MORPHEUS THE FALLEN GOD

                         

                                            Morpheus the fallen God

The Matrix the movie by the Wachowski brothers had many ideas to this movie that related to many things. The matrix is packed with symbolism, religious references, and philosophical theories. Characters in the movie such as Morpheus, Neo, Trinity, Cypher, The Oracle, Agent Smith, and other ancillary characters all have a part in these ideas. Morpheus is one of the many important characters. Morpheus is characterized as the god to everyone inside of the matrix. In this essay I will be explaining Morpheus and everything he stands for, then would talk his comparison to the actual Greek gods and all the Greek mythology, Greek myths, and a god portrayed in Gnostic Christianity. I will also explain the relation between Morpheus and the oracle and what she stands for. The reason why Morpheus believes Neo is and has to be the one to save the city of Zion and the matrix. Finally in with finding the one, Morpheus fallen as a god in everyone’s eyes as neo progresses into becoming the one and believing in it.

Morpheus is the captain of a hovercraft ship on which everyone on his team basically eats, sleeps, and lives and it is called Nebuchadnezzar. The crew of the hovercraft is either born in the city of Zion or was brought into the new world like Trinity, Neo, even Morpheus. He was once human like Trinity and Neo living in what they call the matrix until they freed him. Morpheus is destined to find the one who’s going to save the matrix and the city of Zion. Morpheus believes that the Oracle, who’s able to foresight the future would tell all the people he takes is the one, because that what the oracle saw for him. According to the movie script, in conversation with Neo on their way to see the Oracle,

“NEO: She helped you?

MORPHEUS: Yes.

NEO: What did she tell you?

MORPHEUS: That I would find the One.” ("The Matrix (1999) Movie Script)

Many philosophical theories, myths, and religious references are portrayed throughout the movie. Morpheus in Greek mythology means The God of Dreams. Morpheus is the son of Hypnos the god of sleep and Pasithea the Goddess of relaxation and rest. This shows in the movie in the way that it shows the involvement of illusion and dreaming. In the Matrix the illusion it shows is, they lie down and fall into a deep sleep and enter this world of the matrix. Morpheus name can say it all, the name implies in Greek the word morph means form. In the Greek word Morpheus was “the one who shaped and formed the dreams”. Just like the Greek god Morpheus, Matrix version of Morpheus is able to formulate and give choices to people whether to follow him or not. Morpheus gives chances to the people he chooses, take the red pill that allows one to see reality as it is,

Morpheus: “You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes” and taking the blue pill Neo can forget about the matrix,

Morpheus: “take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and you believe whatever you want to believe”. (The Matrix (1999) Movie Script)

Gnostic Christianity and the Matrix have a similarity towards gods and what they believe and Morpheus is characterized as a god. “In the gnostic myth, the supreme god is completely perfect and therefore alien and mysterious, “ineffable,” “unnamable.” “Immeasurable light which is pure, holy and immaculate”. With this it shows Morpheus being the main important god. There may be other captains in this city of Zion but not as important as Morpheus. Other than Morpheus they others are of the “lesser divine”   (Gnosticism and Buddhism in The Matrix)

Morpheus ( God of Dreams )

Morpheus and the Oracle with hold together, the oracle gave him guidance that he will find the one. The oracle is used to describe a particular prophesy. She is able to foresight the future good or bad. The film opens up the possibility of a God through the Oracle, who able to go inside the matrix and has complete access to information about the future that even those free from the matrix do not possess. This means everyone in the matrix and out which includes Morpheus and neo can’t fore sight the future they can only locate the oracle and have it told to them. The Oracle is responsible for the prophecy and all about neo being the one. During pre-research I found another similarity with the Greek mythology. The Oracle in the matrix has the similarities as the Oracle of Delphi Pythia. In Delphi Greece they maintained their own Oracle. Pythia was well known for her prophecies just like the oracle in the matrix.

 Oracle

In finding the “one” Morpheus is set in Neo being that. Morpheus is determined and has spent a lot of time trusting in the oracle when she told him that he would find the one. Morpheus located Neo in many ways, he has communicated with him through the computer and neo couldn’t believe what he was seeing on his computer. He gave him a hint in the inscription on the computer to follow the white rabbit, “He looks up at her and suddenly notices on her black leather motorcycle jacket dozens of pins:  bands, symbols, slogans, military medals and -- A small white rabbit”. (The Matrix (1999) Movie Script).  When he followed, he was lead into another apartment and there was a party going on and that when Morpheus sent trinity to find neo and speak to him. Later on in the movie Neo is then convinced that he is the one. Morpheus also believes in the oracle and everything she stands for in the prophecy and the oracle has never stood Morpheus in the wrong direction. The oracle may have not told him everything in detail but always steered him where he was supposed to go and what to follow.

Since Morpheus is so considered as the high and mighty in this movie, every hero or god has there downfalls. As Morpheus introduces Neo to this whole new world he wasn’t used to he starts denying his presences. But the movie shows Morpheus teaching him and everyone everything they needed to know to also believe in his self and for the crew on the ship to believe in Morpheus decision or belief to why Neo is the one. Morpheus from the beginning seemed like the untouchable one. Morpheus never got hit, never got defeated, and never even touched. He moves quickly and he teaches that to Neo. The only way Neo can move like he can or maybe even faster is by believing in himself, not to think about being fast just believed in the fast movement. Going further into the movie Neo progresses and then we as the audience start seeing Morpheus becoming less as important and he starts loosing battles. For example, when Morpheus got captured by the agents in order to save Neo, because Morpheus knew if they captured him that they would find the gateway to the city of Zion. With that said Morpheus was held captive and had no control. Neo was sent back to the ship but Neo wanted to save Morpheus. Neo and Trinity went back into the matrix to save Morpheus from the agents then later on that scene Neo had a battle with one of the agents and Morpheus and Trinity saw that Neo moved quickly just like one of the agents in which Neo was in battle with. Then Morpheus and Trinity new he was the one, and that’s when Neo believed in himself that he was the one.

In conclusion, Morpheus being the main important character is analyzed and characterized as the god in the Matrix. Morpheus has a relation to the Morpheus in Greek mythology. This is an example of how Morpheus being the creator of everyone in the Nebuchadnezzar since he is captain. Morpheus in Greek mythology being the god of dreams shows that Morpheus in the matrix is god of dreams too. Morpheus can control who goes in and out of the matrix. With Morpheus convincing Neo that he was the one and him putting him in some rough obstacles to prove and make neo believe that he was one, was accomplished. Now that Neo is convinced he is the one, Morpheus is now characterized as the fallen god because of the progress that Neo has shown to prove to everyone and himself that he is the one.

 Neo ( The One )   Neo & Trinity

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