The film Ben-Hur (1959)

An accident occurs and Messala, knowing he is wrong, allows Ben-Hur and his mother and sister to be convicted of trying to kill the Roman governor. After three years as a galley slave Ben-Hur gains his freedom and returns determined to get revenge. He defeats Messala in a chariot race where the Roman is injured and dies. In order to keep their hatred alive Messala tells Ben-Hur that his mother and sister have contracted leprosy. Ben-Hur refuses to give up his hatred and his desire for vengeance until his mother and sister are cured when they witness Jesus carrying the cross to his crucifixion.

The principal problem for the characters is the hatred that comes from belonging to different nations. The conquering Romans are contrasted with the conquered Jews who ar

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s that power can have on individuals. Messala is corrupted by gaining his important position. He is afraid of failing and takes his fear out on his old friends as if to reassure himself that he is ruthless enough to rule. All the Romans in the film have a certain kind of arrogance about their right to rule over others. Pontius Pilate does not want to go to Judea, but only because he thinks it is a difficult assignment. The emperor, Arius, and the soldiers who mock the Sheik about the superiority of Romans over other peoples all possess this arrogance. Because they have been able to achieve physical power over people they assume that they are superior to them in every way. Messala shows how he has been affected by these ideals when he mentions the destruction of the city of Lydia as if it had been an enjoyable game. But Messala still feels strongly about his friendship with people whom he now has to view as lowly subjects, and this conflict distorts his moral sense. The only Roman who expresses any real doubt is the general who is leaving Judea and being replaced by Messala. He says that the Jewish prophet John has been preaching that god is in man. When Messala mocks the idea, the general's reactions show that his time
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1820
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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