle for control of Alexandria’s vast library – and thus control over the minds and hearts of its people – becomes political as well as religious.
One woman caught up in this tumult discovers something about herself that she never imagined possible. Agora is a gripping and historical drama that tells the story of one woman’s search for truth – and her battle against the forces of oppression and tyranny.
It exemplifies religion’s long standing hostility to scientific techniques, and it sheds light on the life of a one-of-a-kind lady who deserves to be celebrated.
FAQs
1.Where Was Agora Filmed?
Ans: The title of the film is from the Agora, a social gathering place in early Greece similar to the Roman Forum, and is placed on the island of Malta. Fernando Bovaira produced the film, which was shot from March to June 2008 on the island of Malta.
2.What Happened To Hypatia?
Ans: A mob of Christian fanatics slaughtered Hypatia brutally. They dragged her out of her carriage on the street in Alexandria, marched her to a church, stripped her bare, beat her to death, flayed her, pulled off her limbs, and burned her remains.
3.How Did Hypatia Change the World?
Ans: Hypatia was a well-known public speaker and scholar, and she followed her father on the library’s faculty. She studied mathematics and astronomy there. She learned algebraic equations and conic sections as well as other subjects. She invented the astrolabe for ship navigation and devices for determining the density of fluids.
4.What Is the History Of Agora?
Ans: The word Agora (pronounced ah-go-RAH) is Greek for “public place of assembly,” and it was first used in Greece to describe an area where free-born citizens could gather to hear civic announcements, muster for military campaigns, or consider politics. Later, it was designated as the city’s on-air marketplace.
5.Is the Movie Agora A True Story?
Ans: There is no one answer to this question as it can depend on your personal opinion. However, some people believe that the movie agora is a true story while others believe it is fictional.
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