'The Piano' Film Analysis

Semiological Approach

In this film ‘The Piano,’ the piano is probably, the most significant piece to this film. The piano is what links the characters together. In almost every plot and scene, the piano was involved. The piano meant different things to Ada which made it highly symbolic in reference to the deep connection to her soul and her life. If looking closely, we can see that this is a film about the journey of how the piano played a part in Ada’s self salvation.

The piano is turning point in her life, this is because music can be used as a language. Ada doesnt feel she is losing out on much by not speaking because she says in the intro ‘ I dont think myself silent, that is because of my piano’.

From being oppressed first by her father marrying her to someone she has not even seen or met and second by her husband who commanded so much auhtority over her as in she has no say or control over her life.

Ada commited to refusing to speak at a early age of 6, turning to the piano as a link to her inner feelings. As a result of this she focuses primarily on the piano and does not have any social life with friends or other people. So looking at it like this you can say that the piano is also like a ‘coffin’ to Ada.After spending time with Baines , doing ‘favors’ to earn her piano back after it was traded for land to her husband.

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After Ada found true love with Baines as he treated her as a equal, Ada does not bother with the piano anymore. She wants to enter into the real world and have a normal life,Ada then demands that the piano be thrown overboard which would allow her to unbound her acces to it.

As the crew is in act of her request and throws the piano overboard Ada impulsivley decides to slip her foot into the rope going over the edge and sacrificing herself with the piano only to save herself at the very last instant. This allowed Ada to once and for all leave behind the past of her old oppressive life and the one thing that gave her power and enter her new life with less opression and rise to enter her new profound happier life .This scene represents the weight that the piano had on Adas past and how it could possibly drag her to her death. The choices made by Ada is conveyed by the number of dramatic reversals the scene involves. Ada sacrifices the piano she has adamantly insisted upon having throughout the film said by BARBARA KLINGER.The art film, affect and the female viewer: The Piano. As the music plays at the end you start to root for Ada because your proud of her for finding happiness . She starts to teach herself how to speak again because she no longer feels oppressed with Baines.

Psychological Approach

In the film ‘The Piano’, there are certain aspects and conditions of Ada’s marriage. This emphasizes a psycholigical approach involved, most noticable paranoia. In the film the female character Ada leaves her home and enters a new world run by a man who posses symbolic power of ownership and the ‘king of the castle’ stature. This forces a identitiy problem which causes her to attain a more mature status as a more happy women who is cared for by another man who recognizes her worth.

The ending is very complicated as Ada seems to be free of most forms of being opresssed by a male figure. But yet we see the scene turn back to her under water corspe ‘the piano’ which conflicts the happy end and leaves the film vary open for questions asking if she is really happy. Just as it forestalls easy interpretation, its emotional effects are both intricate and obscure this was said by BARBARA KLINGER.The art film, affect and the female viewer: The Piano. We can conclude from this that Ada has not left the past entirely behind her after all.