How does The Last Duel critique the use of power?

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The Last Duel critiques how power is used to dominate women and others lower in the class hierarchy.

The film uses the last duel in 14th century France to show how men wield power in ways that can subjugate Marguerite and also people lower on the class strata. It frames the events through a Rashomon-like structure, telling the same story from the perspectives of Sir Jean de Carrouges, his wife Marguerite, and his former friend Jacques Le Gris, which highlights how “truth” can be shaped around power and status.
The duel is tied to an incident involving Marguerite
The plot centres on the last duel ever fought in France, fought between Carrouges and Le Gris over an incident involving Marguerite. By making her the focus of the conflict, the story places her treatment and value within the power relationships of the men around her.
Medieval morality is questioned through competing viewpoints
The film is described as a critique of medieval morality, and it does this by presenting the same incident multiple times from the major participants’ perspectives. This Rashomon-like approach underlines that what each character presents as the “truth” can differ, reflecting how authority and standing affect how events are narrated and judged.
Men are shown using power to subjugate women
The film examines how women were valued and treated during the era, linking that treatment to male control in the story’s conflict. It explicitly portrays how men “play with power” in ways that lead to the subjugation of women, with Marguerite positioned as the person affected by that dynamic.
Power also targets those lower on the class ladder
Beyond gender, the critique extends to class, noting that men use power to subjugate not only women but also those lower on the class strata and without much power of their own. In that sense, the duel-driven narrative becomes a window into how hierarchy shapes who can resist and who cannot.

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How does The Last Duel critique the use of power?

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