Student Question

What challenges does Salieri face in the movie Amadeus?

Quick answer:

In the movie Amadeus, Salieri faces the challenge of recognizing his own limited musical talent compared to Mozart's genius. Despite his deep love for music, he is burdened by envy and the realization that his work will be forgotten while Mozart's will endure. This awareness becomes Salieri's central struggle, as he feels condemned to witness Mozart's divine gift and his own mediocrity.

Expert Answers

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Salieri does endure a challenging lot, but it truly is not a justification for his envy.  That being said, Salieri's fundamental challenge is that he loves music and loves the creation of it.  Yet, his talent is limited.  This limitation compels him to see the pure genius of Mozart and possess a sense of envy for it. When he and Mozart are composing the Requiem, Mozart asks Salieri if he believes in the "fire that never dies. " When Salieri admits he does, it is a revealing moment for us to fully grasp that his largest trial is that he is condemned to watch his life knowing that his music will die out and Mozart's will live forever.  It is this burden of knowing that the gods ended up blessing Mozart with musical genius, denying this to Salieri.  This becomes the fundamental trial that Salieri ends up absorbing throughout the film.

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