Spanish Civil War 1936-1939

Spanish Civil War Context

• Spain's civil war (1936-1939) was a battle between democracy (Republicans) and fascism (Nationalists)
• Republicans, loyal to the democratic Second Spanish Republic, allied with Anarchists
• Nationalists, led by General Francisco Franco, were largely aristocratic and conservative
• Falangist refers to the Spanish Falange Movement

Pan's Labyrinth and Spanish Civil War Allegory

• The film takes place in 1944, 5 years after Franco's regime began, and still shows resistance to fascism in Spain
• Captain Vidal represents fascist ideals, using fear and violence to control others, mirroring Franco's regime
• Vidal's character is a symbol of punctuality and military formality, wanting his son to be born into Franco's 'new Spain'
• The film links fascist mythologies to the use of fantasy, presenting a mythology of heroism

Representation in Politics and Religion

• Del Toro's negative views on fascism and Catholicism are evident in the film's representation
• Vidal and the Priest are represented as uncaring authoritarians, embodying the middle class and ruling elite
• The banquet scene negatively represents Catholicism, reflecting Del Toro's own negative feelings towards his Catholic upbringing
• In contrast, rebels are represented positively, shown to be compassionate, comradely, and freedom-loving

Symbolism and Character Representation

• Ofelia represents the Spanish nation, specifically the martyrs who fought and died for the Republican cause
• Ofelia's brother is reminiscent of King Juan Carlos, who endured decades of Franco's regime before emerging as a democrat and savior of the nation
• Vidal is allegorically equivalent to Franco, with both characters ruling with fear and violence
• The Pale Man is a totalitarian ruler, mirroring Spain's brutal reality, and is linked to Vidal through similar imagery