An Analysis of Sweeney Todd using Marxist Theory
Movie production by Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd; Demon Barber of Fleet Street is situated around 17th century London, where the social hierarchy of classes were divided into three: upper class, middle class and lower class. During this period, society dwelled themselves based on social status; their class in society gives them and justifies their rights reflected by their stands in the social hierarchy. From here the movie will be viewed from the lens of Marxism on how social class applies in society.
Movie poster of Sweeney Todd: Demon Cast Members of the movie
Barber of Fleet Street.
The movie tells the tale of a Barber; Benjamin Barker, who was falsely accused by Judge Turpin, and was sentenced imprisonment to Australia for a crime he did not commit – Leaving his wife; Lucy, and his daughter. 15 years later he returns to London; knowing not only did his wife died but his daughter has been “adopted” by Judge Turpin and has been held captive in his house like a canary in a cage.
Every social class has its pros and cons. Often pros for the high class which is represented by Judge Turpin, the man with power, money and position that could make a rich man into a lower class slave. Evidence is shown through the conflict of Benjamin Baker with Judge Turpin in obtaining Lucy as a source of lust and obsession of Judge Turpin to obtain something that he could not own. Yet, he abused his power and position by sentencing Benjamin to Australia for no reason but to fulfil his lust for Lucy. Other than that, his position defines his power and influence to the society. His words are absolute and those who disobey it will face consequences, which was shown in the scene where Johanna planned an escape with Anthony; the sailor of the ship, to escape from the Judge but was exposed during his trip to Sweeney Todd’s Barber Shop.
But, every powerful man has an enemy. Sweeney Todd labels the Judge as ‘corrupted’ for his law making decision were based on his desire to control and shape the town the way he wanted it to be. Judge Turpin was often reflected as someone who sees himself as pure compared to other people in the story as if he is innocent and only others commit sins which again is seen during the escape plan of Johanna from the house. While Beadle Bamfords is also reflected as one of the high class person but plays not only as escort to the Judge and trusty sidekick, he also plays a role to the Judge as the whisper of the devil - reassuring him that his wrong doings are righteous.
Opposite to the higher class is the lower class society; prostitutes, beggars, slaves, labor workers and those who live in the slumps with no food, money, home and shelter. It is represented by Tobias (known as Toby) who was introduced as Adolfo Pirelli’s slave who does all the work of his business and all the profit goes to him. Toby’s position in society gives him no rights in society because he lacks material possession which gives him the disadvantage of being abused by his master and his means in the working force to do manual labor as an exchange for food and shelter. Being mocked, disrespected in an inhumane way by the society because of his position in society as the lowest of the lowest gives him no rights to pretty much a lot in life.
His role is only to obey the order of his owner but later changed when he was given love and care by Mrs.Lovett who did not see him as a slave but as a child in need. Soon Toby developed a sense of love towards Mrs.Lovett that in the musical scene "Not While I’m Around" as he expresses his feelings for Mrs.Lovett to do everything to protect her from Sweeney Todd; whom he refers as demons with a smile and in the line “I will never hide a thing for you, like some…” in the song (refer to https://youtu.be/LssWKaDF9bk ). By the end of the movie, Toby was driven to madness once Sweeney Todd threw Mrs.Lovett into the oven and burned her alive.
The middle class is presented by Benjamin Barker before he became Sweeney Todd. His role since then was always a barber but even a middle class man can be robbed from his rights by the higher class just as the lower class. Other than that, Mrs. Lovett can also be identified as someone from middle class society as a women that works and owns the meat pie shop. Being middle class does not mean she has the rights to obtain what she need as she also described that meat was expensive because meat can only be acquired by the higher class society and they are left with leftovers or pest off the streets such as rats and cats which she used for her meat pie. But just as the lower class, they are not given lawful rights in society if they do not obey the higher class people - giving an unjust life to them as not only their material possession is taken away but family as well, that dragged Sweeney Todd to get vengeance to the Judge (refer to https://youtu.be/8y7JwZ64Nc8).
The Razor shaver owned by Sweeney Todd is a symbol of the voice of his consciousness; as he refers to it as his friend. Unlike the higher class, the middle and lower class are shown as more humane but both classes can be driven to the corner when their happiness is taken away from them, which can be related realistically. It is proven that he is aware of right and wrong of his decision in the musical scene "Johanna" (refer to https://youtu.be/Bu3YqyZnfOY).
Each social class has its advantage and disadvantage in the social structure, but all in all they are all humans and humans are not perfect as they have flaws which can drag them into madness once their beloved is taken apart from their life; possibly murderous action to regain justice as people say, a life for a life.
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