How do you spot a legend in the making?
(I have had such a Monday. I'm tired, a bit of klutz, and nothing seems to be going quite right... ugh.)
Ok, next question. This one is a bit more academic in nature, but I'd still like to play with it a little bit - see if we can't bend it in new (to my thinking, any)ways.
The raft of pseudo-analysis surrounding the Star Wars trilogy never failed to discuss Lucas's intentional use of mythical and religious archetypes. The definition of the various archetypes is fairly well defined, and examples are numerous in usage: from tarot to Tolkien, from Star Wars to Beowulf, from Christianity to Buddhism. All invoke archetypes of myth.
Rather than try to define them, or discuss why they continue to be strikingly effective despite so little mystery remaining the consciousness of the general populous, I like to discuss how the archetypes change over time. Do they evolve? Are we creating new ones as technology and the world and society at large evolves?
Lastly, how have the archetypes been re-defined by historical figures (such as Arthur or Lionheart)? This is sticky one, since we've re-defined the history to match the archetypes in so many cases. But did the actions of Lionheart change the archetypes of the warrior king? Why wasn't his father, Henry II, identified with an archetype? (I realize I'm threading a fine line between character archetypes and legend here, but I don't think they are necessarily that easy to parse... and perhaps they shouldn't be, since the one reinforces the persistence of the other.)
Ok, next question. This one is a bit more academic in nature, but I'd still like to play with it a little bit - see if we can't bend it in new (to my thinking, any)ways.
The raft of pseudo-analysis surrounding the Star Wars trilogy never failed to discuss Lucas's intentional use of mythical and religious archetypes. The definition of the various archetypes is fairly well defined, and examples are numerous in usage: from tarot to Tolkien, from Star Wars to Beowulf, from Christianity to Buddhism. All invoke archetypes of myth.
Rather than try to define them, or discuss why they continue to be strikingly effective despite so little mystery remaining the consciousness of the general populous, I like to discuss how the archetypes change over time. Do they evolve? Are we creating new ones as technology and the world and society at large evolves?
Lastly, how have the archetypes been re-defined by historical figures (such as Arthur or Lionheart)? This is sticky one, since we've re-defined the history to match the archetypes in so many cases. But did the actions of Lionheart change the archetypes of the warrior king? Why wasn't his father, Henry II, identified with an archetype? (I realize I'm threading a fine line between character archetypes and legend here, but I don't think they are necessarily that easy to parse... and perhaps they shouldn't be, since the one reinforces the persistence of the other.)