Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark:
The Transformation from a Mercenary to an Indentured Knight
Indiana
Jones's evolution from a mercenary to an indentured knight occurs within Raiders of the Lost Ark, but this
evolution in this particular film can also be viewed as a microcosm of Indiana
Jones over the course of the original three films. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, however, the scene in particular where
Indiana Jones becomes an indentured knight occurs in the image of the scene
above. In this scene, Indiana just received news that the government decided to
enlist his services to reach the Ark before the Nazi enemies do.
This
scene happens midway through the first half of the film, and the scenes leading
up to this scene show stark contrast between Indiana Jones, the archaeologist,
and Dr. Indiana Jones, the university professor. In the opening portion of this
film, Indiana Jones acts as a mercenary and attempts to retrieve the golden
idol in South America. This scene in particular shows off his recklessness as a
character and his recklessness to pillage the cave of this idol. His motives
for claiming this idol were fame and fortune. However, he understood the
necessity for the idol to be placed in a museum. So at this particular moment,
he acknowledges his sense of duty as an archaeologist, and in a sense, he
already begins to answer towards an authority. This only gets overshadowed by his
reckless, bold behavior, so he maintains his mercenary status. The next major
scene shows Dr. Indiana Jones, his alter ego, teaching a class at a seemingly
prestigious university. This indicated that Dr. Jones already achieved fortune
by becoming a staff member of the university. Again, he begins to hint that he
is giving into a greater authority, and this authority is personified as the
university president (principal?). Dr. Jones works under him, and as a result,
this indicates the progression from mercenary to indentured knight. By
submitting to a higher academic authority, Dr. Jones fulfills the first half of
the definition of an indentured knight -- indentured. He does not start his
quest to become a knight until he reverts back to his other alter-ego of
Indiana Jones after meeting with the government officials in the auditorium.
Essentially, the first two opening scenes show the audience both sides of Dr.
Indiana Jones and attempts to slowly inch him closer towards being an
indentured knight. Ford even admitted to his character having several different
sides, and specifically stated that his character was not a hero but was a
person who did many brave things (Pfieffer 115). When Dr. Jones hears word of
his appointment to this mission at his home, he begins packing his signature
jacket and whip. It is at this instant that he accepted the job and agreed to
work under the political entity.
He does seem to be torn between a few alter-egos throughout film, and indeed through the entire Indiana Jones canon itself with what we’ve seen in Temple of Doom taking place just before Raiders of the Lost Ark, chronologically. Lowest of the low knighthood-wise as a selfish mercenary at the beginning of his timeline, then at the start of Raiders a hired archeologist for a more just cause with the museum to a larger -- if not worthier -- cause with the US government. I suppose his time at the university is to him more of an unsatisfactory limbo-like state when he’s not pursuing another adventure, which is really why he accepts the quest for the ark. Look at his optimism as he is hired; he’s obviously excited to be allowed to become an adventurer again, regardless of the forces who hire him.Though he’s an indentured knight at that point in the story, it doesn’t seem like Raiders places this state as a virtuous goal for the knight, as in the end he has his trust in his lord betrayed through the government’s ignorant actions. Like with Star Wars, it seems like the films are building up towards a conclusion which I hope will be tied up in the third film.
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