Woyzeck Presentation

What is the product?

     My product is a Prezi. I decided to do this over a powerpoint because i felt it is more fun to present and watch because its different. For my presentation I decided to focus my attention on the medical side of Franz' situation. The topics I covered are the hospitals, how patients were treated, advancements in medicine, and the doctors and their jobs.

How were the product and idea for the product developed?

     I came up with the idea for the product pretty much right away. I felt that being a health sciences major that using the medical side of the movie would it would pertain to my major.  I focused on medicine of the time period rather than in the movie alone.  I once again chose to do them in a Prezi just for something different. My presentation focus heavily on medicine in the past compared to modern medicine, rather than in just the movie alone.

Why was this specific manner of presentation chosen?

     I chose to do my presentation like this so that it actually pertains to my major. It was pretty easy making this topic relate to the medical world.  I also found it useful to use a Prezi because of its versatility.  The topics i chose are all very relevant throughout the movie, but aren't focused on or really explained very well.  

My Prezi

Woyzeck

The movie Woyzeck illustrates how Illness differed from the medical profession in the early 1900’s.  His mental condition was seen as an illness to very few, most viewed him as slow.  The only person who viewed Franz as ill took advantage of this to try to further his own career.  The treatments given to Franz, whether it be by Marie, or the doctor dictate his actions and cause him to make the decisions he does. Medicine, and how it is represented in the movie is shows in many different ways, comparing illness, the medical profession and the effects these had an on Franz and his actions and his actions throughout the film.

Franz’ illness plays a major role throughout the movie.  His visions always occur in nature and seem to lead him to some place mentally, often a world without people or society where he is alone. He struggles to not only cope with having these apocalyptic visions, but also with trying to understand what they mean.  He cannot tell if they are a warning of what is to come in the world or if they are of his own future.  Interestingly nearly all of his visions occur in the company of Andres, whom he confides in, but offers no real advice or wisdom.  Ultimately, these visions aid in the decline of his mental state.  At the beginning of the film he appears to just be suffering from some sort of mental condition, but as he gets these visions he begins to lose his mind.   When he finally breaks down it is clear that he is no longer really in control mentally, that the illness has completely taken over his mind.  This is made clear not when he kills Marie, but when he returns to the bar, covered in blood.  It was as if he never even considered changing, and that no one would be suspicious about what was all over him.  His mental decline ends with him returning to where the murder took place to dispose of the knife. He is not seen again in the film. The last time he is shown he is compulsively washing the blood off of himself and fades out of the light and into the darkens of the pond.  It is never mentioned weather he drowns or if he is ever found. It is evident from the first scene of the film that Franz Woyzeck’s mind does not operate in the same manner as others.  He feels the need to run everywhere he goes, always as if he were late.  His captain tells him to slow down and enjoy life, that when he is an old man he will have all the time in the world but nothing to do.  Franz’ mental state is seen by most as a curse, but a blessing to others.

Franz having a vision.

            To the doctor, Franz’ decline in mental health was a chance for him to further his own research and career.  When Franz starts having his visions the doctor even goes as far as rewarding Franz by giving him a raise each time.  The doctor (who is never mentioned by name) has Franz working for him.  He preforms tests on Franz to see how he responds both mentally and physically.  The doctor also has him on specific treatments, the only one really alluded to in the movie is strict diet of Peas.   He believes it will cure Franz’s mental condition.  In the eyes of the doctor, Franz only exists as a test subject, never as a real person, he almost views Franz as subhuman.  The doctor has no concern for Franz general wellbeing, or even to see that he gets some kind of benefit from the treatments. All he is concerned about is making himself and his career look good.  The doctor was really more concerned with the results of his test than he was with seeing results, meaning he really didn’t care if Franz got better, he was just concerned with finding something to make him famous.  He often hints to Franz’ condition as a way for him to become famous.

could easily have been one
 of Franz test 

            The diet of peas has no real relevance in the movie.  The goal of this diet is also never discussed.  As the movie progresses, Franz becomes suspicious of his wife, and that she may be having an affair.  Marie does not help things at all by continuing her affair with the drum major. She is aware of Franz suspicions but she does not really do anything about it. She just denies that she is having an affair at all; she does not stop her affair either. It is as if she expected Franz to be to naive to believe that his wife was lying to him. Her lack of defense not only made Franz suspicions grow further, but also lead to his mental decline.  Franz suspicions were confirmed when he saw Marie and the drum major dancing in the bar.  Franz did not turn to violence in the midst of his mental breakdown, but to sorrow and self-pity.  It was not until he was in the bar, when the drum major beats him up, that Franz finally snaps and starts preparing to murder his wife.  Marie has no idea what to expect when he grabs her and tells her they are going to the pond.  The murder is a culmination of all of the visions he has had, and he finally realizes that the world he saw in them was his own.  This world he is now in isn’t a physical place, but is now his reality.  In all of his visions he describes a place where he is alone and the only sounds are those of nature.  The place where he kills his wife is just outside the town, and after her death he is in fact alone, away from society.  After the murder he returns to town,  where people confront him about the blood all over him, he then realizes that his world has fallen apart due to his actions.  When he returns to the his wife’s body he seems to realize that his actions have brought him to the apocalypse in his visions. 

Franz takes his wife to the pond and kills her.

            In the end it was not only Franz’s decisions that lead him to disaster, but also the decisions of others.  His illness was never really recognized as something that needed to be addressed and cured, but rather something that should be studied and observed.  The doctor in many ways aided Franz in his breakdown, rewarding him with money for his visions.  He doses not represent the medical profession well as a whole, but represents many doctors of that time period and there lack of real knowledge.  Franz paranoia grew constantly throughout the movie, aided by his wife’s unchanging attitude towards her affair. Throughout the whole film Franz seems to be seen as others as someone who just does what he is told, never someone who makes his own decisions, most of his life decisions are made by others.  He also never seems to question any of the treatments he undergoes.    The murder was almost Franz way of sticking up for himself, showing that he was capable of handling things himself, unfortunately it also lead to his demise.

A family failure

First off i found the beginning very strange, no real explanation is given to Kuno not having hands, and then in his flashback he has them again.  Kuno also seems to refer to Uncle Felix as his father sometimes, and his mother seems to view him as her husband.  I found it odd that there is really no mention of Kuno's biological father.  Uncle Felix seems to be the one who controls everything, but no one ever stands up to him, they just try to please him.  Its almost as if they just try to avoid problems with him.  Overall I don't really mind the book so far, as it is written well and seems interesting, but its just very confusing at times which makes it hard to really follow whats going on.