The Star Wars Trilogy and the Epic Tradition

2574 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Comparisons

The Star Wars Trilogy and the Epic Tradition

The Star Wars Trilogy seems to embody within the form of cinema many of the classic elements of epic. In tracing the English epic from the Homeric odes to Tom Jones on the large screen and observing the various forms of epic development in response to changing cultural needs, it shows how the Star Wars Trilogy shares the purposes and cultural functions as well as the devices of traditional epic. And by connecting these films to epic, I hope to illuminate how the evolving genre of epic may assume the cinematic form.

Thomas E. Maresca calls the epic tradition "a precise body of subject matter and form capable of manifesting itself in many guises" (Maresca 26). The trilogy must match its guise of sci-fi/action movie to the structures of epic such as a closed linguistic system, a symmetry to its parts and an epic manner or style. Second, the narrative subject should be large and heroic, one where the cosmos itself is the stake. Or is Star Wars a work "Slight of Subject" as Pope referred to his own mock epic, The Rape of the Lock (I: line 5)? Lastly, if epic concerns itself with "the City of man in this world," and if epic serves to both formulate and preserve civilization's knowledge and beliefs as central cultural positions, how does the trilogy inform "the condition of human life" and what influences are demonstrated in the film narrative? This essay will offer evidence that the Star Wars Trilogy is potentially a new manifestation of the epic tradition.

The epic is by definition long, and the three Star Wars films take over six hours to view. The first film, subtitled A New Hope, is listed as episode IV, implying three preceding chapt...

... middle of paper ...

...etry and Prose of Alexander Pope.Ed. Aubrey Williams. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1969.

Editor's Notes

*That is, different objects and characters are understood to stand for an idea -- Guyon, the Knight in Book II, for example, represents temperance, the virture he is pursuing. Acrasia, the villianess of that Book, represents lust and excess. The use of allegory like this probably developed from the belief that the best works of art instructed while they entertained. Allegory provides a way to do both.

**To be palindromatic, a work must mirror itself. Star Wars has many scenes which reflect one another: Luke and Leia's swing to safety in both A New Hope and Return of the Jedi, the Cantina scene and Jabba's Palace, R2D2 and C3P0's trek across the desert, Luke and Leia's holographic messages and Ben and Luke's Jedi mind tricks.

Show More
Related

  • 'The Odyssey And' O Brother, Where Art Thou?

    1413 Words  | 3 Pages

    Pop culture’s mythology theory is used in many forms of media today, from The Legend of Zelda in video games to “Harry Potter in books. One example of usage of the mythology theory is the 1996 movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou? directed by Joel Coen. This movie is based off Homer’s epic poem, “The Odyssey.” There are many similarities between the two, yet at the same time, there are many differences.

    Read More

  • The Use of Classical Hollywood Theory in Die Hard

    574 Words  | 2 Pages

    Beginning the mid 1920s, Hollywood’s ostensibly all-powerful film studios controlled the American film industry, creating a period of film history now recognized as “Classical Hollywood”. Distinguished by a practical, workmanlike, “invisible” method of filmmaking- whose purpose was to demand as little attention to the camera as possible, Classical Hollywood cinema supported undeviating storylines (with the occasional flashback being an exception), an observance of a the three act structure, frontality, and visibly identified goals for the “hero” to work toward and well-defined conflict/story resolution, most commonly illustrated with the employment of the “happy ending”. Studios understood precisely what an audience desired, and accommodated their wants and needs, resulting in films that were generally all the same, starring similar (sometimes the same) actors, crafted in a similar manner. It became the principal style throughout the western world against which all other styles were judged. While there have been some deviations and experiments with the format in the past 50 plus ye...

    Read More

  • America’s Personal Values, Compared

    1187 Words  | 3 Pages

    Great Indian authors have written grand epics that depict heroic characters performing virtuous deeds. Many of these epic tales feature fearsome and godly battles, while others highlight the soft side of human emotions. Despite seemingly unrealistic characters such as talking hawks and ten-headed monsters, and unlikely conflicts that feature bloody battles, many of these grand epics display many traditional values that Americans value in modern society. When construing three particular celebrated Indian epics (“the Mahabharata,” “the Bhagavad-Gita,” and “the Ramayana”), readers would easily glean the values and belief system that Ancient Indian society held in high esteem many thousands of years ago. Moreover, by comparing and contrasting respective ideals and principles, similarities between Ancient Indians and Americans would come to surface.

    Read More

  • Fiscal Policy, Monetary Policy, and a Healthy Gross Domestic Product

    1730 Words  | 4 Pages

    Arestis, P., & Sawyer, M. (2010). The return of fiscal policy. Journal Of Post Keynesian Economics, 32(3), 327-346. .

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of The Star Wars Prequels

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    The original Star Wars trilogy was explicitly designed to capture and introduce the audience to a new film however the new Star Wars trilogy is clearly designed to please the fans and introduce a new generation to the Star Wars franchise. The films have been extremely popular with all cultures and ages for several decades. As well as being popular Star Wars also conveys many important elements. I believe one of the more prominent themes is the narrative which is displayed throughout the movies as the classic hero’s journey...

    Read More

  • The Formulaic and Episodic X-Files and Supernatural

    1337 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mittel, J., 2007. Film and Television Narrative. In: D. Herman, ed. 2007. The Cambridge Companion to Narrative. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.156-171.

    Read More

  • Modern Day Chinatown

    1619 Words  | 4 Pages

    Bone portrays an aspect of Chinatown that no history book or lesson can accomplish. By allowing readers to read through and live through the characters, readers viscerally grasp the tension and frustration of the characters as they each strive to find acceptance among themselves and family members, and to form an identity as either a Chinese or an American. Through harsh economic circumstances that require a father to work overseas and a mother to work in sweatshops to provide for the upbringing of their children, the experiences of the Leong family demonstrate the arduous life of immigrants. Also, the story of Ona and her subsequent suicide plays a key element in the story of the Leong family, allowing us to understand the social impact of her life as an Asian American and the ultimate complexities of life in Chinatown.

    Read More

  • Unmasking the Reality of Sex Trafficking: A Global Crisis

    1119 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Sex trafficking, along with labor trafficking, has been described as modern day slavery. It is the coerced commercial sexual exploitation of a human being, and is both an international and a national issue. Sex trafficking does not require a border crossing, but rather involves the forced sale of a human being for sex.” (Makatche, 2013) Sex trafficking industries may seem as if they only conduct business in poor foreign countries. The reality is that it is happening in every country and everywhere. Just as other illicit markets that sell and trade nuclear materials, illicit arms, drugs, or art and antiques; the markets that sell women and children for commercial sex are just as common.

    Read More

  • Monetary Policy

    1670 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the study of macroeconomics there are several sub factors that affect the economy either favorably or adversely. One dynamic of macroeconomics is monetary policy. Monetary policy consists of deliberate changes in the money supply to influence interest rates and thus the level of spending in the economy. “The goal of a monetary policy is to achieve and maintain price level stability, full employment and economic growth.” (McConnell & Brue, 2004).

    Read More

  • Current Monetary Policy Of The United States

    2057 Words  | 5 Pages

    The term Monetary policy refers to the method through which a country’s monetary authority, such as the Federal Reserve or the Bank of England control money supply for the aim of promoting economic stability and growth and is primarily achieved by the targeting of various interest rates. Monetary policy may be either contractionary or expansionary whereby a contractionary policy reduces the money supply, reduces the rate at which money is supplied or sets about an increase in interest rates. Expansionary policies on the other hand increase the supply of money or lower the interest rates. Interest rates may also be referred to as tight if their aim is to reduce inflation; neutral, if their aim is neither inflation reduction nor growth stimulation; or, accommodative, if aimed at stimulating growth. Monetary policies have a great impact on the economic stability of a country and if not well formulated, may lead to economic calamities (Reinhart & Rogoff, 2013). The current monetary policy of the United States Federal Reserve while being accommodative and expansionary so as to stimulate growth after the 2008 recession, will lead to an economic pitfall if maintained in its current state. This paper will examine this current policy, its strengths and weaknesses as well as recommendations that will ensure economic stability.

    Read More

  • Beverly Hills Cop, The Rock, Armageddon, and Top Gun

    3486 Words  | 7 Pages

    In this paper I will offer a structural analysis of the films of Simpson and Bruckheimer. In addition to their spectacle and typically well-crafted action sequences, Simpson/Bruckheimer pictures seem to possess an unconscious understanding of the zeitgeist and other cultural trends. It is this almost innate ability to select scripts that tap into some traditional American values (patriotism, individualism, and the obsession with the “new”) that helps to make their movies blockbusters.

    Read More

  • Star Wars Analysis

    1298 Words  | 3 Pages

    George Lucas wrote and directed Star Wars, he had tons of creative and production control just like Hitchcock. Furthermore, the film demonstrates his aesthetic vision through recurring themes of good verse evil, heroes fighting for good and saving the day. Lastly, the film demonstrates thematic and stylistic consistencies to create the meaningful narrative. One thing that stands out from Star Wars that illustrates George Lucas’ control over the production is the credits. He did not want the credits at the beginning of the film so the audience can focus on the narrative. In the late 1950’s the auteur theory was introduced to filmmaking which created a new way of making films. Auteur theory went against the classical narrative by focusing on realism. Auteur films had ambiguous endings, which deeper into the character’s physiological state. Even though, Star Wars demonstrates certain auteur elements, it does not go against the classical narrative. To conclude, Star Wars mixed classical Hollywood techniques with the auteur theory that lead to a different and unique way of making a

    Read More

  • The Epic of Gilgamesh is Truely an Epic

    1699 Words  | 4 Pages

    An epic is an extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero.   The main characteristics of an epic as a literary genre is that it is a long poem that tells a story, it contains an epic hero, its hero searches for immortality (but doesn't find it physically, only through fame), gods or other supernatural beings are interested and involved, and it delivers an historical message.  The Epic of Gilgamesh is classified as an epic because it fits all the characteristics of an epic as a literary genre.

    Read More

  • Human Trafficking

    1522 Words  | 4 Pages

    Human trafficking, or the selling and buying of people, is a well-hidden yet prominent issue within today’s society. It is both an immoral and horrific topic that needs brought to attention and dealt with. When human beings are manipulated into work, sexual servitude, or economic hardship, human trafficking is occurring. In the year of 2006, only one individual is convicted of human trafficking per 800 victims (UNGIFT). By looking at straight statistics, reasons human trafficking happens, and the toll it has on people, it is very clear that this is a major issue that is happening in our world.

    Read More

  • John Maynard Keynesian Government Intervention

    805 Words  | 2 Pages

    When focusing on real gross domestic product the stimulus helped increase it. The ARRA was signed into law by President Obama in February of 2009, it was in March of 2009 that the real gross domestic product began to increase once again after having plummeted drastically for the previous year. The real gross product was immediately affected by the ARRA making it a success in this aspect. However, when focusing on the civilian labor force it was also immediately impacted by the ARRA, however, the positive effects did not last as long as those for real gross domestic product. The civilian labor force in March of 2009 in thousands was roughly 154,000 by May of 2009 it increased in thousands to 154,747 but then began to decrease drastically once again. The civilian labor force has steadily increased since the recession reaching a high of 159,286 in thousands in March of 2016. The civilian labor force participation rate continued to decrease after the ARRA was signed from July of 2009 to December of 2009 the civilian labor force participation rate decreased by 1.1%. It has since continued to steadily decrease reaching a low of 62.4% in September of 2015. The civilian unemployment rate in March of 2009 was 8.7%, it continued to increase until October of 2009 where it reached 10%. The unemployment rate then began to slowly decrease. The unemployment rate stayed closer to 10% than dropping to or below 8.7%

    Read More

More about The Star Wars Trilogy and the Epic Tradition

Open Document