Myths: The Magic Mirror We Need
I didn’t think I liked superhero movies. Then I took my daughter on a mother/daughter date to see Spider-Man: No Way Home and, well… I cried my eyes out. I’m currently giving them another chance. Truth be told, I still stand by my original opinion that these films are more often like rollercoasters than like true films. They’re an exciting, fun, thrilling ride, but I don’t think most of them tap into deeply relatable human experiences that the average Joe or Jane like you or I identify with. That’s certainly not the case with No Way Home. Why? Because it’s all about grief, about the fact that no one, not a single one of us, can truly escape its touch. The film spares no punches in telling the truth about that road. It’s lonely. There is no glory. And no one actually knows what you’re going through because no one loved your person exactly the way you did or had the moments with them that you had.
Consider this: What if part of what makes superhero movies so popular is that they’re the equivalent of ancient Greek myths? What if Batman, Spiderman, Joker, Hulk, Wonder Woman, the Avengers - what if they’re all essentially modern versions of powerful myths that have been around for centuries?
It makes sense when you break it down. Although the stories serve a different purpose today (the Greeks used the myths they created and passed down to explain natural phenomena like the seasons or what happens after death), all of the big important markers are still there. Like the Greek gods, our superheros are not like us. They may resemble us, but what sets them apart is that they’re different. They have powers we do not. They face daunting tasks or ridiculous odds. Sometimes they help humans, but sometimes they hurt humans too. Most importantly, in some of their stories, we see a blurred reflection of ourselves (PBS).
As one article puts it, “The admiring public responds to these blockbusters without realizing that they are just as much mythical epics as the trials of Hercules or the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts” (Electricka).
Myths are powerful because they provide potential answers to timeless questions (PBS). Questions like, what is vengeance? What responsibility do I have toward other people? If you save someone and they end up doing a terrible thing, is the lesson that you should not have saved them? Why are we the way we are? Is society and the system we live in a good thing or a bad thing? Should we try to rescue monsters or banish them for the pain they’ve caused?
The next time you sit down to a superhero movie, think about it through the myth lens and ask yourself, what big question does this story ask and try to answer?
References:
What is a myth? (n.d.). PBS. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/mythsandheroes/myths_what.html.
The importance and value of myth and mythology. (n.d.). Electricka. Retrieved from http://www.electricka.com/etaf/muses/mythology/mythology_popups/importance.htm.
Challenges/Points:
Superhero movies are very similar to ancient Greek myths that featured powerful gods.
What makes myths powerful are the questions they ask and what they show us about ourselves.
Myths may be an old concept but they are still important and relevant to today. They still influence and teach us.
Questions:
Are you familiar with any of the old, Greek myths? Which is your favorite?
How about superheros? Which character do you like best or see yourself in the most?
Are there any superhero stories (in film or comics) that made a particularly strong impression on you? Why was that?
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