is the direct
and indirect description of a character.occurs when the narrator of a story tells us precise
details of the character, both physical and psychological.
is what the
audience infers from a character based on the reactions that a character displays as a result of
different situations.
In movies there is hardly any narration, so the
audience immediately builds the bond with the character after watching it, creating the indirect
characterization themselves.
According to the screenplay, the
characterization of Maximus is that of a soldier, son of a good friend of Marcus Aurelius, and
born in Hispania in 152 A.D. He was a Standard Bearer in the military at age 17, and moved from
optio to centurion, to Primus Plius.
Maximus characterizes himself in the
movie with the lines:
Commander of the Armies of the
North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father
to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife.
While
there is no direct characterization in terms of the physical traits of Maximus, a bust found in
the Tiber river in the 18th century may have been used to inspire the looks of Maximus in the
movie, but that is unlikely as actors are often chosen prior to production.
Indirectly, we can characterize Maximus as the embodiment of the Roman virtues. His
distinction in battle, as a husband, as a father, and as a citizen basically imply that he is a
whole man, one who is well-rounded and capable of a multitude of things. So great is his
capacity that the emperor even bypassed his own bloodline to favor Maximus as his heir. That he
is courageous and strong is no doubt; that he is also unafraid, an gifted is also a fact. If you
review the Via Romana, or the Roman Way, Maximus posesses every single factor that delineates
the true Roman citizen; one who is unimpeachable and whose depth of character is
incorruptible.
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