The pre-Columbian Mesoamerican society was obsessed with knowing what the future had in store for them. Many of their tales describe events that they believe will happen. These predictions, many times called omens, were highly believable to the people of these societies. Mel Gibson attempts to incorporate this particular element in the film Apocalypto. There were many key instances where foreshadowing was used and it provided the audience with critical insight with what was to come next. Gibson uses certain filming techniques, such as sound and cinematography, to further enhance the scenes of foreshadowing and provide a deeper insight into the Mayan culture. By doing this, he makes the events in the movie more suspenseful. .
To have a further understanding of the background of the Mayan culture, we will look at some scholarly articles about their history and how they relate to the film. First, we must examine the tittle of the film. The word Apocalypto, derived from the word 'Apocalypse,' meaning "mother of all catastrophes" (Walsh, 2010). The tittle in itself gives us a large amount of insight. This relates to the end of the film when the Spaniards come and take over the Mayan Empire. Having the tittle as Apocalypto provides us with an element of suspense because we are waiting throughout the movie to see what will be the "mother of all catastrophes." We can relate this back to the Broken Spears, a tale of the demise of the Aztec culture. Although it was the Aztecs instead of the Mayans, it still gives us a good connection to the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican culture. One particular part we should focus on is the "Omens Foretelling the Arrival of the Spaniards." There were eight "bad omens" that happened about ten years before the arrival of the Spaniards. They were horrible events that they believed foreshadowed the arrival of the Spaniards and lead to their downfall.
Foreshadowing's purpose is to hint at the future events in the literary piece. ... Therefore, the allusion to storms in Emma's view of love is interpreted as a bad omen. ... Characterization foreshadows the downfalls of these two women. ... Ibsen foreshadows Hedda's death by using this image. ... The image of the tree turning yellow and dying also foreshadows death. ...
Some types of literary devices that Shakespeare uses are personification, symbolism and foreshadowing. ... This early use of birds symbolizes superstitions, or omens. ... Banquo states to Duncan that Macbeth's castle enjoys the good omen of nesting martlets. But the "good" omen turns "foul" (Teachervision). ... Shakespeare uses foreshadowing so the future of the story is predictable to the reader. ...
These three Shakesperian plays contain supernatural figures or events that foreshadow or control the entire plot of each play. ... Calpurnia was never one to heed omens, yet these supernatural occurrences frighten her, and she insists that Caesar not leave the house. ... Caesar then is stabbed to death by the conspirators, proving that the supernatural omens held truth. ... The strange dreams and occurrences that Calpurnia was aware of foreshadowed Caesar's death just as Caesar's evil spirit foreshadowed Brutus's death. ... In Julius Caesar, the dreams and omens of Calpu...
"The most famous omen is of course the rain, which accompanies every disaster in the book" (Merrill 575). ... Hemingway's opening here is used to foreshadow that sometime in the future war is going to interrupt Frederic's carefree life. Since rain is a symbol of death, it's used to foreshadow death and emptiness. ... Tragedy is expected throughout the novel "by means of Frederic's meditations, the foreboding events and narrative structure, and the unabashed use of omens" (Merrill 575). ... The short selection reflects A Farewell to Arms as a whole by using literary motif...
But in William Shakespeare's Macbeth, birds are generally seen as a bad omen. ... Even in real life, they are often a bad omen., just as they are in Macbeth. ... This kind of foreshadowing leads the reader to easily predict and eventually see that King Duncan is murdered. While there are other signs of his imminent death, the running motif of birds being a bad omen is quite obvious from the very beginning. ... The Macduff family is also plagued by this omen throughout. ...
This is foreshadowing the fact that she will have no real life after Hill House either. ... When the girl at the diner tells her she hopes that Eleanor finds her house, there is much irony and foreshadowing in this statement (27). ... Eleanor finds omens along her drive, like the daredevil sign that she thinks says Dare Evil. These omens foreshadowing the later haunting that develops, and just like Eleanor ignores the warnings, she ignores the haunting. ... This statement is foreshadowing, but not in the way the reader first believes. ...
Throughout Medea, animal imagery becomes more frequent, and it is used to reveal symbolic content, omens and foreshadowing, and Medea's tone. ... They foreshadowed many disastrous events that would take place later on in the play. ... This event foreshadows what was going to happen to Crausa when she tried on her "gift" from Medea. ... For the most part, animal imagery is particularly important because it reveals symbolic content, omens and foreshadowing, and Medea's tone. ...
The character Horatio helps to convey this state of unrest and to foreshadow, through his words and actions, impending war with Norway and possible turmoil for the country. ... After seeing the ghost, Horatio makes an allusion to Rome before the fall of Julius Caesar; A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets: As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood, ...
