The Hero and Hero-Making Across Genres

This book explores how heroes are constructed in contemporary cultures through diverse ideas from philosophy, myth, religion, literature, cinema, and social media. It examines the making and unmaking of heroes across literary, visual, and social cultures, including intersectional feminist representations, masculinity in sports biopics, and everyday heroes from the real to the reel. It is a stimulating work for scholars and researchers in English literature, postcolonial studies, cultural studies, film studies, media studies, literary and critical theory, arts and aesthetics, political sociology, and political philosophy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 250 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating book delves into the intricate processes of creating, sustaining, and even distorting heroes in contemporary cultures. It brings together a diverse range of ideas from philosophy, mythology, religion, literature, cinema, and social media to explore the construction of heroes across genres, mediums, and traditions. The essays within this volume offer fresh perspectives for readers to contemplate the vast possibilities associated with the term "hero." They examine the formation and deconstruction of heroes across literary, visual, and social cultures, including religious spaces, classical texts, folk tales, fairy tales, literature, as seen in works such as Heinrich Böll's "Und sagte kein einziges Wort," Thomas Brüssig's "Heroes like Us," and movies like Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar," Michel Gondry's "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," and the short film "When Dogs Fly." Additionally, the volume features nuanced discussions on intersectional feminist representations in hero movies, masculinity in sports biopics, the transition of everyday heroes from the real world to the reel, and other key themes.

A thought-provoking and stimulating work, this book serves as a valuable resource for scholars and researchers in the fields of English literature, postcolonial studies, cultural studies, film studies, media studies, literary and critical theory, arts and aesthetics, political sociology, and political philosophy. It sheds light on the mechanisms that shape heroes and provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of heroism in our modern world.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367363321