Postmodern messiahs: the changing saviours of contemporary popular culture
The messiah myth is alive and well in the modern world. Contemporary science fiction film has taken the myth to heart and given us an endless stream of larger than life heroes. The heroes of the present are, however, not exactly the same as the heroes of the past. A changing world demands new things...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Donner Institute
2009-01-01
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| Series: | Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67351 |
| _version_ | 1818257176967249920 |
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| author | Sofia Sjö |
| author_facet | Sofia Sjö |
| author_sort | Sofia Sjö |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The messiah myth is alive and well in the modern world. Contemporary science fiction film has taken the myth to heart and given us an endless stream of larger than life heroes. The heroes of the present are, however, not exactly the same as the heroes of the past. A changing world demands new things of its saviours. Using a textual and narrative analysis based on insights gained from feminist film theory and cultural studies, this article looks closely at the messiah theme in science fiction films and TV series from the last three decades. The study explores the changes that have occurred in relation to images of the body, the attitudes and personalities of modern heroes, gender, questions of power and ideas of the transcendent. The article then discusses what these changes both between newer and older heroes and between contemporary heroes and the traditional messiah story might say about religion and spirituality in the modern world. Finally the article explores the question of why the messiah myth still finds an audience today. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:39:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f4970694a2e64a25b70243e0ae9efc33 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0582-3226 2343-4937 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:39:30Z |
| publishDate | 2009-01-01 |
| publisher | Donner Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis |
| spelling | doaj.art-f4970694a2e64a25b70243e0ae9efc332022-12-22T00:17:08ZengDonner InstituteScripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis0582-32262343-49372009-01-012110.30674/scripta.67351Postmodern messiahs: the changing saviours of contemporary popular cultureSofia Sjö0Åbo Akademi UniversityThe messiah myth is alive and well in the modern world. Contemporary science fiction film has taken the myth to heart and given us an endless stream of larger than life heroes. The heroes of the present are, however, not exactly the same as the heroes of the past. A changing world demands new things of its saviours. Using a textual and narrative analysis based on insights gained from feminist film theory and cultural studies, this article looks closely at the messiah theme in science fiction films and TV series from the last three decades. The study explores the changes that have occurred in relation to images of the body, the attitudes and personalities of modern heroes, gender, questions of power and ideas of the transcendent. The article then discusses what these changes both between newer and older heroes and between contemporary heroes and the traditional messiah story might say about religion and spirituality in the modern world. Finally the article explores the question of why the messiah myth still finds an audience today.https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67351Religious changePostmodernismPopular cultureGenderWomenMedia and religion |
| spellingShingle | Sofia Sjö Postmodern messiahs: the changing saviours of contemporary popular culture Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis Religious change Postmodernism Popular culture Gender Women Media and religion |
| title | Postmodern messiahs: the changing saviours of contemporary popular culture |
| title_full | Postmodern messiahs: the changing saviours of contemporary popular culture |
| title_fullStr | Postmodern messiahs: the changing saviours of contemporary popular culture |
| title_full_unstemmed | Postmodern messiahs: the changing saviours of contemporary popular culture |
| title_short | Postmodern messiahs: the changing saviours of contemporary popular culture |
| title_sort | postmodern messiahs the changing saviours of contemporary popular culture |
| topic | Religious change Postmodernism Popular culture Gender Women Media and religion |
| url | https://journal.fi/scripta/article/view/67351 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sofiasjo postmodernmessiahsthechangingsavioursofcontemporarypopularculture |