What do you get when an early religion is combined with an innovative sci-fi movie? The answer would be: The Matrix. It does not seem like Andy and Larry Wachowski really tried to camouflage Gnosticism in the movie; on the contrary, I feel like they wanted to leave it pretty explicit for the public to see. All it takes to read between The Matrix’s lines is a basic comprehension of what Gnosticism is.
From my research I found that Gnosticists believe human beings are made of matter and spirit. They are trapped in the material world due to ignorance of the existence of a divine realm called Pleroma. The Pleroma is inhabited by Aeons, which are spiritual creatures, while the material world is the creation of the Demiurge, a creature that is the result of a sin commited by a fallen Aeon. The material world is guarded by Archons who work for the Demiurge; their job is to hide the truth, therefore denying each person a place in the Pleroma. The Saviour, Jesus, is actually an Aeon who looks like a person; he saves by enlightening beings.In the Wachowski version of Gnosticism the real world could be considered as the Pleroma. A place only for those who acknowledged the truth, that the matrix is actually only a computer program. If the real world is the Pleroma, the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar and the population of Zion could be considered as Aeons. They are enlighted creatures who have accepted reality or truth.
We’re left with the matrix, the fake and faulty reality that could be interpreted as the material world. The program was created by machines and are guarded by different agents. They could be interpreted as Archons, working for AI or the Demiurge. The job of the Agents is to keep the idea of the real world concealed.
Neo could only be Jesus, the Saviour. In Gnosticism, Jesus is sent by the Aeons to save individuals by enlightening them. One can only be saved with knowledge, there’s no punishment, there’s no pain. Once one is aware of the Pleroma and the sin of matter, his or her spirit will be able to transcend. Neo like Jesus, does not try to save every person, he is only a messenger of the truth.
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4 comments:
Great opening, smart ending WOW Ana!!! I really enjoyed reading your words and not only read them but understand. Thats it Keep writing like this.
HEY ANA. I REALLY LIKE THE WAY YOU PUT YOUR IDEAS TOGETHER IN GNOSTICISM. IT'S GREAT!!! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!!
You always write something worth reading.
Bravo, Ana :]
There is also another reference in the movie you might be interested in. In his apartment, Neo opens a book that he hides something in. The book is Beadrillard's Simulacra and Sumulation. The entire cast had to read it before filming began (and I have a copy here on my desk).
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