The Characters of Vanity Ruins *spoilers

[Archaeis]

I have been looking over the poem contained in Walk in Vanity Ruins and, although I've read some opinions that it references several Shakespeare plays, and it very well may, I think it may also be a reference to the events of Silent Hill 2 as well.


In here is a tragedy --- art thou player or audience? Be as it
may, the end doth remain: all go on only toward death.

All three that are there are experiencing their own tragedies. They all have metaphorical and literal graves awaiting them in Silent Hill.


The first words at thy left hand: a false lunacy, a madly dancing man.
Hearing unhearable words, drawn to a beloved's grave---and there, mayhap, true madness at last.

References to James' journey. His self-inflicted amnesia regarding Mary's death. He is drawn to the place where she died after hearing the possibility that she may be there. And, by going to Silent Hill, in nearly all the endings, he succumbs to some form of madness.


As did this one, playing at death, find true death at the last.
Killing a nameless lover, she pierced a heart rent by sorrow.

A reference To Angela's journey. After putting up with so much misery she finally gives in to death herself. The "nameless lover" could easily be her father, as his name is deliberately torn out of the newspaper you find.


Doth lie invite truth? Doth verity but wear the mask of falsehood?
Au, thou pitiful, thou miserable ones!

By creating these lies for them, the town is allowing them to see their own truths that have been covered by the Mask of flasehood. Pitiful, miserable ones is pretty self-explanitory.


Still amidst lies, through the end cometh not, wherefore yearn for death?

THey are enshrouded by the false reality created by the town until the very end, where they either choose death, or defeat it.


Wilt thou attend thy beloved?

Will you find your loved ones? James will in death, or in eternal madness. Angela will find her mother in death.


Truths and lies, life and death: a game of turning white to black and black to white.
Is not a silence brimming with love more precious than flattery?

James staying in the silent, false reality with Maria more preferable than going on with life.


A peaceful slumber preferred to a throne besmirched with blood?

Isn't your own death prefereable to living with the death you have caused?


One vengeful man spilled blood for two; Two youths shed tears for three; Three witches disappeared thusly; And only the four keys remain.
Ah, but verily... In here is a tragedy---art thou player or audience?
There is nothing which cannot become a puppet of fate or an onlooker, peering into the cage."


A conclusion and repeat of the first verse, then saying that these three could be powerless to their own ultimate fates.


Thoughts?

[ZigZag]

Wow, definitely sounds too close to be a coincedence.

[whiter4bbit]

I guess it's just that Shakespeare's novels in that poem have been chosen with an eye to the mood of Silent Hill games. So we could find references to many events in SH series, in a poem like that...

[theshaman]

shows you how much of a deep game it is by referencing shakespeare poetry

[Archaeis]

I don't think it's actually a poem by Shakespeare, but modeled after it.

[Mis Krist.]

Well, the poem was in SH3, not SH2, so.....

[Miss Vandeerbilt]

Well, the poem was in SH3, not SH2, so.....

You read my mind.

[Archaeis]

There are other references to SH2 all throughout SH3. I think it's pretty probable.

[Anonymous]

There are other references to SH2 all throughout SH3. I think it's pretty probable.

how true that is. And there is of course STRONG references to SH1 in it as well. Of course we know why. Maybe that poem was in fact put there to tell the story of others who have traveled through Silent Hill on their journeys and what doom they faced when they reached their destination.

[The Adversary]

>There are other references to SH2 all throughout SH3.
As jokes, yeah.

[Anonymous]

It's brilliant, I think. What an excellent theory! I'll bet many would be surprised to find such depth in a video game. After all, it is more like a work of art in my eyes. I'm sure it has to be a SH2 reference, but a more serious one than the others. (I still like the sadistic love poem in the hospital the best )

[Archaeis]

One vengeful man spilled blood for two;

Harry killed the cult members in vengeance for Cheryl and Alessa.


Two youths shed tears for three;

The misery of Cheryl and Alessa created the third, Heather.


Three witches disappeared thusly;

Dahlia, Alessa, and Cheryl. At first I though Claudia, but she hadn't been defeated when this poem is seen.


And only the four keys remain.

Not sure exactly what this refers to, perhaps the items Harry needs to reach the otherworld house to defeat Dahlia and Alessa?

[Goodnight]

One vengeful man spilled blood for two;

Harry killed the cult members in vengeance for Cheryl and Alessa.

He only killed one, and that was in self-defence.

[The Adversary]

>Harry killed the cult members in vengeance for Cheryl and Alessa.
As Goodnight said: Harry only killed one person.

>The misery of Cheryl and Alessa created the third, Heather.
No, God created Heather--Alessa had nothing to do with her birth.

>Dahlia, Alessa, and Cheryl.
Cheryl was not a witch & never had the same powers Alessa or Dahlia had.

>the items Harry needs to reach the otherworld house to defeat Dahlia and Alessa?
There are five rites to open the door.

Grasping at straws.

[lain of the wired]

Hey- there's lots of emo poetry out there about death and despair and journeys, too: let's pretend they're all related to the Silent Hill series!
Cheryl wasn't a witch. Nor was Dahlia.
And Shakespere didn't write it. Any of it. The reference to the game Othello (A game of turning black to white and white to black) alone should prove that. The game came long, long after Othello, the play, was written. 1604<1971.

"In here is a tragedy---
art thou player or audience?............ {Talks about the 5 plays
Be as it may, the end doth remain:......... in general, the protagonists all die.
all go on only toward death.".......... This is merely an intro}.

"The first word at thy left hand:.............. {This clearly refers to
a false lunacy, a madly dancing man. .......... Hamlet. Madness, unhearable
Hearing unhearable words, drawn words........ his father explaining
to a beloved's grave---and there, .............. his death).}
mayhap, true madness at last."

"As did this one playing at death, ........ {Romeo drank the poison which instilled a sleep that was like death.
find true death at last. ...................... Talks about Juliet, when
Killing a nameless lover,......................she kills herself}
she pierced a heart rent by sorrow."

........................................................................ {Referring to Othello, whose
"Doth lie invite truth? ...................................... jealousy over Desdemona lead
Doth verity but wear the mask of falsehood?...... him to believe Iago over her,
Ah, thou pitiful, thou miserable ones.".............. resulting in him killing her.}

"Still amidst lies, though the end cometh
not, wherefore yearn for death?.............. {King Lear here, he was
Will thou attend thy beloved? Truths.......... the one that yearned
and lies, life and death:.............................. for death}
a game of turning white to black and
black to white." ................... the board game, Othello

"Is not a silence brimming with love more {First half refers again to Lear,
precious than flattery? ........................ the second is talking about Macbeth, whose throne was
A peaceful slumber preferred...............won by killing the king. It also speaks
to a throne besmirched with blood?" ..... of his wife who convinced him to kill.

"One vengeful man spilled blood for two; {Hamlet}
Two youths shed tears for three; {Romeo and Juliet}
Three witches disappeared thusly; {Macbeth}
And only the four keys remain." {Um... Silent Hill}