Lord Summerisle

tessiegirl · 8th February 2005, 02:10 AM

*****IF YOU HAVEN"T SEEN THE WICKER MAN DON"T READ THIS!!!!!!!******

I've been wanting to post this question for awhile....is Lord Summerisle truly evil??? Meaning, is he doing what he does because he truly believes that it will help his crops, or does he just to see some poor Christian guy burned alive??

I can't decide....I mean....Pagans aren't into murder...I can't think of any pagans who would actually think that sacrificing somebody would bring good crops...it goes against the belief of 'An it harm none, do what thou wilst'.

But then again....the people of Summerisle actually believe in the Old, Old, Old, Old ways--stuff us modern pagans don't believe in anymore--so maybe Summerisle really does think that a human sacrifice will bring good crops. In that case he wouldn't be evil, just completly misguided.

Then again...Summerisle is a pretty smart guy....he knows it was science that got their crops to grow there in the first place...and if he knows that, then he must know that apples may never grow there again...

And the pleasure he takes in making this poor guy uncomfortable!!!! He really, truly enjoys shocking this guy, telling him how stupid his religion is! Pretty sadistic if you ask me!!!

Or could he be doing the whole thing to keep from being killed himself??? Trying to keep himself from being killed doesn't make him evil either.

But if the whole thing is his idea....and its just to burn somebody alive...then he is evil.

Anybody have any thoughts?

Tess

**Helen Dyer** · 8th February 2005, 02:48 AM

The Wickerman is a "thinking man's horror story" to quote the director of the movie, and it truely is. I do not think that Lord Summerisle is "evil" as we term evil nowadays. In the ancient religions, there were blood sacrifices at times. Lord Summerisle, I think, is a product of his upbringing, such that he truely believes in the old ways. Was he trying to save himself? Well, no matter who we are, we have an instinct for survival, so it may be.....But the following year if the crops failed? Movies and books are subject to each persons interpretation, based on their knowledge and experiences in life (as they grow up). You will most probably see quite a few different opinions on Lord Summerisle from your question, so this should be very interesting indeed. Great question!

**Matt Gemmell** · 9th February 2005, 12:42 PM

I don't think he's evil at all . He just conforms to a different set of beliefs .
I'm not religious at all , in fact , I don't believe in God or whatever you care to call a " supreme being " but the subject fascinates me and I have the utmost respect for other opinions .
When you consider the vast amount of religious and non religious beliefs on the planet and what those beliefs have spurred man on to do , what Lord Summerisle does pales into comparison .

**Joakim Lundberg** · 9th February 2005, 03:07 PM

He is not evil. He believes in what he does. No matter what. He is blind when they burn Howie for he doesn't see it as an act of murder. It's the religion he believes in. He is in many ways in the film a very kind man which you realy begin to like.

christopher2 harrington · 13th February 2005, 07:15 PM

What an interesting question....I personally don't think Lord Summer Isle is evil. How do we define what is evil and what is not.We all learn from a set of rules and morals on right and wrong and what is evil and what is good....these rules differ between different cultures,societies,religions..ect. In christian religion we see suicide bombings as "evil"...but i'm sure the people that carry this out see it from an entirely different view. In the old ways amimal sacrifices were very often carried out as a way of appeasing the gods...and you must remember that until today;s religions were introduced into England we wre all indeed Pagans.We had gods for eveything harvest,sun,rain everything!!So we can only judge Lord Summer Isle by today's standards and by what we are told is right.....It mat be in fact that the old way is right and today's standards are evil...who can say for sure?

As for the fact that they burned a human sacrifice....well i don't think Lord summer Isle did it to save his own skin....A human sacrifice is seen as the highest gift you could offer the gods in many of the old religions ...you find this in the ancient Aztec and Mayan religions..why not Pagan too? This is what Lord Summer Isle truly believes will give them a good crop as do the people of the island who follow the "old ways".

**Amber Klinge** · 25th October 2006, 10:53 PM

I have seen it. I am also wondering, was Lord Summerisle gone mad or what? This character was an odd one but not offending anyone who have seen it or not. But the remake, the woman was well offset. To those who have seen it or not. But hey, I think that Summerisle was like a guy in my words that went off his rocker who believed in this weird religion.

Thanks,
Amber