|
|
 |
Lonelywalker
Trinity: Names
"Recognise the name?"
"Which?"
"Schiller."
In all films, names are an important source of background information. They can indicate ethnicity, gender, family background, culture, and age - or deliberately mislead the audience on one or all of these points. In Trinity, the complex nature of the plot means that the viewer must grasp onto each and every clue to these mysterious characters' identities. One of the foremost clues in the film are the characters' names.
None of the three main characters - Clerval, Brach, and Schiller - comes equipped with a first name or nickname (this is assuming that the names given in the film are their surnames). Although it is possible that the future society they live in has dispensed with first names altogether, this is not entirely relevant. What is relevant is the lack of individual personality and traits it may indicate. It also indicates a lack of intimacy. Although the three characters are bound to each other in often very intimate ways, they never get beyond calling each other by an impersonal surname.
Also, all three of the names appear to be European, despite the English-ish accents of all three. This may be another attempt to distance English-speaking audiences from the three characters, a hint that the future world is very Euro-centric, or merely a result of the writer wanting to add the specific connotations of each name, as discussed below.
Clerval
Clerval's name is the one with the most interesting reference outside the film. Henry Clerval is a secondary character in the novel Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. Victor Frankenstein dabbles in the macabre side of science, and creates a murderous monster who is eventually his own destruction. This would perhaps have parallels with Trinity's Clerval, who operates a genetics program that adversely affects Schiller, who later travels back with the intention of killing him. However, the parallel cannot be that simple. In Frankenstein, Clerval is not a "Frankenstein" figure at all. Although he is a scientist, he shys away from the darkness that attracts Victor, and uses his skills for good. However, due to Victor's evil works, Clerval too is killed by the Monster.
As there is an opposition between Henry Clerval and Frankenstein, so too may there be between pastClerval, and cloneClerval. Schiller alleges that pastClerval was indeed a monster - imprisoning her against her will, inflicting psychological and physical torture on her, possibly raping her (this is not clear), and ordering the deaths of her parents. cloneClerval, however, is apparently innocent of these crimes, but dies as a result of pastClerval's works. This assumes that pastClerval and cloneClerval are different people.
If pastClerval and cloneClerval are in fact the same person, there is still an opposition between aspects of his personality. Like both Frankenstein and Henry Clerval, Trinity's Clerval is attempting to use his skills for good, and he seems to be genuinely in love with Schiller. However, he is still guilty of massive crimes as discussed above.
Clerval is also a doctor, as is referred to as such throughout the film. This indicates his superior education and perhaps also intelligence. In the flashback scenes, it also demonstrates his position of authority. However, in the present, this authority has been undermined, and his title is only a reminder of the crimes he is alleged to have committed. It is unknown what kind of doctor Clerval is, or whether cloneClerval can still be properly referred to as a doctor.
Schiller
Friedrich Schiller was an 18th century German poet and playwright. Schiller was an idealist, whose core values of freedom and liberty ran through his work. His work took place at a time of great upheaval in Europe, during and immediately after the French Revolution and the subsequent reign of terror. Schiller is perhaps most famous for his poem, "An die Freude" (Ode To Joy) which was later incorporated into Beethoven's 9th Symphony. This seems to be markedly at odds with Trinity's Schiller, a dour, tormented woman to whom "all men becoming brothers" is not a priority. However, she is throughout the film struggling for her own freedom - from Clerval's cell in the past, and from the past in her present.
Friedrich Schiller was a friend and advisor to Goethe, and encouraged him to write Faust, a work that has great resonance in Trinity. In Faust, a doctor sells his soul to the devil in return for the chance to live again as a young man. In Trinity, Schiller accuses Clerval of "playing God" in his experiments, which she believes are morally wrong. In Schiller's view, Clerval may have done exactly what Faust (and Frankenstein) does - give up his morality or soul, in order to obtain something that is apparently good (freedom from genetic deformity / youth / resurrecting the dead) but may also be morally wrong.
Schiller is referred to as Brach's lieutenant, but this is never used as her title. As the film progresses, there is less and less of a clear power or command structure between Schiller and Brach.
Brach
Brach is in some ways the most secretive character in the film, and his name reveals little about him. A "brach" is a kind of female dog, and a brand of American candy, but these are unlikely to be relevant to the film. The name is similar to the two 18th century composers JS and JC Bach, and in that way is similar to the European feel of both Clerval and Schiller, but this is a tenuous connection at best.
Brach is referred to as "Captain" by Clerval, albeit in a sarcastic way. He is the character who is supposed to have authority over both Schiller and Clerval, but in the end has none.
|
|
