The doll analysis
The Doll is one of the most interesting characters in bloodborne and also one of my favorite characters of all time, i wanted to take time to write how i see her and how i percive her character based on my experience.
The Doll was created in the image of Lady Maria, a student Gehrman deeply cared for. (little backgroud on maria) Maria abandoned the Hunter's Workshop after what happened at the Fishing Hamlet and eventually killed herself her spirit was then pulled into the Hunters Nightmare where she lived with an eternal curse where she acts as the protecter of the Astral Clocktower. Gehrman, unable to move on from her death, created the Doll in her image. This immediately gave the Doll a deppressing origin. She was never intended to exist as her own person but as a reminder of someone Gehrman had lost.
the Doll develops into an entirely separate 'person' from Maria. While Maria distanced herself from violence and sought escape after the fishing hamlet massacre, the Doll embraces her role in supporting hunters and the idea of the hunters dream. She never shows resentment toward Gehrman or the Hunter and instead devotes herself to helping others. the contrast suggests that identity in Bloodborne is not determined by one's origin. Even though the Doll resembles Maria physically, she possesses a unique personality shaped by the Hunter's Dream rather than Maria's memories.
I find the Doll's most fascinating trait is her humanity. Ironically, she is one of the least human characters (being a literal doll.) however she is one of the most emotionally human in behavior. Throughout the game ordinary humans gradually lose themselves to the corruption of the Old Blood, transforming into beasts consumed by instinct and violence. The Doll meanwhile, remains compassionate, patient, and selfless. She never acts out of selfishness or ambition. her farewell speech "May you find your worth in the waking world," starts to feel like a genuine expression of concern for the Hunter's well being, and makes you feel emotionally connected to her while playing. or maybe i just really liked her.
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb wip still working on this little tangent come back laterr
Mindscape "Theory"
I quote theory because this is more so something ive kinda created in my own mind and with my own time. I write mindcsape theory as how Hunters dream is represented as a manifestation of the hunter’s consciousness, fully shaped by fear, desire, and memory. the Hunter’s Dream is psychological instead of physical. its resemblance to the abandoned workshop in the real world backs up the theory however even tho the workshop is entirely in the huters head its perfect duplication suggests that the Dream is reconstructed from Gehrman’s memories more so than the player itself. from before he sacrifed himself to the dream. The Dream is not the workshop itself but an idea of the workshop thats been preserved in Gehrman’s subconscious and reproduced through the influence of the Moon Presence, to which the player is invited into. The Doll represents gerhmens comfort, purpose, or idealization. Gehrman symbolizes guilt, regret, or the burden of duty, she is designed similar to lady maria which was one of gerhmens closest students and who he was infactuated with further symboloizing how the hunters dream is a place constructed by gerhmens memories. The Workshop is the mind’s “safe room” away from traumatic reality. Killing Gehrman symbolizes the Hunter breaking free from old identity constraints, like shedding previous traumas and expectations. and escpaing the dream follows how the hunter finally escapes the loop of the hunters dream. which leads into...
Cycle of Rebirth
another talk i wanna write is regarding the hunter’s Dream and how its not seen as a prison or refuge, but a space where hunters undergo a transformative cycle of death, growth, and eventual rebirth. the Dream functions like an incubator, preparing the hunter for evolution beyond human limits. (like the great ones) instead of trapping the hunter, the Dream refines them, and guides them to a Great One ascension through repeated cycles of death and awakening. its different from the mindscape theory where youre more so seen as trying and wanting to leave the loop and become free and set others free from it. I write how the hunter could find comfort in the loop and dream. knowing theres always something to come back to and knowing you have a forever home during the hunt. It becomes how the player interprets the game, seeing throughout progress many wish for it to end and the two trapped inside the hunters dream find comfort but are so tired of the loop and also want it to end. with the constant rebirth the hunter can choose to continue the cycle forever and never stop (if thats what they find refuge to) while some seek out the other end and need to find a permanent stop to the dream.
is hunters dream a Prison, or Freedom?
The prison which is Hunter’s Dream is like a cage a really smartly crafted inescapable loop controlled by the moon presence.
the Hunter is being conditioned to the Dream and it becomes a containment system, keeping the Hunter in a loop oof fighting, learning, and growing stronger without ever fully breaking the system that binds them.
it also can be seen as freedom. paradoxically, the Dream could also represent freedom. It is a place where the Hunter can transcend the physical limitations of Yharnam and literall teleport into realms otherwise inaccessible to the waking world. knowledge is freedom in the game, and as the hunter gains insight from progression you begin to learn and figure out the truth of the system that is binding the hunter. which opens up so many oppurtunities and gives so much freedom to the player.
logically from a player perspective, yes, youre stuck in a prison and its hell but to the hunter themselves it can be seen as the biggest gold mine ever.
