In Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge, the concept of fame is handled in a paradoxical way. Fame brings wealth and high visibility to the public. Wealth is presented as a negative attribute, yet the poor characters of Moulin Rouge still struggle to become famous. The film presents the idea that wealthy people in France and society in general are to be despised, while the starving artist is to be praised. However, this message is corrupted by the fact that artists are working to become famous and rich. The best way to understand this topic is to look at each main character individually in relation to the overall story and analyze fame as it relates to wealth. Although the characters in Moulin Rouge want to achieve fame, Luhrmann presents fame as a bad thing because it ruins their lives. The warning to viewers is that the characters should have realized that all they need is "to love and be loved in return", rather than fame. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayRich and famous people in the public eye are used as a reference point from which to ascertain the happiness and fiscal positions of other characters. The most important wealthy figure in history is the Duke. At the Moulin Rouge, the Duke is a much sought-after figure. Everyone wants to meet him and the company makes a huge effort both to make the Duke's presence public and to make sure he is happy. Despite being portrayed as advantaged and highest on the socioeconomic status chain, the Duke should actually be hated. He almost rapes Satine, the female protagonist, and is unable to make herself loved. Even visually he is portrayed as someone we shouldn't like, as he sports an unsightly moustache. The Duke is blind to the fact that the maharajah in the musical is a metaphor for himself, until one of the dancers, who is in the know because she is one of the poor performers, explicitly tells him so. The privilege in this case is not the same as the privilege of knowledge. There are two clear channels of information occurring simultaneously at the Moulin Rouge, and viewers feel fortunate to be closer to the artists' underground channel, because it allows us to be aware of the deception in the other channel. The Duke can't even have a name. This shows how he is a shell of a man, representing rich people, wearing a suit, famous in the eyes of the public. The fact that the Duke is presented as the villain in the story shows that Luhrmann does not value wealth and status, but rather the goodness of the person and the ability to love and be loved. At the beginning of the film there is a scene where men in suits sing about how they wanted to be entertained. They say “Here we are, entertain us. We feel stupid and contagious." These men are representations of wealthy people who have money to spend to come to the Moulin Rouge and see a show. They are all dressed in the same classic black and white outfit and look incredibly monotonous. While the actors playing them are creative and talented, they represent a complete lack of creativity and freedom. On the one hand, they are financially free to do what they want and move around the country. They may dress in expensive clothes to show off their riches. These are luxuries that artists cannot enjoy. Artists stay stuck at the Moulin Rouge if they want to have a support network and the hope of earning some money. They are forced to dress up in costumes and look like other peopleearn a living. On the other hand, rich, fun-hungry men have been deprived of the fulfilling things in life. When they sing “We are stupid and contagious,” it means that they may be smart in business, but there is no substance to their character; their intelligence is one-dimensional. They are contagious because they don't think for themselves, but rather work to fit in and be like others in their socioeconomic group. Furthermore, none of them, at least in the performance during the “Can Can-can” number, have a friend or loved one accompanying them. They don't know what it means to love or be loved, but simply to be rich. Luhrmann suggests that this is not a fulfilling way to live life. The other main characters are starving artists, doing whatever it takes to earn money. They are subject to the grip of cultural imagination. They believe fame is the ultimate goal that will get them ahead, when in reality it is the limit. This is especially true for Satine. Everyone goes to the Moulin Rouge to see her; therefore he must always remain at the Moulin Rouge. She is condemned to live and die there. Satine's death exemplifies how fame is mostly a limitation. As soon as she completes her starring role, her illness consumes her and she dies. His moment in the spotlight was also his last breath. Since their culture prevents artists from realizing that fame is a goal of destruction, Satine did everything to achieve it. She herself was the object of desire because she was a courtesan. Christian wants her and the Duke wants her, but she just wants fame. She is willing to give up her love for Christian for a superficial and abusive relationship with the Duke in order to gain his patronage and be famous. Therefore, the object of desire of the object of desire is fame. Satine is an extreme characterization of Luhrmann's clear opinion on fame. Once obtained, he dies. However, he also throws away true love to try to achieve potential greater fame. His death reveals that love is the most important goal of all. If she had been satisfied with Cristiano's love and had not turned her back on him, even if temporarily, to be with the Duke and have fame and wealth, she might have lived. Once she got back together with Christian, she too had to die because their love was eternal and killing her character within the walls of the Moulin Rouge was the best way to prove it. As long as Christian and Satine remained within the confines of the club, their love would survive forever. While Christian won't necessarily become a famous writer, he writes the story of him and Satine, in which the viewer receives the message on several levels that it is better to love and be loved in return, rather than having to be famous. Directly opposite to the Duke's character is Cristiano. Christian is the protagonist and his character is more complicated. Christian's character is different from the Christian who is writing the story we are seeing unfold. The latter has lived through it all, but the former is currently living history, so he doesn't have the benefit of hindsight. Christian's evolution reflects the awareness that Luhrmann tries to create in the viewer. Christian in the film wants to become famous. He moves to France to become a famous writer and then, once involved in the group of actors in Toulouse, he wants to become famous thanks to his musical about the courtesan and the maharaja. Through his efforts to build the musical, he gets everything he wants. However, he gets more than he bargained for. He wins Satine's love and the musical unfolds with the contested songs he has written, but he also faces great heartbreak when Satine attempts to reject him in order to convince the Duke to stay. His true love also dies.