Lecture Thirteen:  Is Batman a Monster?

Core 155

Spring 2005

I.                   Administrative

A.                 Next Week: Guest lecture on Tuesday, Library visit on Thursday.

B.                 Extra Credit Opportunity:  INPC Public Forum or conference session.

C.                 Questions?

II.                The Monsters in The Dark Knight Returns --- See Previous Lecture         

III.             Batman:  Monster or Not?

A.                 Batman, the Monster:

1.         He engages in violent behavior that is against the law.

a.                   His violent behavior results in injury and death.

b.                  Many die, including police! (158) He kills the police only to get away---the Joker is already dead when he does this.

c.                   Many of his violent acts are acts of vigilantism, granted, but that doesn’t absolve him of responsibility or guilt.

d.                  Analogy: Grendel’s acts against Heorot would be seen by enemies of the Danes as a Godsend, making Grendel a popular dude with them; surely, though, the fact that Grendel has a fan base doesn’t make him any less a monster, does it?

e.                   His violent behavior is motivated by his personal demons---he acts out because of voices inside his head/cave.

f.                    Does violent behavior legitimate violent behavior?  Our moral code suggests that it does not.  As such, from the perspective of our moral code, his actions are monstrous.  Given that he engages in many of them---they define him, really---he is a monster.  (He admits that he is a criminal---p. 135.)

g.                   He battles it out with Superman, again in the interest of saving his own hide.  Superman may be a suck-up, but he represents the moral code that Batman is hell-bent on rejecting.

h.                   He enlists the aid of a 13-year old girl!  What is he, practically 50?!?!  Get a grip, old man!

2.                  Batman looks the part.

a.                   He is the Dark Knight---his colors are dark and ominous.

b.                  His garb is intended to create fear, and that is the mark of a monstrous appearance.

B.                 Batman, Protector of the Weak

1.                  His actions are due to childhood traumas.

2.                  When he does cause harm, it is to ensure that a greater harm is avoided.  (The ends justify the means.)  (p. 51)

3.                  He saved a baby!  (p. 65)

4.                  His actions are unlawful only if there are meaningful laws, and there are meaningful laws only if a society has the means to enforce them. In Gotham City, the laws are meaningless because the criminals have more power than the enforcers.  Batman is only trying to restore meaningful laws.

5.                  Granted, Batman does take personal satisfaction in the fear he creates in criminals, but his victims have caused much more fear (and so deserve this), and further, we are all satisfied when justice is done.

6.                  He hardly endangers Robin/Carrie, as she is probably going to do this anyway and Batman protects her.  Robin also proves herself.

7.                  Batman inspires others to kill?  That excuse is used for music and movies, etc., but the fact is that most people won’t be adversely influenced; only those who are almost over the edge will be so influenced, and that isn’t Batman’s fault.

8.                  If anything, Batman is creating an environment in which people will be less likely to become criminals.