Behaviour Quote by Peter Greenaway
“There is no obligation for the author of a film to believe in, or to sympathise with, the moral behaviour of his characters. Nor is he necessarily to be accredited with the same opinions as his characters. Nor is it necessary or obligatory for him to believe in the tenet of his construction - all of which is a disclaimer to the notion that the author of Drowning by Numbers believes that all men are weak, enfeebled, loutish, boorish and generally inadequate and incompetent as partners for women. But it's a thought.”
About This Quote
Film creators are not obligated to share their characters’ morals; artistic separation allows diverse viewpoints.
In simple terms: Authors need not endorse characters’ ethics.
Key Takeaway
Separate creator intent from character actions.
Themes
art
ethics
authorial intent
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
advice
When to use this quote
- film criticism
- literary analysis
- media studies
Key Concepts
disclaimer
creative freedom
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you judge a work’s moral stance?
- Can art be neutral?
A Different Perspective
Audiences may conflate author with character.
![“I shou'd not myself have thought [Cato] worth so much notice as I have here taken of him; but that the Men are weak enough in general, to suffer their sense to be led away captive, by such half-thinking retailers of sentences. Among whom, This in particular, was he worth the pains, might be easily…” quote by Lady Sophia Fermor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/592/lady-sophia-fermor-20567_18th-century_i-shou-d-not-myself-have-thought-cato-wo_183319.jpg)
