HeroandLove：theTwoAlternateThemesinBraveHeart

【Abstract】As a great historic film， Brave Heart is worthy of the Best Motion Picture of 1995s Academy Awards. The theme is not fresh， describing that the strong enemy invades and people protect their own home. But this is an eternal and stirring theme. Everybody who was stirred by this film cant forget that sound “freedom” which cried out by William Wallace.

【Key words】Hero； Love； Alternate； Themes； Brave Heart

【作者簡介】黃秋潔，四川外國語大學成都學院。

Setting in the 13th century， Brave Heart is the story of Scotlands greatest national hero， William Wallace-the leader of the Scottish resistance forces guides the struggle to free Scotland from English ruler. It contains elements of romance， epic， mystery， and of course history. The whole movie has two main themes. One is hero， and the other is love. These two themes emerge alternatively. Tenderness and gloomy thoughts mingles with fortitude and resourcefulness. Mel Gibson perfectly illustrate the two themes in Brave Heart.

1. The First Theme - Hero

Wallace lives with his father and his elder brother in a small town of Elerslie， Scotland. Then his father and brother die tragically. Little Wallace loses his family. At the funeral， Wallaces uncle Argyle takes him away to live with him. Several years later， Wallace runs into a girl Murron. Then Wallace marries Murron secretly. Unfortunately Murron is assaulted by an English guard. The movie takes the love between Wallace and Murron as premise and takes Englands insult to Scotland as background. A hero emerges. Wallace leads Scotlands patriots in the rebellion against the tyranny of England. Hundreds of Scotsmen are in response to his calls. Seeing several victories， even Scotlands nobles admire Wallace. They want to imitate Wallaces way to lead their labors to fight for him. Wallace is a brave and sagacious leader. Wallace has his own faith and refuses to give in. He bravely faces all tests； even their painful torture. Like what Wallace says in the prison cell， “Every man dies， not every man really lives.” The movie tells us a story of a greatest hero from his emerges to his death. His death is just the death of his human body. His spirit lives forever.

2. The Second Theme-Love with Murron and England Princess Isabella

Brave Heart doesnt simplify a legendary hero but portrays the hero with two romantic loves. Loves entrust to Wallace plentiful sentiments. At his fathers funeral， Little Wallaces tearing eyes and small face are covered with fears. Murron loses her mothers hand and runs into little Wallace. Her golden hair sways with wind， and her delicate face is filled with sympathy. She picks a purplish flower to little Wallace. At that time， Murrons flower is the only comfort to Wallace. Wallace comes back to his hometown several years later. One night， they sit side by side on a mountainside； Wallace shows the purplish flower which Murron picked to him. The flower is bright in color even though it has dried. Wallace tells Murron his love to her. Considering the restored Prima Nectar， they marry secretly. Good times dont last long. Murron is killed by an Englands lord. Wallace is so grieved as to sees her in his dream every night. On the execution ground， Murron smiles to Wallace. On seeing this we know Murron is the one Wallace loves best.

After Wallace becomes the leader of Scotlands resistance forces， his another lover emerges. Princess Isabella is the wife of Englands Prince. She greatly admires Wallaces magnificent feat. She doesnt love her husband at all. When she hears Wallaces deep love to his wife， her admiration becomes deeper. During the peace talk， she warns Wallace out of danger twice. Wallace is also very grateful for her help. Since Murron died， Wallace is always in deep sorrow. It has been a long time he doesnt feel love. Isabella tells Wallace her great admiration to him and tells him some important martial intelligence. Isabellas words and actions touch Wallaces heart. After Wallace is captured by Edward， she understands Wallaces firm faith. So she just secretly gives Wallace anesthetic to relieve his pain. The feelings between them are far beyond ordinary love and ascend to a higher ambit.

The creature of historic theme is not a new topic， but the real stirring films can be counted on your fingers. Only the one who really understand the profound meaning of history can pick the bright pearl from it. Just the two loves make the character Wallace an emotional hero. And just the two loves avoid Brave Heart to be a boring historic myth.

Reference：

[1]華嚴.“勇敢的心”，《奧斯卡經典影片賞析》[M].北京：新華出版社，1998 .

[2]https：//www.douban.com/group/topic/2595168/.