MovieChat Forums > The Mask of Zorro (1998) Discussion > Zorro's Lacking Spousal Grief?

Zorro's Lacking Spousal Grief?

posted 7 years ago by esshor (108)
3 replies | jump to latest

Did anyone else wonder at and notice how quickly Zorro got over the death of his wife? There was no despair, no tears, no wailing. Simply a saddened acknowledgement of it, then next thought immediately went to Elena.
Even when adult Elena and Zorro was discussing family losses in their lives, he only lists a daughter as his one.
I don't understand why his line wasn't something more like "Oh yes... Many years ago, my wife died at the hands of my enemies when she tried to protect me, and that very same night my daughter was taken from me..."

[–] TheUltimateHippo (2250) 5 years ago

Chances are right after she died the grief hadn’t settled in yet. I guess it could have been worse, he could have looked up at the ceiling and gone “nooooooooo”

[–] AmeriGirl26 (12299) 5 years ago

Everyone reacts to the death of their loved ones differently. It's possible he was in shock, in addition to having his entire world torn apart at the hands of Gov. Rafael.

He probably spent the next few years in prison, expressing his grief in private. We never got a chance to see it because it wasn't relevant to the story, only that after 20 years in prison, being a widower and knowing his daughter was being raised by his enemy had hardened him and strengthened his resolve to eventually escape and get revenge.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 5 years ago

Right on the nose, Amerigirl. His wife is dead, his daughter is kidnapped and he is placed under arrest for life—in short, his world is completely ripped apart in mere seconds. Who the HELL would know what to feel in that situation? Anger, pain, fear, grief will simultaneously rush in. Your heart and your brain are going temporarily to short-circuit from the emotional overload. I agree that shock is the best description for Don Diego’s feelings in this scene.

I love this movie. It’s one of the most satisfying swashbucklers I’ve ever seen. Zorro was my hero as a child. C’mon: dressed all in black, flowing cape, the mask, the bravado, the gorgeous black Andalusian stallion, the sword mastery: what little girl isn’t going to go for that?