MovieChat Forums > L'auberge espagnole (2003) Discussion > Erasmus (ALERT: SPOILERS)

Erasmus (ALERT: SPOILERS)

posted 17 years ago by johnson1740
9 replies | jump to latest

ALERT: SPOILERS

The name of the foreign exchange program in the film is Erasmus. Despite the bit in the film where Xavier looks up Erasmus in the Internet, the real meaning of the name is withheld in the film.

Erasmus' most well-know work was his 1511 essay "The Praise of Folly" (public domain English translation available from Project Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/9371).

The work is "An oration, of feigned matter, spoken by Folly in her own person." It discusses the superiority of folly (or foolishness) over conventional wisdom.

This is what The Spanish Apartment is really about.

At the end of the film, Xavier goes back to Paris where he gets the job his graduate work in Spanish economics prepared him for. Wisdom would tell a twenty-five year old man that a taking a respectable job is a smart thing to do as it will bring him money, respect, prospects for advancement....

Xavier doesn't listen to Wisdom--he listens to Folly and runs away to become a writer.

The same theme is played out again and again in the film.

When Wendy wants to stay in her room and write in her diary instead of going out with all of her roommates to clubs and bars, she is listening to Wisdom. When she, at Xavier's bidding, joins her friends for a drunken night on the town, she is listening to Folly.

Xavier's involvement with married Anne-Sophie is hardly a wise decision. Rather, it's pure folly. And that's what the film celebrates.

That's why Xavier keeps seeing visions of Erasmus.

After Xavier's brain MRI, he is pronounced normal by the cuckolded doctor Jean-Michel. That's the film's main point--to argue that that Folly is a normal condition and preferable to societal and parental Wisdom.

--Johnson 1740

[–] pradeepanonline 17 years ago

that was wonderful.. thanks for sharing this,.

[–] david-c-2 17 years ago

agreed, very good point!

[–] islandbeachbum 16 years ago

Not to burst your bubble, but the exchange program in the movie is called Erasmus because there actually is an exchange program within the EU that is called the Erasmus program. It was set up to facilitate studying abroad for EU students.

But it is great how they incorporated his work into the film. Interesting to know.

just one site for the program: http://www.erasmus.ac.uk/

[–] amplexuslotus 16 years ago

I hate to burst your bubble islandbeachbum. :) The apparent symbolism is, as you commented, the exchange program. However, the subtext or deeper meaning poster Johnson1740 explained quite well.

I would also like to point out that it was William (Mr. Folly himself) who saved his sisters (damn Firefox does not allow me to use apostrophes???) by foolishly climbing up the balcony and then pretending he had his first homosexual experience (with her American lover!). William wearing his sisters pink robe was a nice touch too. The others were trying to hide the situation using logical ruses but none worked. William's act took daring, courage and humor! So much more effective than logic and reason! (Apologies Socrates!) :)

There are many examples of folly being praised in this film. You have the waiter telling Xavier that he works too much. The discussion between Xavier and Ann-Sophie about her work-a-holic husband. And then Xavier cajoling his British housemate (I forgot her name) to go out dancing.

The film really celebrates joi de vivre and shows what a great learning experience folly is over logic. imho.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] islandbeachbum 16 years ago

I don't understand your apparent need for rudeness. I was just stating that it wasn't just a writer's idea that the program be named Erasumus. And I believe I commented on how interesting it was that it worked so well into the film, as the original poster explained.

Get over yourself and read posts before you make yourself look stupid. I wasn't trying to take away from the original poster, just brining reality into perspective.

(Warum gibt es so viel dumm Menschen?)

[–] johnson1740 16 years ago

Yeah, thanks. I'm aware of the program.

It's often the case in movies and in literature that real things (names, people, places, objects, events...) are incorporated and then are given (or take on) a thematic meaning in the work. Mark Schorer, in writing about biography, calls these "happy facts."

The coincidence of Odile being the name of Godard's mother, the main character in the Raymond Queneau novel that Band of Outsiders is based on, and name of the Anna Karina character in that film is another example.

Johnson1740

[–] suprdrew 16 years ago

Thank you Johnson1740! Excellent post! I was confused why he kept seeing the Erasmus. I want to see the movie all over again now.

[–] chiibug 12 years ago

thank you for this post, op. :)

it certainly gave me a better understanding of the movie.