Heroes and VillainsHercules, James Bond, Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Buffy Summers, Spiderman, Dr Who, Darth Vader, Voldemort. 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 and literature. 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. |
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Page 26
This theme comes to a powerful conclusion in the last series where Buffy
frequently makes this point in connection with her sole responsibility for the
deaths of those around her, but also in the way that the tradition of the solitary
Slayer is ...
This theme comes to a powerful conclusion in the last series where Buffy
frequently makes this point in connection with her sole responsibility for the
deaths of those around her, but also in the way that the tradition of the solitary
Slayer is ...
Page 57
... the difference between Superman and the Batman reflects one of the
fundamental tensions within the heroic character - and brings us back to the Stan
Lee quote on Spiderman referred to earlier - that between power and
responsibility.
... the difference between Superman and the Batman reflects one of the
fundamental tensions within the heroic character - and brings us back to the Stan
Lee quote on Spiderman referred to earlier - that between power and
responsibility.
Page 66
alone and without help, engaged in a world for which I bear the whole
responsibility without being able, whatever I do, to tear myself away from this
responsibility for an instant . . . To make myself passive in the world, to refuse to
act upon ...
alone and without help, engaged in a world for which I bear the whole
responsibility without being able, whatever I do, to tear myself away from this
responsibility for an instant . . . To make myself passive in the world, to refuse to
act upon ...
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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 absolute alien Anakin Skywalker argues armour Batman beast become behaviour Boromir Buffy Buffy Summers Campbell 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 Jedi Kant Kid Marvelman kill knowledge lives Lord Luke Skywalker Marvel Comics means moral nature never Nietzsche notion 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 hero super powered Superman theme things thinkers tradition transcendence truth Vampire Slayer
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 |