The Cross Symbol Analysis

While the Cross is usually a clear symbol for Christianity, in the play it more specifically represents the Master and the Commander’s false Christian values. The Cross is the emblem of the Military Orders in Spain, and the Master and Commander wear the Cross embroidered on their clothes (in Calatrava, the Cross is red). The Cross is a traditional symbol of Christianity, particularly in the context of the Order, because the Order was a Christian religious military organization founded to reconquer Spain from the Muslim Moors. Thus, the Cross seems like it would indicate the virtue and holiness of the Order’s endeavors. But in the play, characters only point out the Cross when the Master and Commander are being hypocritical, particularly when their actions do not align with the Christian values they claim to stand for. In the play’s opening scene, the Commander notes that the Master should conquer Ciudad Real and prove his bravery by turning his sword “red as the Cross” on his chest. Thus, the Cross is associated not with the Christian values of justice and mercy, but with vengeance and glory instead.

Later, many of the characters say that they would mistake the Commander for the devil if he weren’t wearing a Cross. The Cross thus points out the Commander’s hypocrisy—his violent, lustful actions (like sexually assaulting local women) do not align with the Christian teachings that the Cross represents. Esteban also notes that King Fernando and Queen Isabel are going to rid villages of dishonorable men like the Commander, “whose power comes from wearing crosses.” In this way, Esteban suggests that while the Cross is an indicator of power in Spain, it also highlights the Commander’s lack of virtue when wielding that power.