Literary Symbolism in Saltburn

Saltburn directed by Emerald Fennell shocks audiences in cinemas for a plethora of reasons! The film's gorily perverse themes intercept and embody that of the literary Gothic genre, primarily influenced by Gothics of a country house setting, such as Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited and Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. Here, I am going to focus on specific moments of literary symbolism in Saltburn but if you are interested in reading about the narrative's relationship with the Gothic, read Lucy Harbron's brilliant article - Hear Me Out: Saltburn is classic gothic literature for the modern age. (Big spoilers ahead)!

Saltburn, Warner Bros. Pictures

The Minotaur and Labyrinth

Of course the most obvious symbolism in Saltburn is the a large labyrinth on the estate complete with a Minotaur statue at the centre. We learn of it fairly early on in the story and so it hints at the twists and turns to come, forbodes a sense of confusion or loss, and most glaringly warns the audience that they are in for a Greek tragedy!

In the Greek myth, Theseus defeats the monstrous Minotaur but does so to win a crown for himself. In Saltburn, Oliver (Barry Keoghan) murders the 'monsters' of the Bourgeois Catton family. He does so, not because he craves class justice but because he desperately wants their life for himself. Oliver is 'the prey that becomes the predator' (- Emerald Fennell for GQ) just like Theseus.

The Minotaur imagery in Saltburn is therefore emphasising a story of halves. It mirrors the journey we as an audience take with Oliver - for the first half of the film we root for him as the underdog until it is revealed he is capable of horrendous acts. This duplicity of Oliver is continuously enforced, not only by the Minotaur, but by the numerous visuals in the film that include Oliver's reflection.

All Images from Saltburn, Warner Bros. Pictures

Thematically, the Minotaur is emulated by other characters as well, as there is not a single 'good' person in the film. The Minotaur requires sacrifices and the filthy rich Felix (Jacob Elordi) lures a new lower-class friend every summer to Saltburn for his own entertainment.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Like the labyrinth, references to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream always signal chaos and confusion. This is especially true when done in a hazy night time setting. Like the play, relationship tensions run high and come to blows against such a a backdrop. The Cattons throw Oliver A Midsummer Night's Dream themed birthday party of immense extravagance. Felix discovers Oliver is a fraud directly before the party. Thus, Oliver's costume being a deer in this scene highlights how his overstated victimhood is a performance. Especially because he wears it when he kills Felix, in, you guessed it, the centre of the Labyrinth (underneath the Minotaur statue).

Icarus

At the party, Felix wears golden wings as a costume. The gold is obviously a statement of wealth but the wings themselves become a symbol of the rich's entitlement. Felix comes across charming enough and is very laid back. He truly thinks he is above all and this is echoed by his low effort costume. In Greek mythology, Icarus flies higher and higher until the wax in his wings is melted by the sun and he falls to his death. Felix is so comfortable in his hierarchal position he believes he is untouchable until he is killed by Oliver at the party in his Icarus-like wings. His body is found in scorching sunlight and the sky engulfs most of the frame which seems like a nod to the story of Icarus to me!

Percy Shelley's Doppelganger

In folklore, a doppelgänger sighting is often considered an omen of a person's death. Within a period before his death at sea, poet Percy Shelley famously said he was haunted by his doppelgänger. In a Saltburn breakfast scene, the Catton family - including Felix - discuss a doppelgänger sighting of a person called 'Shelly' and how they died shortly afterwards. In this scene a man that looks like Felix walks by the window behind him. It is a very quick and unnoticeable moment.

The legends say that to avoid death, you must confront your doppelgänger. Perhaps Fennell is indicating that if Felix put in some self-reflecting and self-reckoning with his privilege, he wouldn't be so doomed.

Heathcliff

The truly unhinged 'grave scene' in Saltburn seems utterly insane, you'd think it had never been thought of before! Yet it is reminiscent of a key moment in Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights.

Heathcliff is similar to Oliver's character in Saltburn in many ways actually. Both characters develop an obsessive relationship for someone with a higher social status, both terrorise that person's family and take ownership of their house, and both loosely follow the archetype of an anti-hero - more specifically a Gothic anti-hero. So it is not a stretch to imagine the grave scene in Saltburn pays homage (in the most twisted way) to Heathcliff. In Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff disturbs Cathy's grave for his own gratification, he climbs into it and holds her dead body. Fennell decides to combine this perversion with some morbid body horror that is more in line with a psychological horror film. This scene alone showcases her talent for weaving together different Gothic tropes to create a horrifyingly unique viewing experience with Saltburn.

Saltburn is most likely packed with many more literary symbols and references. I may, when the film leaves cinemas and I watch it again, add more but that's all for now!