The movie Der Untergang (2004), or Downfall in English, is about Hitler’s and his horrible reign’s last days. It seem like every character has an important role in the movie the Downfall. Most of the supports kill themselves in the bunker because they cannot live without Hitler’s reign. One character is shows lots of love towards Hitler’s reign is Magda Goebbels (Corrina Harfouch). She shows character coherence, which “is the product of different psychological, historical, or other expectations that see people, and thus fictional characters, as fundamentally consistent and unique. We usually evaluate a character’s coherence according to one or more of the three things… values… actions… behaviors” (Corrigan, Timothy 241). Magda Goebbels showed all three things throughout the whole movie. One thing that Magda Goebbels greatly valued was Hitler’s régime. Her actions also showed her true character when she poisoned all of her children. She also behaved, as a woman citizen would have during Hitler’s reign, she was brainwashed into thinking his way was the only way.
“Values. The character coheres in terms of one or more abstract values, such as when a character defined through his or her overwhelming determination or treachery” (Corrigan, Timothy 241). Magda Goebbels is greatly defined by her values. She is a true believer of Nazism, or Hitler. She does not want Hitler to die, she believes that all life will be gone if he dies. “Magda Goebbels: My Führer, I beg you to leave Berlin! My Führer, please. Don't leave us! What will become of us? Adolf Hitler: Tomorrow millions of people will curse me, but fate has taken its course.” "Der Untergang (2004)."
“Actions: The character acts out a logical relations between his or her implied inner or mental life and visible actions, as when a sensitive character acts in a remarkably generous way.” (Corrigan, Timothy 241). She showed many actions that proved that she was a faithful follower to Hitler
“That night, on May 1, 1945, a staff dentist put the Goebbels' five young daughters and son to sleep with injections of morphine. Magda, possibly believing (in a highly distressed state of mind) they would be reincarnated into better lives if they died innocent, held open the mouth of each sleeping child in turn as SS doctor Ludwig Stumpfegger broke a blue glass cyanide capsule and emptied the contents within. Accounts that the children were murdered with hot chocolate laced with sleeping pills or other drugs are conflations of remarks she made during the weeks before: Magda appears to have contemplated and talked about murdering her children at least a month in advance (Joseph seems to have acquiesced) and had refused several offers from others to spirit the children out of Berlin. There was evidence (in the form of bruises) that the eldest child, twelve year old Helga, had awakened and struggled before she was killed. The children's pajama- clad bodies were still in the two-tiered bunk beds they were murdered in when Russian troops entered the bunker a day later” . "Magda Goebbels - Murder and suicide."
Even in the movie as she drugged her children and poisoned them, she did not show any compassion. She went into their bunker and went child to child, she killed them. In the movie, she did not shed a single tear. She just went on to dinner, then later she killed herself. She thought that killing them would save them, but it did not.
“Behaviors. The character reflects social and historical assumptions about normal or abnormal behaviors…” (Corrigan, Timothy 241). Magda Goebbels behaves has a normal follower would have. She was greatly infatuated with Hitler and the Nazi party. She taught her kids to be followers of Hitler, they learned songs, and they portrayed him as a family member.
“My beloved son! By now we have been in the Führerbunker for six days already — daddy, your six little siblings and I, for the sake of giving our national socialistic lives the only possible honorable end ... You shall know that I stayed here against daddy's will, and that even on last Sunday the Führer wanted to help me to get out. You know your mother — we have the same blood, for me there was no wavering. Our glorious idea is ruined and with it everything beautiful and marvelous that I have known in my life. The world that comes after the Führer and national socialism is not any longer worth living in and therefore I took the children with me, for they are too good for the life that would follow, and a merciful God will understand me when I will give them the salvation ... The children are wonderful ... there never is a word of complaint nor crying. The impacts are shaking the bunker. The elder kids cover the younger ones, their presence is a blessing and they are making the Führer smile once in a while. May God help that I have the strength to perform the last and hardest. We only have one goal left: loyalty to the Führer even in death. Harald, my dear son — I want to give you what I learned in life: be loyal! Loyal to yourself, loyal to the people and loyal to your country ... Be proud of us and try to keep us in dear memory …” "Magda Goebbels -."
True Nazi follower would kill themselves for their “national socialistic lives” "Magda Goebbels -." The Magda Goebbels in the movie the Downfall is very comparable to the Magda Goebbels that actually existed.
Magda Goebbels shows great character coherence. Her values are shown well when she throws herself to Hitler’s feet and begs him to save his life. Magda Goebbels actions are also portrayed when she is shown poisoning her children, because she believes it is the right thing to do. Then her behaviors do show an extreme supporter of the Nazi party. If she were not an extreme supporter, she would have left the bunker and spared her children.
Works Cited
Corrigan, Timothy, and Patricia White. Film Experience. 2nd ed. Bedford/st Martins, 2008. Print.
"Der Untergang (2004)." The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Web. 27 Feb. 2010.
"Downfall (film) -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 27 Feb. 2010.
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"Google Image Result for http://www.monstersandcritics.de/downloads/downloads/articles3/148310/article_images/image4_1249063504.jpg." Google Images. Web. 28 Feb. 2010.
"Magda Goebbels - Murder and suicide." Spiritus-Temporis.com - Historical Events, Latest News, News Archives. Web. 28 Feb. 2010.
"Magda Goebbels -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 27 Feb. 2010.
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