Starting with a personal definition of ＂myth＂, this paper seeks to substantiate the claim that every myth is essentially etiological, in the sense that myths somehow express a cosmogony or an eschatology, whether pa...Starting with a personal definition of ＂myth＂, this paper seeks to substantiate the claim that every myth is essentially etiological, in the sense that myths somehow express a cosmogony or an eschatology, whether particular or universal. In order to do that, this study reassesses Classical and Judeo-Christian mythologies to revisit and contrast the narratives of origin--of the cosmos, of the gods and of men--found in ancient polytheism and in Judeo-Christian monotheism. Taking into consideration how these general and particular cosmogonies convey a specific understanding of the passage of time, this article does not merely recount the cosmogonies, theogonies, and anthropogonies found in the Bible and in the works of authors from Classical Antiquity, but it also incorporates a critical commentary on pieces of art and literature that have reinterpreted such mythical tales in more recent times The result of the research is the disclosure of a sort of universal etiology that may be found in mythology which, as argued, explains the origins of the world, of the gods, and of men so as to satisfy humankind＇s ambition to unveil the mysteries of the cosmos. Myth thus functions in these cases as a vehicle that makes it possible for man to return the fullness of a primordial age, abandoning the fleeting time that entraps him and entering a time still absolute展开更多
Eros and Thanatos are the forces of life and death. The Ancient Greek Philosophers never showed the two gods together. Nevertheless, in the main myths related to the netherworld such as those of Orpheus or Persephone,...Eros and Thanatos are the forces of life and death. The Ancient Greek Philosophers never showed the two gods together. Nevertheless, in the main myths related to the netherworld such as those of Orpheus or Persephone, the two gods are in a continuous fight which has determined the human condition until nowadays. The author wishes in this paper to examine how the Orpheus＇ myth related to the duality Eros and Thanatos is treated in Theo Angelopoulos＇ world and especially how it appears in Ulysses＇ Gaze （1995） and Trilogy： The Weeping Meadow （2004） and Dust of Time （2008）. In this last Angelopoulos＇ Trilogy, we will search the unfolds of the love story of two young people started in Odessa in 1918 and finished by the death of the woman at the end of the century, under the lens of the duality Eros and Thanatos as literal and metaphorical qualities. The historical and personal adventures of the two characters represent a daedal itinerary from East to West, which offers multiple levels of reading of the filmic texts. A comparative approach with myth, literature, and historical research will demonstrate the richness of artistic expression and a profound relationship of Angelopoulos＇ thought with the formulaic myths he introduces in his filmic work.展开更多
文摘Starting with a personal definition of ＂myth＂, this paper seeks to substantiate the claim that every myth is essentially etiological, in the sense that myths somehow express a cosmogony or an eschatology, whether particular or universal. In order to do that, this study reassesses Classical and Judeo-Christian mythologies to revisit and contrast the narratives of origin--of the cosmos, of the gods and of men--found in ancient polytheism and in Judeo-Christian monotheism. Taking into consideration how these general and particular cosmogonies convey a specific understanding of the passage of time, this article does not merely recount the cosmogonies, theogonies, and anthropogonies found in the Bible and in the works of authors from Classical Antiquity, but it also incorporates a critical commentary on pieces of art and literature that have reinterpreted such mythical tales in more recent times The result of the research is the disclosure of a sort of universal etiology that may be found in mythology which, as argued, explains the origins of the world, of the gods, and of men so as to satisfy humankind＇s ambition to unveil the mysteries of the cosmos. Myth thus functions in these cases as a vehicle that makes it possible for man to return the fullness of a primordial age, abandoning the fleeting time that entraps him and entering a time still absolute
文摘Eros and Thanatos are the forces of life and death. The Ancient Greek Philosophers never showed the two gods together. Nevertheless, in the main myths related to the netherworld such as those of Orpheus or Persephone, the two gods are in a continuous fight which has determined the human condition until nowadays. The author wishes in this paper to examine how the Orpheus＇ myth related to the duality Eros and Thanatos is treated in Theo Angelopoulos＇ world and especially how it appears in Ulysses＇ Gaze （1995） and Trilogy： The Weeping Meadow （2004） and Dust of Time （2008）. In this last Angelopoulos＇ Trilogy, we will search the unfolds of the love story of two young people started in Odessa in 1918 and finished by the death of the woman at the end of the century, under the lens of the duality Eros and Thanatos as literal and metaphorical qualities. The historical and personal adventures of the two characters represent a daedal itinerary from East to West, which offers multiple levels of reading of the filmic texts. A comparative approach with myth, literature, and historical research will demonstrate the richness of artistic expression and a profound relationship of Angelopoulos＇ thought with the formulaic myths he introduces in his filmic work.
