Black Robe Movie Analysis

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As the French Jesuit missionaries voyaged through the lands of the Huron Indians they experienced many hardships and obstacles that would set back their goal of converting the savages to Christianity. The film Black Robe does an amazing job at portraying these missionaries, and the obstacles that they faced. The main character Father LaForgue, who is a French Jesuit missionary (Black Robe), is set off on a voyage approved by Captain Champlain to travel up the St. Lawrence River and reestablish contact with a Jesuit mission in Huron territory. LaForgue is accompanied by another French Jesuit named Daniel who someday hopes to be a priest himself. Also, an Algonquin Indian named Chomina, whose services are bartered for items such as pots,…show more content…
When he arrives he finds out that nearly the entire village has been wiped out by disease that had been brought over by the pervious Jesuit missionaries. As he discusses with the missionary who is already in the village, he tells LaForgue that the Huron are angry and may try to kill them. Certianly, the Huron, just like many other Indian tribes do not want to be converted to Chirstianity. They believe that if they convert religions that it will expose their weaknesses to their enemies, and they will be wiped out. The Indians values clearly do not align with the morals and sets of values of Christianity. After the previous missionary finally dies, the Huron ask LaForgue how long he will stay. LaForgue says he will stay for the rest of his life and that he loves them. The Huron then ask to be baptized in hopes that it will cure them from the sickness. Father LaForgue, unlike the previous missionaries, does not lie to the Huron, and explains to them that being baptized will not cure the Huron of their sickness, but their prayers may be heard by his lord and savior Jesus Christ. Even after this shocking news the Huron still agree to be baptized, and LaForgue completes his mission of converting the savages to Christianity. At the end of the film we find out that fifteen years later the Huron are wiped out by the Iroquois anyway, and that Jesuit missionaries are no longer allowed to visit the land of the
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