Varieties of Supernatural Depictions
- This article proposes several conceptual frameworks for examining the widespread use of classical intertexts depicting the supernatural in popular media. Whether the supernatural is viewed as reality or simply a trope, it represents the human capacity and desire to explore worlds and meanings beyond the obvious and mundane. Representations of classical gods, heroes, and monsters evoke the power of mythic stories to probe and explain human psychology, social concerns, philosophical questions, and religious beliefs, including belief about the paranormal and supernatural. The entertainment value of popular media allows creators and audiences to engage with larger issues in non-dogmatic and playful ways that help them negotiate tensions among various beliefs and identities. This paper also gives an overview of the other articles in this journal issue, showing overlapping themes and patterns that connect with these tensions. By combining knowledge of classical myths in their original contexts with knowledge about contemporary culture,This article proposes several conceptual frameworks for examining the widespread use of classical intertexts depicting the supernatural in popular media. Whether the supernatural is viewed as reality or simply a trope, it represents the human capacity and desire to explore worlds and meanings beyond the obvious and mundane. Representations of classical gods, heroes, and monsters evoke the power of mythic stories to probe and explain human psychology, social concerns, philosophical questions, and religious beliefs, including belief about the paranormal and supernatural. The entertainment value of popular media allows creators and audiences to engage with larger issues in non-dogmatic and playful ways that help them negotiate tensions among various beliefs and identities. This paper also gives an overview of the other articles in this journal issue, showing overlapping themes and patterns that connect with these tensions. By combining knowledge of classical myths in their original contexts with knowledge about contemporary culture, classical scholars contribute unique perspectives about why classical intertexts dominate in popular media today.…
| Author details: | Margaret Merrill ToscanoORCiDGND |
|---|---|
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.34679/thersites.vol17.249 |
| ISSN: | 2364-7612 |
| Title of parent work (English): | thersites 17 |
| Subtitle (English): | Classics in Contemporary Media |
| Editor(s): | Amanda Potter, Hunter H. Gardner |
| Publication type: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Date of first publication: | 2023/11/10 |
| Publication year: | 2023 |
| Publishing institution: | Universität Potsdam |
| Release date: | 2023/12/14 |
| Tag: | Afterlife; Classical Mythology; Myth Theory; Paranormal; Supernatural |
| Volume: | 2023 |
| Issue: | 17 |
| Number of pages: | 30 |
| First page: | 2 |
| Last Page: | 31 |
| Source: | thersites Vol. 17 (2023): Classics and the Supernatural (eds. A. Potter & Hunter Gardner) |
| Organizational units: | Philosophische Fakultät / Historisches Institut |
| DDC classification: | 9 Geschichte und Geografie / 90 Geschichte / 900 Geschichte und Geografie |
| Peer review: | Referiert |
| Publishing method: | Open Access / Gold Open-Access |
| Collection(s): | Universität Potsdam / Zeitschriften / thersites, ISSN 2364-7612 / thersites Vol. 17 |
| License (German): |  CC-BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International |
| External remark: | The original publication is available at https://doi.org/10.34679/thersites.vol17.249 |
