Summary

  • The Lighthouse is a complex and ambiguous film that explores themes of isolation, mental health, and mythology.
  • Director Robert Eggers draws inspiration from various sources, including Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, to create a surreal and atmospheric narrative.
  • The Lighthouse's ambiguous ending suggests that the characters' descent into madness is a consequence of their pursuit of forbidden knowledge.

Released in 2019, Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse astounded and confused viewers everywhere. The experimental film starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson charts the deteriorating mental states of two lighthouse keepers while on duty. However, the narrative atmosphere can only be described as supernaturally charged.

From the creator of The Witch, The Lighthouse followed suit as an indie horror film but made a name for itself with its ambitious creative direction. Along with its unique style, The Lighthouse is notable for its dark plot and rich themes. All these elements come together to make a thrilling, unexpected, and perplexing movie. As such, there's a lot to unpack regarding The Lighthouse's storyline and its deeper meaning. Thus, distilling something so complex and nuanced is going to be an uphill task for anyone involved.

Updated on December 12, 2023, by Ajay Aravind and Robert Vaux: Robert Eggers has become widely renowned for his cryptic storytelling, but that's just part of his directorial vision. The Northman, for instance, features a range of overlapping metaphors that film scholars are still trying to unravel. Eggers' The Lighthouse remains as mysterious as ever. As such, we've updated this feature with some more information about his cinematic masterpiece, including a 2019 interview in which he discusses his influences and their effect on the film's surreal atmosphere.

What Is The Lighthouse About?

The Lighthouse as seen from a roiling sea
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The Lighthouse begins with Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson's characters, Thomas Wake and Ephraim Winslow, taking over a four-week supervision shift at an isolated lighthouse. Ephraim works under the long-standing keeper Thomas, and is expected to do most of the hard manual labor around the little island. Meanwhile, Thomas only tends to the light and doesn't let Ephraim go up there under any circumstances. When their four-week shift is over, a devastating storm prevents their tender boat from picking them up, leaving them stranded. After their rations disappear, they resort to only drinking alcohol and, eventually, turpentine.

Thomas and Ephraim's isolation in the lighthouse ultimately spells ruin for both of them. As the pair's time on the island increases, time seems to lose any sort of meaning and they gradually plunge into madness. Ephraim, revealed to also be named Thomas Howard, becomes increasingly obsessed with a mermaid story he hears from his superior. At times, it appears as though Thomas Wake is gaslighting Winslow, causing the tension to escalate between the two of them. When Ephraim finally gets to see what was in the lighthouse, it immediately leads to his death.

The Themes & Symbolism Of The Lighthouse, Explained

Willem Dafoe's Lighthouse character yells at Robert Pattinson's character up close
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Eggers revealed a great deal of his creative inspiration for The Lighthouse in a 2019 interview with Rolling Stone. It started with an unfinished short story by Edgar Allan Poe titled "The Light-House," and included the likes of H.P. Lovecraft and Sarah Orne Jewitt. Of particular note is Samuel Taylor Coleridge, whose famous poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" recounts a sailor who becomes cursed when he kills an albatross.

That plays out in the film when Thomas Howard kills a seagull, which appears to be a catalyst for the misfortune that befalls them. Most notably, Eggers wanted the film to have a subjective, surreal quality, implying the existence of the supernatural or otherworldly entities without actually coming out and saying it. Hollywood filmmaking tends to focus on clarity, so as not to lose the audience as a given film tells its story. The Lighthouse defies that clarity by design, instead suggesting -- but never stating -- that much of what takes place onscreen is embellished by the protagonists' deteriorating mental state.

These qualities make The Lighthouse more than just a horror/thriller movie, even more than The Witch, which had an ending that was more overtly supernatural and readily understandable. The Lighthouse comes packed with complex symbolism and themes, as well as a distinctive style that blurs the line between objective reality and the two men's perceptions. Eggers has a background in stage productions, and decided to film in black-and-white with a unique aspect ratio of 1.19:1, all of which adds to the film's claustrophobic, gritty atmosphere.

There is also a strong psychological undercurrent in The Lighthouse, with Eggers heavily influenced by Carl Jung's work in psychoanalysis. Eggers plays with the Oedipal complex in the relationship between his protagonists, as Winslow is eventually driven to kill Thomas, a man who serves as a father figure of sorts. The film also incorporates some blatant phallic symbolism, with the actual lighthouse being the most literal example. Considering the film deals with two men alone on an island, themes of sexuality and masculinity are definitely included. This is all tied into the film's overarching mythological themes. The Lighthouse was inspired by sailor's myths and classical mythology, given the prominent presence of mermaids in seafaring folklore.

Lovecraft's stories of otherworldly horrors emerging from the sea fold into that rather elegantly, as does Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner." But there are also a few major references to other Greek myths. During what seems to be a hallucination on Winslow's part, he sees Thomas adorned in tentacles and sea creatures, referencing Proteus, the god of prophecies who serves Poseidon. In addition, when Winslow finally sees what was in the lighthouse, he plummets to his death down the staircase, where he has his innards eaten by seagulls. This is a clear reference to the myth of Prometheus, who stole the gods' fire and suffers the consequence of having his liver eaten by an eagle every day.

What Does Thomas Howard See in the Light?

Robert Pattinson's character stands next to the lighthouse's glowing beacon

A seemingly impossible question, but one that The Lighthouse definitely left hanging was what Thomas Howard actually sees in the blinding light. From a literal standpoint, it could very well be nothing more than an exceptionally bright light that one probably shouldn't stare at without risking blindness. Whatever he sees would therefore just be a figment of his mental breakdown. But since the film is heavily based on ancient mythology, the light becomes more of an abstract idea rather than a tangible concept. Given the movie's constant hints about mermaids, some viewers speculate that a mermaid secretly lives in the light. However, Eggers suggested it was more about the myth of Prometheus than anything else.

What Is The Lighthouse's Meaning?

If Thomas Howard is indeed based on Prometheus, then he certainly does defy a god (if Thomas Wake is meant to be Proteus) by going into the sacred lighthouse. For that, he's quickly and fatally punished. During the entire film, Thomas Howard is looking for answers about what really happened to Wake's former partner. When he finally looks into the light, he sees everything -- cosmic truths and the nature of the universe, hidden from him the whole time. Like any human, Winslow couldn't handle this eternal knowledge and is delivered to his death so that the truth could remain hidden.

That's well in keeping with the likes of Poe and Lovecraft, as well as countless myths about humans transgressing natural boundaries and paying the price. While this is certainly all speculation, Eggers must be in the know. In an interview with Vox, he revealed, "Last night at a screening, someone asked me, 'Why didn't you photograph what Rob [Pattinson] sees at the end of the movie?' And I said, 'Because if you saw it, that same fate would befall you.'" Eggers ultimately leaves the ending up to the viewer's interpretation, like any good myth.

With all of this information, there is still no concrete answer to what The Lighthouse, its stories, or the mystery of the sea shanties truly mean. That's very much by design, and while there are strong themes revolving around the trials and tribulations of human nature, the film's ambiguous ending leaves the viewer to draw their own conclusions. Perhaps Thomas Wake is a god since he could stare into the light repeatedly and survive. Or maybe he has been slowly driven to delirium by the sight, causing him to drive his partners into a disturbed state of mind as well. All in all, it's a fantastic film that raises several complex questions, leaving viewers hungry for answers. The deliberate enigma of the ending helps make it so memorable, keeping its mysteries intact and allowing viewers to decide what it all means for themselves.

The Lighthouse movie poster
The Lighthouse
4

Two lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.

Release Date
October 18, 2019
Director
Robert Eggers
Cast
Robert Pattinson , Willem Dafoe
Runtime
109 minutes
Studio
A24