The mythology of Superman is a paradigm that embodies the cultural reality of the era; constructed around an archetype of ideology, fantasies of human spiritual ambiguity, a religious messiah, and a semiotic representation of modernity. In further study, Superman can be identified to have specifically changed to adhere to American culture in three distinctive periods; midst the Great Depression and WWII, post WWII and finally the socially progressive change of the Vietnam period. In each chapter Superman was re-imagined to meet the definition of the period, a tool of propaganda over that of entertainment. Currently, America is entering a new phase of cultural shift, and thus Superman will be redefined to represent the ideologies of truth, justice, and the American way of that required era. Yet, the mere surface mythology of Superman has applications to cultural ideologies, questions of human freedom, dreams in a Freudian nature, and the complex relation of fantasy and reality which required introduction before in-depth research. Superman's representation of cultural ideology is that of 'the ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas', the Marxist interpretation of material production and mental production (Karl Marx, 1932, pp. 7-8). Superman as title implies that he is "better" than just man; thus providing godlike qualities to a hero allows the edification of an icon that transcends above diversity. Subsequently, Superman embodies a civil religion of American ideals in which all can identity. Fostering qualities of a populist hero, Superman is a ideological symbol of the American ideology against the myth of aristocracy; the principle of moral quality being hereditary. Superman's identification with a lesser ... ... middle of paper ... ...ogy of the ruling class, a symbol of the American way; that everyone is born with the ability to be great, yet no one is above. Works Cited Arnold, M. (1869). Culture and Anarchy. Berman, M. (1982). All that is solid melts into air. London: Verso. Foucault, M. (1967). Of Other Spaces, Heterotopias. Freud, S. (1973). The Dream Work. Harmondsworth: Pelican Books. Kant, I. (1794). What is Enlightenment. Karl Marx, a. F. (1932). The German Ideology. Moscow: Marx-Engels Institute. Locke, J. (1995). Second Treatise of Civil Government (Vol. The Portable Enlightenment Reader). (I. Kramnick, Ed.) New York: Penguin. Rousseau, J. J. (1995). The Social Contract (Vol. The Portable Enlightenment Reader). (I. Kramnick, Ed.) New York: Penguin. Zizek, S. (2006). From Reality to the Real (Vol. Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: A Reader). (J. Storeys, Ed.) Harlow: Pearson.
We are currently living in the Golden Age of Superheroes. They dominate our cultural life, and have become seemingly permanent fixtures in modern media. Since X-Men burst onto the screen fifteen years ago, we have witnessed the release of over forty superhero movies. By 2020 we will have seen the release of more than twenty-five more. Today, the much anticipated film Superman vs. Batman has come to theaters. Though a plethora of superhero movies have been released, it is to the dissatisfaction of many, having long been exhausted by the stories of the Hulk, Batman, and Spider-man. Although I must agree that it is quite easy to get bored with the constant action, and flashing colors of these films, if one looks deep enough into the story they will discover universal themes and metaphors. Though they may be fighting off alien invasions, these heroes are also battling with their personal challenges, challenges which we can
The heroic archetype is a creative expression borne of the individual's desire to know and to understand the uncontrollable and often chaotic world in which he lives. In the popular culture of America we can find many reflections of the heroic figure; in writing, in the graphic art of comic books, and most certainly in the aftermath of September 11th, heroes are ever present. Our cultural champions speak to our collective need to make sense of the nonsensical and to establish order in both our external and internal worlds. Indeed it is through the internal world of the psyche and the lens of psychological thought that we may gain a better perspective of the fusion of creativity and knowledge that we have come to call the heroic figure.
Perceptions of the superhero and supervillain are mainly based on subjective definitions of each concept. These observations often lead to a definitive dichotomy that precisely splits characters into two impermeable divisions. However, this stringent separation is unable to account for the characters that are not at the extreme ends of their respective side. Neither is this rift capable of classifying characters that flirt with both sides of the superhero-supervillain dichotomy. Therefore it is imperative to analyze the established criteria for both superhero and supervillain to derive a more adequate explanation. Most superheroes are not easily characterized, but rather fall somewhere between Superman, the bastion of moral purity, and Doctor Doom, the display of indubitable corruption. This solicits genesis of an entirely new notion about the differences between superheroes and supervillains. A more precise idea is that superheroes and supervillains are lined on a spectrum that spans from pure good to pure evil. Disparities between superheroes and supervillains are not black and white, but rather these characters are on a spectrum that radically changes based on individual cases.
Hughes, Jamie A. "Who Watches the Watchmen?: Ideology and 'Real World' Superheroes." Journal of Popular Culture39.4 (2006): 546-557. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 25 Feb. 2010
Jean- Jacques Rousseau’s “The Social Contract” was published in 1762 and caused much controversy in France during the French Revolution. Rousseau was a famous philosophical thinker during the Enlightenment in the eighteenth century. Due to his time period it is said the Rousseau is an Enlightenment Thinker; however, some of his ideas do not align with that of an Enlightenment Thinker. Rousseau was the kind of philosopher who applied philosophical reasoning to ethics and politics, and one approach to that was describing human beings when they are in a natural state. Rousseau was influenced by the modern natural law tradition which wanted to answer the challenge of skepticism, but through a systematic approach to human nature. The main purpose
Locke and Rousseau present themselves as two very distinct thinkers. They both use similar terms, but conceptualize them differently to fulfill very different purposes. As such, one ought not be surprised that the two theorists do not understand liberty in the same way. Locke discusses liberty on an individual scale, with personal freedom being guaranteed by laws and institutions created in civil society. By comparison, Rousseau’s conception portrays liberty as an affair of the entire political community, and is best captured by the notion of self-rule. The distinctions, but also the similarities between Locke and Rousseau’s conceptions can be clarified by examining the role of liberty in each theorist’s proposed state of nature and civil society, the concepts with which each theorist associates liberty, and the means of ensuring and safeguarding liberty that each theorist devises.
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, and G. D. H. Cole. On the Social Contract. New York: Dover Publications, 2003. Print.
Locke, John (edited by Peardon, Thomas, P.) The Second Treatise of Government, New York, Bobbs-Merrill, 1952 [1690], Ch. 5.
In the article “The Thematic Paradigm” exerted from his book, A Certain Tendency of the Hollywood Cinema, Robert Ray provides a description of the two types of heroes depicted in American film: the outlaw hero and the official hero. Although the outlaw hero is more risky and lonely, he cherishes liberty and sovereignty. The official hero on the other hand, generally poses the role of an average ordinary person, claiming an image of a “civilized person.” While the outlaw hero creates an image of a rough-cut person likely to commit a crime, the official hero has a legend perception. In this essay, I will reflect on Ray’s work, along with demonstrating where I observe ideologies and themes.
To conclude, the graphic novel Watchmen presents the non-fantastic representation of a superhero, implying that not all heroes are like Superman. This notion is explored within the novel by mentioning the realistic motives of the characters choosing to become superheroes, by Rorschach’s representation and through the heroic reactions of the New Yorkers to a street crime. These elements all contribute to Watchmen’s uniqueness and complexity as a superhero comic.
Locke, John. "Second Treatise, Of Civil Government." Woll, Peter. American Government Readings and Cases 16th Edition. New York: Pearson Longman, 2006. 5-6.
Jenkins talks about how civic imagination is the collective ability to imagine common futures(Jenkins et al., 11). Through a series of cases which expand on how the superhero narrative has been appropriated by different groups that wish to let their voice be heard, it is clear that imagination opens a space for resistance and better possibilities. Fan communities portray new models of cultural participation as they reformulate and create movements because they see themselves as agents of social change(Gordon & Mihailidis 6).. Such is the example of the DREAMers, a young undocumented community seeking education that used the figure of Superman to open a dialogue around citizenship rights(Jenkins et al., 7). Their testimonies gave a face and a voice to a reality and condition that before was not much more other than a subject that needed to be addressed. Imagination turned into a voice that could and would be listened to. These movements show how civic participation, personal experience and media can unite to achieve engaged discourse. They have become credible solutions that through collaboration and strategy can give hope and create a public narrative that brings action and change(Ganz
Once—long, long ago—I strode through time the way that the classic superheroes did; there were no worries about the consequences, nor about the pains I had inflicted upon the martyrs along the way. It had felt completely unimportant for me to consider the effects my actions would have upon the other people. The marches of my uncaring actions cast aside the imprints of myself onto the bystanders who stood, looking on, as I left conflict and suffering behind. There were no fears, no concerns, no afterthoughts of mine. I ruled the world.
Locke, John. Second Treatise of Government. Ed. C. B. Macpherson. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Pub., 1980. Print.
I fully accept that I am a geek when it comes to the Marvel superhero comics. I could not help but note that after watching Captain America, my favorite from the Avenger’s series, I noticed Chris Evans capitalized on the classic iconic American Hero. Typically when we hear superhero we think of a man that begins with Bat, Spider or Super. Yet none of these men fully embody the American icon of comic heroism. While using a narrative paradigm and Bourke I will examine our icon in comparison to a Norwegian Viking through a postmodern lens. Comparing these two icons may seem as an odd comparison, however their similarity might shed light into who the American hero really is.