Hatred
Throughout Princess Mononoke Prince Ashitaka is suffering and battling with his hatred, as visually shown with his curse. Though not all the time, whenever something seems to bring him a feeling of hate the curse acts up, and attempts to further consume him, like when Lady Eboshi had told him of her plan to continue to destroy the forest, and kill the gods that keep her from furthering her ambitions, his curse drew his sword after he expressed a strong distaste for her plans. Or when he sees a town being attacked by samurai. I see this as a representation of how hatred can “cloud your vision” and make you do things out of character. Ashitaka of course, fights this feeling whenever it shows, as he is not a violent person.
While I believe the curse is not completely controlled/ or a metaphor for Prince Ashitaka’s hate, I feel that it is connected to that feeling. This is in contrast to the beings that become affected with this curse more naturally, such as Okkoto, who was consumed by hatred after figuring out that the humans were indeed wearing his clan’s skins to trick the forest spirit, after being invigorated, and happy by their supposed return. I feel the curse manifesting represents true hatred, one that consumes you entirely, and can only be ended with death.
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Coexistence
In Princess Mononoke I feel the main theme is coexistence. Price Ashitaka being an embodiment of the ideal consistently. He is constantly arguing with many characters that humans and the forest can live in peace, especially Lady Eboshi and San. Who believe that their opposites to be in their way or too dangerous to keep alive. We, as well as Ashitaka, can see that if Lady Eboshi stops destroying the forest, the animals and the gods that rest in it for the town’s own gain (and if San leaves them be if they were to become non-threating), they could coexist peacefully. We even see this in the end of the movie, were Lady Eboshi promises to rebuild Irontown “this time as a better town” telling us she is changing he old ways; and San seems to imply she will leave the humans alone, even if she does not forgive them for killing the Forest Spirit.
Ashitaka is happy with this, and promises to visit San in the forest, even if he, as a human will stay in Irontown, continuing to be a symbol for coexistence.
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My Feelings
I really enjoyed the movie, I loved the characters and I understood their desires. The overall meaning of the film is powerful and important, and while the Forest Spirit may be dead, as well as a few other characters, I feel the ending was still happy, as characters changed to better coexist and the ending gave an overall feeling of rebirth and hope.
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