The Secret of Kells caught me off guard with how much I enjoyed it. Looking at the art on Netflix, or in passing on store shelves, all I knew was that it was something about a secret. And, let’s just say the last few ‘Secret’ movies I’ve seen has been a mixed bag. The Secret of Nimh, which was awesome. And, the Secret Garden, which put me to sleep every time I’ve tried to watch it. The other thing that surprised me about the Secret of Kells is that it’s an independent animated film. The art style is unlike anything I’ve seen thus far, with extensive historical Celtic and Christian elements. The story, too, takes from both of these traditions, in the referencing of the Eye of Colm Cille, Aisling and Crom Cruach.
The Aisling is the Irish word for ‘dream’, or ‘vision’ and refers to a poem format in which Ireland appears to the poet in a vision in the form of a woman-generally spiritualized or deified. The woman is portrayed in the poem as lamenting the current state of the people of Ireland, yet predicting an immediate revival of their fortunes. The character of Aisling in the film is depicted as a forest spirit who takes the form of a young girl. She first appears in order to protect him from a pack of wolves. Important imagery, considering the way the Vikings are depicted as traveling in packs, seemingly questing to consume life and gold. The Crom Cruach is the Celtic deity of death and destruction. Brendan, though taught fear by Aisling’s own fear of the deity at first, comes to confront and defeat it for its remaining eye. Symbolically, Crom Cruach then transforms into a snake-like creature eating itself, also called an Ouroboros (World Serpent). The Ouroboros represents introspection and the infinite cycles of creation, destruction, life and death. His eyes each became, in turn, the Eye of Colm Cille, a special magnifying lens that allowed the master illuminators Aiden and (eventually) Brendan to see their heavenly visions clearly. It is through these visions that they eventually complete the Book of Kells, known historically as an illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels of the New Testament. At the core of the film, aside from the obvious visual references and the blending of spiritual insights, is the story of a boy maturing and learning how to overcome deep-seated fears, even among the superstitions of his community and the doubts of his leaders. If there was one symbol throughout the film that represented this message of maturity and growth, it is the character of Brendan himself. You see this growth subtly throughout the film: cowering in the presence of Abbott Cellach to actively rebelling by making ink and practicing illuminations with Brother Aidan; running for his life from the prison of Crom Cruach, to returning and battling the monster for his one remaining magic eye. And, of course, his return to the abbey years after the Viking’s attack as a man, in order to share his prized work with his old mentor, the ailing Abbott Cellach.
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AuthorLawrence Henry is an aspiring author with more caffeine than time. BTW, here's some of my thoughts on a few varied subjects. Archives
July 2023
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