Religious Interpretation of Metropolis

I would describe ‘Metropolis’ by Fritz Lang as a brilliant science fiction movie, targeted towards the richer people of society. ‘Metropolis’ uses stunning imagery, often religious, to convey the idea of the consequences of oppression on the lower class people, which is all the more important considering it is a silent movie. I think Fritz Lang reached out to the higher class people using a religious context to portray the political and economic background because they would be able to identify quite easily with Religion.

I interpreted ‘Metropolis’ in a completely religious context. Joh Fredersen could also be thought of a representation of God in the movie because he is the sole master of the city of Metropolis, much like God is the sole ruler of our world. His son, Freder, was shown as a benevolent figure in the movie and could be a portrayal of Jesus Christ, the son of God. This was particularly apparent to me when he descended down below the surface into the worker’s city, much like Jesus Christ is believed to have descended down, and is portrayed as a savior when he rescues the workers’ children from drowning by the end of the movie. Him changing into the worker’s clothes to be accepted and ‘endured’ in the world below reminded me of the opening section of ‘Zohar’, which mentions that the ‘Zohar’ is actually the ‘garment’ of Torah, where the words and stories are referred to as the ‘garment’ that cover the true sublime meaning behind the words, so that it could be ‘endured’ in this world. Whether such a reference was intended by Fritz Lang is highly doubtful, but I found it interesting nonetheless.

The division of the upper city, where the wealthy resided and which contained the Eternal Garden, and the lower level, where the workers lived in poor living conditions could also be compared to the belief of Heaven above and Hell below according to many religions. Maria is represented in the movie as a saint figure and the religious imagery in the scene where Maria stands in front of tall crosses giving the workers a speech about a mediator who would come and rescue them from their oppression is the most obvious reference to religion. Another clear religious reference can be seen in the scene that mentions and depicts the Tower of Babel.

The conformity amongst the workers, in terms of their faith in Maria, is highly noticeable. In ‘Metropolis’ all the workers are shown as wearing the same clothes and moving in step with one another when they work. Additionally, the workers display some sort of blind faith in Maria. They are prepared to wait for the arrival of the mediator upon hearing the words of the real Maria while they turn into an angry mob set on destroying the heart machine at the whims of Maria’s robot double, even forgetting the doomed fate of their children. The evil Maria is also referred to as the whore of Babylon.

In ‘Metropolis’, Fritz Lang cleverly uses Religion to appeal to the wealthy members of society and show them the dire consequences of oppressing the working class, and the possible destruction of the future, which is portrayed when all the little children are left to drown in the flood that engulfed the workers’ city, until they are saved by Freder.

Sources: Lang, Fritz. 'Metropolis'

'Zohar'