The Symbolism in Princess Mononoke
Princess Mononoke is one of those movies that is designed to make you digest it slowly. After the credits have finished rolling the little voice tells you that there's more to the story..you just have to think about it. What else is there? Is there anything there to really think about? This is where symbolism comes in. I believe that every person in the story stands for something. To make this easy on ourselves I'll just stick to the three most important neutral zone, with a tendency towards nature (that's becausae of his culture). Ashitaka is the peacemaker, believeing in coexistence. So here's the equation: shi (man) + San (nature) can = Ashitaka (the consequent good result). Or you could see him as the vs.
Let's first examine Eboshi. She is a domineering woman who wants it all. Not necessarily for herself but for her folloers. Had she wanted it all for herself it would be evident in her lifestyle and people's additude toward her. The woman adore her, apparently she treats them right and has given them their rightful respect as people in her Iron Town. The lepers are grateful to her since for her compassion as to their plight. She gave them work and a place to stay while everyone else shunned them and treated them subhumanly. The men respect her sicne she is a leader who gets results. Not one person went hungry or was lacking in anything in Iron Town. But the care of the people and Iron Town are her only concerns. She views nature as an obstacle to her further glory. This is where her evil comes out. She wishes to create the death of nature (San and the wolves).
The film takes a unique look at man's relationship with god, in this film animal gods. This is where there is signifigant symbolism in the story.
The Fight
Now that we've identified who is what (symbolically speaking of course), why do they feel and act the way they do? Each character has very specific reasons for their actions. Further examination of these actions gets us closer to the answer of our question.
Main Characters
On the flip side of the coin is san, the human hating child of the wolf god. She was orphaned as a little baby and so Moro (the owlf god) rasied her as if she were a wolf. It is through her past that she emerges "Princess of Spirits" or "Princess of Monsters". Living in nature she became it, and thus the human voice and leader in the attack agianst humans. At heart all San desires is for nature to be at peace, growing and healthy. She's like nature's lawyer, although she takes the law into her own hands several times, including attempts on Lady Eboshi's life. The evil that lives in San is her thirst for revenge. She wants to end the destruction of the forest since it has been hurt so much already.
Ah yes, Prince Ashitaka, my personal favorite. He was sent from his village to find the cure to his curse and prevent more demons from forming and destroying mankind. He seeks an honorable way to cease the fighting and a peace between Eboshi and San, since he recognizes that more killings won't make anything better. I believe he makes the best judgements and acts the wisest. A lot of this is due to the fact that this young man knows that because of his curse, that came from rage and hate, he's going to die. Before he is left souless, he wants to make the world better. In a way he's sort of the martyr of the story. It is very important to him to save humanity from the fate he is doomed with. He's very self-less in this way. But it cannot be forgotten that he isn't oh so perfect. On his journey east he gets caught up in a battle and kills three or four men. This of course is easily presumed to be an act of his curse. His biggest strong point is the fact that he's friends with both major sides. he is the head peacemaker and negotiater.Relationships
San and Ashitaka are two people who have a fascinating relationship. When Ashitaka first sees San he is awestruck by this creature, and the godly aura which she posesses. With his first stolen glances he falls in love. San naturally hates him, since he is human; what she is fighting so hard for.
Later on he saves her life when, during the rally to kill Eboshi, she falls off the roof and lands unconscious. She awakens quickly and attacks Eboshi. Ashitaka tried to warn San on the roof the townspeople's plan, but nearly fails and falls off the roof as well. Once he awakens he sees the fight going on, his curse "ignites" him and gives him supernatural strength. So he steps into the fight, knocks both of them unconcious and grabs San (to make a longer story short). He then begins walking towards the gate. An angry woman, mad at San for killing her husband, holds up a hand canon and tells Ashitaka to stop so she won't kill him. He keeps walking and she fires. It's a direct hit leaving a bleeding, gaping hole. Amazingly he's still alive and he keeps walking. We can only presume it's either his curse or another supernatural force that is keeping him alive. When he gets ot the gate no one helps me (they're just all awestruck that he's alive). So he one-handed opens the gate, thus leaving.
On the way to the woods he falls off Yakkul (he is only human) near death. San then revives and sees Ashitaka lying there. being raised by wolves and in the forest she was taught survival of the fittest, not to mention to hate humans. At this point she does some soul searching. Does he live or die? That thought must cross her mind many times. The animals want him dead. San on the other hand is feeling the buds of compassion and affection. At this point she doesn't want to admit the attraction she has for him. So by asserting her authority she convinces the animals to let the great forest spirit decide wether he lives or dies.
As the story evolves it's obvious that a love develops between AShitaka and San. In the end it is they who prevent the complete death of the forest.
At the end of the movie San and Ashitaka don't "hoopup" as would have been nice. Everything for a romance was there. Why didn't anything happen? I realized later that there is a good way to look at it. My theory is not complicated. If san represents "God" and Ashitaka represents "man" there are things I find quite obvious. First off, man can never have a pysical relationship with God. But it is still possible to have a close relationship with God and still love each other-God and man. I believe Ashitaka and San at some point in the far off future will ahve a relaltionship to go with that ceaseless love they have for one another. They are so perfect together.
Lady Eboshi and San have a simple relationship; they both hate each other. The fight between the two of them represents man's (Eboshi here) rebellious nature against God and the continual struggle between the two. Man is self-centered, wanting only to glorify himself, but needing to get rid of God before being able to have complete conquest.The Demon