Language In Django Unchained

Throughout Django Unchained, verbal prowess often suggests a speaker’s dominant and/or enlightened position. Each verbal display must be more articulate and didactic than the last, so the “speaking space” works to convey the power struggle between the characters. Each speaker wants to retain and maintain the “upper hand.” From Candies’ phrenology lecture and Schultz’s literary allusion to Django’s silver-tongued escape act in the final hour, language asserts itself as the principal force (in terms of the main characters) among a seemingly action-oriented exhibition. The camera emphasizes the didactic quality of each performance; subjective points of view, tilts, and lens width all communicate an air of control and preeminence. Though a blood
King Schultz cannot resist reclaiming his academic superiority. Throughout Django Unchained, Schultz claims the most “talking space:” his smooth prolixity accounts for much of this film’s dialogic time. The success of his speeches often determines his own fate, as well as Django’s. Therefore, Schultz presumably claims the most powerful position: his verbal acumen ultimately controls the events to transpire. Therefore, we are not able to believe that Dr. Schultz would lose to someone less educated. When finalizing the slave trade agreement, Dr. Schultz begins discussing Alexandre Dumas and The Three Musketeers. Schultz enlightens Calvin who originally assumes that the author is a “French man.” Similar to the panache discussion, he once again proves his greater degree of knowledge and, by proxy, his dominance. During this educational session, Schultz is portrayed in extreme upward tilt; the power struggle is no longer a struggle for Schultz has claimed his elevated position. Finally, the climactic exchange regarding winners and losers epitomizes Schultz’s superiority: Candie states, “I think you are a bad loser” to which Schultz replies, “I think you are an abysmal winner.” Schultz insults Candie with a more ostentatious criticism before pulling the trigger on him; King verbally “wins” he before he physically “wins.” This scene works to foreshadow Candie’s ultimate death for Schultz was never expected to lose to Candie. The
Though Django’s victimized position in the skull scene has been discussed, how exactly he factors into the mix regarding verbal dexterity and power still requires elucidation. Django’s final grandiloquent escape act epitomizes his position with respect to Schultz and Candie. Django’s speech is highly reminiscent of earlier sequences in which Schultz smooth talks his way out of trouble; therefore, we come to see Django as an apprentice who has learned from his teacher’s cleverness. However, the camera circles Django during this scene as it does Candie in an earlier sequence; therefore, Tarantino also aligns Django and Calvin. Both characters are circled when the listeners are not of equal intellect, suggesting they’re up against inadequate foes: Django when facing oblivious southerners and Candie when conversing with admiring dinner guests. This conveys a mind whirling sensation as though the speaker is running circles around his listeners; this effect is not used when Schultz speaks for Schultz does not need to waste energy on those of lesser intellect. The technique highlights the characters whose delivery is above par but whose knowledge base requires expansion. They can talk their way out of trouble when the competition does not seem too threatening. Django has learned from Schultz yet still has growing to do (as would Candie had he not been