Refine
Has Fulltext
- no (130) (remove)
Year of publication
Document Type
- Article (77)
- Review (19)
- Monograph/Edited Volume (17)
- Doctoral Thesis (7)
- Part of Periodical (3)
- Part of a Book (2)
- Other (2)
- Moving Images (1)
- Postprint (1)
- Sound (1)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (130) (remove)
Keywords
- Tolkien (7)
- classical reception (6)
- Classical Reception (3)
- European Union (3)
- reception (3)
- Aeneid (2)
- Amazons (2)
- Authoritarianism (2)
- Autoritarismus (2)
- DDR (2)
Institute
- Historisches Institut (83)
- WeltTrends e.V. Potsdam (9)
- Bürgerliches Recht (5)
- Institut für Biochemie und Biologie (3)
- Institut für Künste und Medien (3)
- Department Erziehungswissenschaft (2)
- Fachgruppe Betriebswirtschaftslehre (2)
- Fachgruppe Volkswirtschaftslehre (2)
- Institut für Romanistik (2)
- Institut für Umweltwissenschaften und Geographie (2)
- Sozialwissenschaften (2)
- Department Grundschulpädagogik (1)
- Department Psychologie (1)
- Extern (1)
- Fachgruppe Politik- & Verwaltungswissenschaft (1)
- Fachgruppe Soziologie (1)
- Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik (1)
- Institut für Chemie (1)
- Institut für Jüdische Studien und Religionswissenschaft (1)
- Institut für Philosophie (1)
- Juristische Fakultät (1)
- MenschenRechtsZentrum (1)
- Strukturbereich Bildungswissenschaften (1)
- Zentrum für Lehrerbildung und Bildungsforschung (ZeLB) (1)
- Öffentliches Recht (1)
Resurrecting the Argo
(2023)
This paper analyses the relationship between the figure of the Argo (ship and character) and the supernatural in the mythic fantasy of Robert Holdstock’s Merlin Codex. It shows how Holdstock’s re-writing of the Argonautica draws on various versions from the Argonautic tradition, including Euripides’ Medea, Apollonius, Valerius Flaccus, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Treece and the 1963 film Jason and the Argonauts. It sets Holdstock’s Argo alongside other representations, as divine herself, possessed by divinity, and a channel of communication with the divine, and in the context of Holdstock’s previous work, particularly Mythago Wood, Lavondyss and Merlin’s Wood. The paper argues that Holdstock uses the Argo as a reflection of myth itself, a version of the forest in Mythago Wood, as well as a metapoetic image for the challenges and complexities of adapting a well-known story, bringing multiple mythological traditions (Arthurian, Finnish and Argonautic) together. It reflects on Holdstock’s relationship to the ancient genres of epic and tragedy, as well as Argo as plot facilitator and mechanism of transformation and transition. Holdstock’s relationship with ancient literature is richer and deeper than previously acknowledged; his self-conscious plays reveal a deep understanding of the polymorphous nature of mythical traditions.
Megan Whalen Turner’s series The Queen’s Thief (1996 – 2020) centres on the political intrigues in a group of countries which are at once very like – but also very unlike – Bronze Age and archaic Greece threatened by a powerful Persian Empire. The first book in the series, The Thief (1996), begins as a political adventure haunted by stories of the gods. When those gods directly influence the action, the narrative changes from present political intrigue to a fantasy from the distant past. The mythology in The Thief reflects, imitates and distorts archaic Greek creation myths – stories about how the earth and sky were formed, the divine pantheon and heroes. I examine the presentation of this divine pantheon against the narratives about the gods in Hesiod, the Homeric hymns and Homer’s epics. I evaluate how the supernatural element interacts with the largely political narrative of The Thief. In so doing, I explore how the text blends a ‘classical supernatural’ with a world that is like – but in many ways very unlike – Bronze Age and archaic Greece.
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.
Review of Ross Clare: Ancient Greece and Rome in Videogames. Representation, Play, Transmedia
(2023)
Die abgetrennte Zunge by Katharina Wesselmann deals with gender and power relations in ancient literature and beyond. It has received widespread attention, particularly in popular media. In this interview, thersites examines the book from an academic perspective. We talk to Katharina Wesselmann about the reactions to her work, her methodology and her conclusions. The primary focus of this interview is on what ancient texts may tell us about today’s gender issues and vice versa – it, thus, entails a broader discussion about modern Classics.
Sophocle sur Netflix
(2023)
The paper focuses on two recent occurrences of a Sophoclean drama on screen, Electra in the romantical movie Marriage Story, and Philoctetes in an episode of the mainstream medical series New Amsterdam, both productions currently available on the popular streaming service Netflix. The case studies explore the mechanisms of the use of these dramas and their significance in both productions, showing that they are partly used for their “classical” authority, are deeply integrated within the scenarios, and help to design the narratives, the characters and their (social and personal) relationships.