Simms - Hate and Redemption in Princess Mononoke

Lady Eboshi vs. San

Lady Eboshi wasn’t a one dimensional villain that can be seen in many films. She’s the one that is leading the destruction of the forest and its spirit creatures, but she isn’t doing it for her own personal gain. Eboshi was trying to great a society where the outcasts of society could feel safe and take control of their own lives. However, Eboshi ignores the dangerous prices that would have to be paid to create this utopia. She’s fueled by a hatred and determination to destroy the spirit creatures she feels are preventing her people from truly succeeding. Eboshi could protect her people and create a safe haven for the outcasts, but it’s difficult when her means of doing this are to destroy everything around the island.

San is another character who displays qualities that could be considered good and evil. All her actions are the result of a hatred of humanity that has built up throughout her life in the forest. She almost kills Ashitaka because she feels as if she can never be a part of human civilization because of all the evils that humans have done that harm her home. At the same time, though, San is very protective of her family and it’s obvious that she loves them. She feels the need to protect those in the forest that are suffering, even if it may bring harm to herself. San is a balance of hatred and a fierce protectiveness and love for her home and family.

I think that the ending for both of the characters was very ambiguous. Eboshi claims that she will start over and make their village better, but there is no guarantee that she has learned her lesson or will not go back to her old ways eventually. Also, though San has learned that there is at least one human that she knows who is not evil or set out to harm the forest, she still states that she can never forgive humans for what they have done. However, if the people on the island decide to try to live in harmony with nature, there is a possibility that her mind will change. It’s really up to the viewer’s judgment.