Heroes and VillainsHercules, Jesus, James Bond, Luke Skywalker, Gandalf, Frodo, Harry Potter, Buffy Summers, Spiderman, Batman, Captain Kirk, Dr Who, Darth Vader, Sauron, Voldemort, Lex Luther, Dr Doom, the Daleks, the Borg.Almost anybody living within the developed West would be able to group these individuals into two camps: the heroes and the villains. However, what criteria they might use to do this is less clear.Mike Alsford introduces us to a whole 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. |
From inside the book
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Page 29
Buffy manages to subdue Glory at which point Ben regains control of the shared body and Buffy walks away . ... during her fight with Buffy , Rupert Giles – Buffy's mentor and ersatz father figure approaches : GILES : Can you move ?
Buffy manages to subdue Glory at which point Ben regains control of the shared body and Buffy walks away . ... during her fight with Buffy , Rupert Giles – Buffy's mentor and ersatz father figure approaches : GILES : Can you move ?
Page 30
The only way to seal the portal is by a blood sacrifice from Buffy's sister or someone related to her . Buffy hurls herself into the rift closing it and ending her life . As she falls we hear her last words to her sister : BUFFY : Dawn ...
The only way to seal the portal is by a blood sacrifice from Buffy's sister or someone related to her . Buffy hurls herself into the rift closing it and ending her life . As she falls we hear her last words to her sister : BUFFY : Dawn ...
Page 31
His frequent encounters with Buffy lead him , eventually , through a quest for his immortal soul which threatens to topple him over into permanent insanity . The scenes in the final series where Spike is half mad with remorse are among ...
His frequent encounters with Buffy lead him , eventually , through a quest for his immortal soul which threatens to topple him over into permanent insanity . The scenes in the final series where Spike is half mad with remorse are among ...
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Contents
Heroes and Otherness | 23 |
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility | 63 |
Villains Monsters and Evil Masterminds | 95 |
Copyright | |
1 other sections not shown
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Common terms and phrases
ability action actually Adolf Hitler appear argues Batman beast become believe Buffy called Chapter character Christian classic clearly comes comic concerning confronts consider course culture dark death DELENN desire develop Doctor dominate encounter establish ethical evil example existence experience face fact fear feel fight figure finally force freedom friends George give hand hero heroic human imagination important individual issue Kant kill knowledge less lives look Marvel Comics matter means mind moral nature never notion observation once ourselves parents particular person philosopher political possess question rational reason reference regarded responsibility rest Ring seems seen sense side significant simply social speak Spiderman stand story stranger super Superman things true truth ultimately understand villain whole
Bibliographic information
| Title | Heroes and Villains |
| Author | Mike Alsford |
| Publisher | Darton, Longman & Todd, 2006 |
| ISBN | 0232525730, 9780232525731 |
| Length | 158 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |