This proclamation comes from Don Lope de Aguirre, sailing aboard a lifeless raft, drifting aimlessly down the interminable run leading to the fabled city of El Dorado. This quote is a perfect representation of the mindset of Aguirre, 'The Wrath of God'. He is consumed within his unrelenting determination to satisfy his deepest desires of avarice, supremacy, and grandeur. His obsessions slowly begin to affect his judgment, and his passion enthusiastically blinds his perception of reality, blurring the distinct line between actuality and fabled illusion. Aguirre becomes firmly intent on conquering all of South America, of breaking away from the Spanish crown and beginning a new world securely under his unconditional domination.
Aguirre becomes capable of garnering support among his men through promises of unimaginable riches, impenetrable authority and security, and perhaps most importantly, with the promise of a glorious adventure into the heart of the unfamiliar. However, it must be understood that Aguirre was able to initially succeed in his plans due to the willingness and complicity of the men under his control. The absence of dissension was due not only to fear of the potential consequences, but was also a result of the general attitude of the available men. The promises of the power of greed were compelling enough to create strict uniformity and acquiescence to the selfish goals of Aguirre. The story of Herzog's film is as old as the history of Western civilization itself. One infatuated madman becomes able to rally the spirit of a foolish herd behind him through the false promises of unrestricted glory, indestructible power, and incomprehensible wealth. Of course, the second part of Herzog's film is also the most common, recognizable conclusion to such a familiar story. All authority must cease eventually, as nothing built on the foundations of deception and falsity can stand forever. It is through this identifiable situation that Herzog is able to illustrate the fragility and insanity of such wild quests for power. All men maintain the same illusions of grandeur and magnificence, however the attempted acquisition of such desires can often result in tragic consequences, as is made evident in Aguirre's most logical conclusion.
What are the tragic consequences of Aguirre's pursuit of the unattainable? The most obvious response to this question would be the loss of his only daughter, his sole reason for being and continuance in the face of adversity. His quest for power is not only a self-satisfying attempt to escape the dreadful monotony of mortality, but it is also meant to bring veneration, allegiance and complicit submission to the forthcoming generations of his family line. The death of his daughter is the signification of the death of Aguirre's unforeseen future, and the cessation of his greatest hopes and aspirations. The tragic separation between a father and his daughter is a universally empathized situation, and Herzog does well to incorporate this moment of indeterminable significance into his film's climactic infusion of incalculable remorse and impending self-destruction. However, despite the realization that his journey has ended in complete failure, Aguirre remains entrapped within his ideological pursuits. He refuses to accept his defeat, and remains steadfastly determined to conquer all that surrounds him. Even the death of his own daughter is not enough to shake the madman from the foundations of his deepest latent fixations, made manifest through the complete destruction and manipulation of his encompassing environment. Aguirre continues to outwardly express his darkest desires, failing to identify his complete isolation and withdrawal from reality. Even when there is nobody to share his inane ramblings with, Aguirre remains absorbed within his delusions. His slow descent into madness comes full circle at the film's conclusion, as Aguirre remains the sole survivor aboard the aforementioned direction less raft, sailing toward some unmistakably predetermined termination. The film's ending is illustrative of the typical conclusion of the typical madman's expedition. There is nobody left for Aguirre to command or abuse, to consult with or confide in, to inspire or to befriend. This is because Aguirre failed to grasp the inevitable futility of his situation, and the enigmatic insanity with which he conducted his operation.
Herzog's conclusion is not quite as clear and decisive as some would leave you to believe. Certainly, Aguirre has lost his source of power, his meaning for continuation, and his sanity in the process. However, he is still alive, and he has not learned anything from his experience; he is just as stubbornly determined as when his exploration began. Perhaps this can be viewed as a not so subtle commentary on the inability of selfishly driven men to realize the folly of their ways, and to seek forgiveness from those that they have harmed in the process. Or perhaps Herzog is suggesting that men like Aguirre will always survive the repercussions of the materialization of their own insane aspirations, and it is only the sheep that will suffer the consequences from compliance and strict obedience. Or perhaps the survival of Aguirre is an illustration of the indestructible perpetuation of human greed, cruelty, and irrationality. With men like Aguirre readily available in the world, it is only plausible that such failed expeditions will be tried again. Logic that 'The Wrath of God' himself employs as justification for the continuance of his adventure in the face of overwhelming odds. Whatever Herzog's implications in the final scenes suggest, it is only certain that Aguirre's stubbornness resulted in a path of unnecessary obsessive destructiveness; An obsession that destroyed all hope for the future, and made a mockery of the past.
Aguirre becomes capable of garnering support among his men through promises of unimaginable riches, impenetrable authority and security, and perhaps most importantly, with the promise of a glorious adventure into the heart of the unfamiliar. However, it must be understood that Aguirre was able to initially succeed in his plans due to the willingness and complicity of the men under his control. The absence of dissension was due not only to fear of the potential consequences, but was also a result of the general attitude of the available men. The promises of the power of greed were compelling enough to create strict uniformity and acquiescence to the selfish goals of Aguirre. The story of Herzog's film is as old as the history of Western civilization itself. One infatuated madman becomes able to rally the spirit of a foolish herd behind him through the false promises of unrestricted glory, indestructible power, and incomprehensible wealth. Of course, the second part of Herzog's film is also the most common, recognizable conclusion to such a familiar story. All authority must cease eventually, as nothing built on the foundations of deception and falsity can stand forever. It is through this identifiable situation that Herzog is able to illustrate the fragility and insanity of such wild quests for power. All men maintain the same illusions of grandeur and magnificence, however the attempted acquisition of such desires can often result in tragic consequences, as is made evident in Aguirre's most logical conclusion.
What are the tragic consequences of Aguirre's pursuit of the unattainable? The most obvious response to this question would be the loss of his only daughter, his sole reason for being and continuance in the face of adversity. His quest for power is not only a self-satisfying attempt to escape the dreadful monotony of mortality, but it is also meant to bring veneration, allegiance and complicit submission to the forthcoming generations of his family line. The death of his daughter is the signification of the death of Aguirre's unforeseen future, and the cessation of his greatest hopes and aspirations. The tragic separation between a father and his daughter is a universally empathized situation, and Herzog does well to incorporate this moment of indeterminable significance into his film's climactic infusion of incalculable remorse and impending self-destruction. However, despite the realization that his journey has ended in complete failure, Aguirre remains entrapped within his ideological pursuits. He refuses to accept his defeat, and remains steadfastly determined to conquer all that surrounds him. Even the death of his own daughter is not enough to shake the madman from the foundations of his deepest latent fixations, made manifest through the complete destruction and manipulation of his encompassing environment. Aguirre continues to outwardly express his darkest desires, failing to identify his complete isolation and withdrawal from reality. Even when there is nobody to share his inane ramblings with, Aguirre remains absorbed within his delusions. His slow descent into madness comes full circle at the film's conclusion, as Aguirre remains the sole survivor aboard the aforementioned direction less raft, sailing toward some unmistakably predetermined termination. The film's ending is illustrative of the typical conclusion of the typical madman's expedition. There is nobody left for Aguirre to command or abuse, to consult with or confide in, to inspire or to befriend. This is because Aguirre failed to grasp the inevitable futility of his situation, and the enigmatic insanity with which he conducted his operation.
Herzog's conclusion is not quite as clear and decisive as some would leave you to believe. Certainly, Aguirre has lost his source of power, his meaning for continuation, and his sanity in the process. However, he is still alive, and he has not learned anything from his experience; he is just as stubbornly determined as when his exploration began. Perhaps this can be viewed as a not so subtle commentary on the inability of selfishly driven men to realize the folly of their ways, and to seek forgiveness from those that they have harmed in the process. Or perhaps Herzog is suggesting that men like Aguirre will always survive the repercussions of the materialization of their own insane aspirations, and it is only the sheep that will suffer the consequences from compliance and strict obedience. Or perhaps the survival of Aguirre is an illustration of the indestructible perpetuation of human greed, cruelty, and irrationality. With men like Aguirre readily available in the world, it is only plausible that such failed expeditions will be tried again. Logic that 'The Wrath of God' himself employs as justification for the continuance of his adventure in the face of overwhelming odds. Whatever Herzog's implications in the final scenes suggest, it is only certain that Aguirre's stubbornness resulted in a path of unnecessary obsessive destructiveness; An obsession that destroyed all hope for the future, and made a mockery of the past.