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Heroes and villains

Front Cover
3 Reviews
Baylor University Press, 2006 - Philosophy - 158 pages
Hercules, Jesus, James Bond, Luke Skywalker, Gandalf, Frodo, Harry Potter, Buffy Summers, Spiderman, Batman, Captain Kirk, Dr. Who, Darth Vader, Sauron, Voldemort, Lex Luthor, Dr. Doom, the Daleks, the Borg. Almost anybody living in the developed West would be able to group these individuals into two camps: the heroes and the villains. However, what criteria they may use to do this is less clear.


Mike Alsford introduces us to a range of heroic and villainous archetypes on a journey through film, television, comic books, and literature. On the way, he addresses questions such as: What is a true hero? What is a true villain? Have we misunderstood these terms? What kind of societal values do our mythical heroes and villains represent? In trying to understand the extremes of hero and villain we are made more aware of our own ethical standards and given a space in which to explore contemporary concerns over notions of right and wrong, good and bad.

  

What people are saying - Write a review

Review: Heroes and Villains

User Review  - Jeffery Moulton - Goodreads

Amazing book. Alsford's style and insight into heroes, villains, and life are priceless. One of the best books I've ever read. Read full review

Review: Heroes and Villains

User Review  - Veronica Tabares - Goodreads

Had a lot of great information, but not the easiest book to read. Read full review

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Selected pages

Contents

Myth and Imagination
1
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
63
Villains Monsters and Evil Masterminds
95
Conclusion
123
Notes
141
Further Reading and Viewing
151
Index of Selected Thinkers and Authors
155
Index of Selected Heroes and Villains
157
Index of Selected Themes and Subjects
159
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Heroes and villains
Heroes and villains
Mike Alsford
Snippet view - 2006
Heroes and villains
Heroes and villains
Mike Alsford
Snippet view - 2006

Common terms and phrases

ability absolute alien Anakin Skywalker another’s argues armour Batman beast become behaviour Boromir Buffy Summers Campbell Captain America Chapter character Christian Clark Kent classic concerning confronts consider course culture Daleks dark side DAVROS DC Comics death DELENN Doctor Doctor Doom dominate encounter Enlightenment ethical evil example existence existential experience explored face Fantastic Four fear feel Fichte fight film force freedom friends Galactus George Hegel heroes and villains heroic Hyde imagination individual issue Kant Kid Marvelman kill knowledge lives Lord Marvel Comics means moral nature never Nietzsche notion one’s ourselves parents person philosopher Plato portrayed possess rational reason recognised responsibility rest of humanity Ring Saruman Sauron seen sense simply Skywalker social soul Spiderman Spike Stan Lee story stranger super powered Superheroes Superman theme things thinkers tradition transcendence truth ultimately Vampire Slayer

References to this book

References from web pages

Heroes and Villains. By Mike Alsford. -- Murdoch 21 (1): 105 ...
Heroes and Villains. By Mike Alsford. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 2006. xi + 159 pp. £10.95 (pbk). THIS ESSAY raises a number of interesting points ...
litthe.oxfordjournals.org/ cgi/ content/ full/ 21/ 1/ 105

ingentaconnect Heroes and Villains. By Mike Alsford.
Heroes and Villains. By Mike Alsford. Author: Murdoch, Brian. Source: Literature and Theology, Volume 21, Number 1, March 2007 , pp. 105-108(4) ...
www.ingentaconnect.com/ content/ oup/ litthe/ 2007/ 00000021/ 00000001/ art00105;jsessionid=4vj7r2h79i5gk.alexandra?format=...

Heroes and villains | Reference & Research Book News | Find ...
Heroes and villains from Reference & Research Book News in Reference provided free by Find Articles.
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Heroes and Villains（Heroes and Villains）. 楽天ブックス ... タイトル：Heroes and Villains：HEROES & VILLAINS. この商品の関連ジャンルです。 ...
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mike alsford libri - I Libri dell'autore: Mike Alsford ...
Heroes and Villains · Heroes and Villains di Mike Alsford - Baylor University Press - January 2007. Prezzo: € 19.61. Disponibilità: Normalmente disponibile ...
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About the author (2006)

Mike Alsford is Senior Lecturer in Theology at the University of Greenwich, London.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Heroes and villains
TitleHeroes and villains
AuthorMike Alsford
PublisherBaylor University Press, 2006
ISBN1932792929, 9781932792928
Length158 pages
Subjects › 

Philosophy / Good & Evil
Social Science / Popular Culture
  
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