The Dark Knight Trilogy: Visions/Versions of Space in Gotham City

Abstract

This project examines the representation of space in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy. Batman has appeared in comic-books for more than 75 years. It is one of the most famous superheroes, and one that has a defined identity. Gotham, the setting of his stories, is sometimes almost turned into a character itself. This text analyzes the representation of Gotham in Nolan's version of Batman. For this purpose, the city as a character on its own will be analyzed, taking into account diverse theories on space and place. These will serve to examine the way the characters relate to Gotham City, and to the individual defined spaces presented in the film. Each one of the films represents a different side of Gotham, although all three of them share a common realistic setting. This text examines each one of the three films separately, ending with the general analysis of space and Gotham City in the trilogy itself. In sum, this project will aim at relating the representation of space in these movies to concrete existing cities, and stating the differences between this version of Gotham to other visions of this city.