Neil Gaiman and Modern Myth - Research Paper Example

?Client’s Neil Gaiman and Modern Myth Introduction The stories that Neil Gaiman writes are filled with mythological wonder where he draws from ancient stories in order to recreate them in ways that are modern and relevant. He is interested in the myths of religion and his work has religious based myths on which sociologically rendered worlds are created. Even in his short stories there is a sense that a complete universe with specific rules has been designed in order to give depth to the events that occur in his work. T. S. Eliot once wrote about the nature of writing and that in the act of writing, the past and the present merge. Gaiman creates worlds in which the past and the present come together in order to examine modern life in relationship to those belief systems that have come before and have influences on the present. Without the use of past texts in order to create his fantastical works, Gaiman’s work would not connect on the level that it currently does and not have the essence of human existence that is reflected in his work. Influence One of the things a good reader will notice about well written fiction is that it is founded on influences that are highly recognizable and filled with wonder that extends the work rather than burdening it with the words of others. Sometimes popular fiction will suddenly make a reference that has little meaning but adds a bit of pop culture flavor to the writing. This does not always enhance the writing, but will sometimes burden the reader as they try to decide what the author means and why it was necessary to increase the value of the writing. In the case of a really good writer, however, references from all time periods will flow into the work, creating depth and meaning that expands upon the writing rather than weighting it down. This is the skill with which Neil Gaiman delights his readers. Gaiman uses mythologies in order to expand the universes in which he places his stories. By referencing the worlds of ancient texts, he is enriching his work while giving it a very modern sense of the mythical world. The questions that are asked by using these worlds are answered through modernized prose in which vernacular language and modernized events are connected to aspects of the myths that he is using to enrich his work. Much of what is reflected in his work comes from Greek myths. The sense of multiple gods and complex mythologies, combined with emotions that are translated into the actions of those representing god-like manifestations provides an interesting backdrop to the work he creates. T. S. Elliot worked as an unassuming bank clerk by day, but by night was forging literary greatness as he created works that have inspired generations. Bloom writes that “Elliot’s aim was to compose an extended collection of poems that would denounce modern civilization and capture the disillusionment of his postwar generation” (Bloom 4). In discussing literature, the following quote can be attributed to him: Tradition is a matter of much wider significance. It cannot be inherited, and if you want it you must obtain it by great labour. It involves, in the first place, the historical sense, which we may call nearly indispensable to anyone who would continue to be a poet beyond his twenty-fifth year; and the historical sense involves a perception, not only of the pastness of the past, but of its presence; the historical sense compels a man to write not merely with his own generation in his bones, but with a feeling that the whole of the literature of Europe from Homer and within it the whole of the literature of his own country has a simultaneous existence and composes a simultaneous order (Eliot and Kermode 38). In a way, Eliot was commenting on the nature of time in that it is not so much a linear concept, but a loop in which all things of the past are present in how life is conducted. What was written in the past influences how what is written today manifests. Without mythologies of the past, the present has no real depth. A writer is both in their own moment and existing within the culmination of all literature that has been written and to which they have been exposed. In reading the work of Gaiman, the sense of time has the density that comes from including the past mythologies within modern contexts. One of the issues that Del Chrol mentions about the way in which the old religions are taught is that they are rarely looked at as religion, but more often considered literature. Greek mythologies are taught as stories of the Greeks, rather than connecting them to their rituals and rites (Del Chrol 485). In many ways, Gaiman reconnects these religions to their rites and celebrates them, even when darkly discussed. The concept of mythology is based on religious meaning and Gaiman uses both the literary and spiritual in order to create his cosmologies. Modern Mythology The literature that comes from the ancient Greeks is based upon the religions that were celebrated by them. Although the stories of the gods are the foundation for much of the literature written in Western societies, their origins lay in religious worship and they were created in order to explain the world in which the Greeks lived. Neil Gaiman is quoted as having said “I love religion and I love myth. People say ‘Why?’ and the only answer I can give them is because I am me” (Rauch 13). It appears to be in Gaiman’s nature to understand the religiosity of those myths and to dissect them and include moments of them in his works. Rauch speaks of Gaiman’s work as modern myth in which four functions of literary concern are addressed. The first is to create a sense of wonder. The second is to create a sense of cosmology. The third is to create a sense of sociology as it relates to religion and the final is to create a sense of psychology within his works. Rauch is very interested in the third function in which Gaiman does not really create social order, but creates a critique of social order while including in his work those who have been marginalized and are usually not a part of modern fiction. Even when he is not addressing the disenfranchised he is making commentary on social issues. In Stardust Gaiman uses fairytales and myths in order to reflect the Snow White fairytale in a modern retelling of the concept of women, age, and effect the male gaze. Cahil discusses that in the story there is the conflict between young women and older women that is based upon the envy of youth. There is the common concept of older women being representations of evil or witches and young women being the representation of what is good and pure. The young woman in this story is a literal star in the universe (Cahil 57). In a sense, the female specter of age is examined as they are in pursuit of the star in order to use her to restore their youth. The commentary has the unfortunate problem of playing into devaluing women as they age. Therefore, not all of his work can be said to be modernized and some of what he writes is misogynistic, which is also evident in his short story “Foreign Parts” which discusses themes of male masturbation and alienation from female companionship. “Only the End of the World Again” In the tale “Only the End of the World Again” Gaiman begins his mythology by describing the vomit of a werewolf, describing how he begins to deal with the aftermath of the former night’s experiences (141). He creates the sense of wonder as he casually lumps the paw of a dog in with the fingers of a child as part of the elements that make up his vomit. The writing is straight forward, seeking the attention of the male child which can be felt by all the readers. It is likely that even women see the male perspective as they are titillated by the contents of his vomit, the image of young boys and the way they talk about bodily functions coming to mind. Wonder is established immediately in this tale. References to the Elder Gods in the story create a sense of cosmology. The religious nature of the story is immediately clear and there is a direct connection between the whims of gods and the characters. The story goes on to be a tale of religious moments in which the end of the world is intended, but through which heroism is somewhat found in the main character who fights to survive so that the people cannot bring about the end of the world. Commentaries about the sociological issue of religion are found in the story as the ‘madness’ of believers come into conflict with the wolf. The use of the wolf can also be associated to existing mythologies as in the stories of Ragnorok where Fenrir the wolf swallows the sun, plunging the land into darkness. As well, Jormumgard, the World Serpent rises from the sea and spews poison into the air in the stories of Ragnorok which come from Norse traditions (Stookey 19). When Gaiman writes about ‘elder gods’ he is referring to gods from Greek mythology. These gods were the titans such as Cronus and the even older god Uranus. Bringing them back would refer to chaos in the human world, thus Gaiman’s use of the reference would be in line with his use ‘elder gods’ in order to destroy humanity. “The Sweeper of Dreams” The short story “The Sweeper of Dreams” reflects the difference between accepting life and fighting it. In the story the mythical creature called the ‘sweeper’ comes into the dreams of people and sweeps them away. This leaves them without the worries that are reflected in those dreams. The end of this very short story states that if someone does something that the ‘sweeper’ does not like, the creature will no longer sweep away their dreams, leaving them inside them which will cause worry and possibly even madness (Gaiman 190-191). This story and characterization is based on the Greek god Somnus who was gruff and also judgmental, giving the wicked terrible dreams and giving soothing dreams to those who were good. The creature that Gaiman creates has tattoos and seems more like a biker than what might be traditionally associated with dreams. The Greek god Somnus and his purpose in dreams have been found in countless poems, but his name and his purpose have not always been clear. He is not one of the more popular Greek gods and therefore, despite the themes he represents, is not always directly recognized. Therefore, despite the similarity between Gaiman’s creature and the Greek god, it is not expressly stated that this is the Greek god. Neverwhere The book Neverwhere is actually a book that was created from the television mini-series of the same name that was broadcast on the BBC. Gaiman wrote both and the fictionalized version creates a lovely novel that might be seen to far exceed that of the mini-series. The story is about a man who ends up in an alternative universe which is called ‘London Below’. ‘London Below’ is a place which is a reflection of London, but takes many of the names to be literal and personifies them. There are reflections of a number of different myths in the story and the intertwining of Greek, British, and general human myths that have been passed down can be seen in the work. Hunter might be considered Artemis or Diana from the Greek and Roman goddess. She is a huntress, but also has a bit of Captain Ahab from Moby Dick in her as she has an obsession with a single monster. The journey of the underworld and of the main character, Richard Mayhew, can be considered similar to that of many of the Greek characters that have taken journeys through the underworld. The struggle between death and life and the desire to create a way back home are all explored through this wonderful tale of an alternate life. One of the things that is explored in this tale is that of poverty and the disenfranchisement of individuals who cannot live comfortably in society. Poverty is a little like being lost in the world because the things that most people participate in are inaccessible. What people want most when they exist within this alternate reality of poverty is to get back into the world, especially when they did not begin in the space of poverty. In this story, the struggle to be a part of the world when one has become disenfranchised is the core of the story, the myths and legends surrounding the work enriching it with their human appeal. That is what myths, fairytales, and religion do for human life. It gives it depth so that the meaning on the surface can become something more immersive. The theme of poverty is given relativity because it is surrounded by human based myths that provide context for the emotions that are experienced in the work. Myths provide context for emotions and explain how and why they are experienced. One of the primary reasons that myths are now discussed in literary terms is that even though the rites and rituals have no meaning, the stories still touch on the fears, joys, and wonder of human life. Using them in stories like Neverwhere allows the writer to express a deeper sense of these shared histories so that the reader can become even more in touch with the experience of the universe that has been created. Conclusion The use of known myths and stories is a way for a writer to create a more developed story that is both familiar and new at the same time. Just as Eliot wrote, the nature of writing is to touch with known mythologies and to create a connection to the past as it is present in the moment. All things occur at one time in the act of using the past to inform the present in a written work. Gaiman uses his knowledge of myth and religion in order to create universes in which wondrous events occur. He creates commentary on the state of the world, and provides a better explanation of the world, thus supporting the modern myth ethos. Using myths and literature of the past, Gaiman creates a perspective on modern life that is both fresh and connected to the past. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. T.s. Eliot. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2003. Print. Brennan, J K. The World's Progress: With Illustrative Texts from Masterpieces of Egyptian, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Modern European and American Literature. Chicago: Delphian Society, 1913. Print. Cahill, Susan. "Through the Looking Glass: Fairy-Tale Cinema and the Spectacle of Femininity in Stardust and The Brothers Grimm." Marvels & Tales 24.1 (2010): 57-67. Del Chrol, E. "Pandora In The Secondary and Post-Secondary Classroom." The Classical Journal 107.4 (2012): 483-498. Duncan, Randy, and Matthew J. Smith. Icons of the American Comic Book: From Captain America to Wonder Woman. Santa Barbara, Calif: Greenwood, 2013. Print. Eliot, T S, and Frank Kermode. Selected Prose of T.s. Eliot. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1975. Print. Gaiman, Neil. Neverwhere: A Novel. New York: PerfectBound, 2001. Print. Gaiman, Neil. Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions. New York: Avon Books, 2005. Print. Harding, Caroline H. Stories of Greek Gods, Heroes, and Men: A Primer of the Mythology and History of the Greeks. Chicago: Scott, Foresman, 1898. Print. Rauch, Stephen. Neil Gaiman's the Sandman and Joseph Campbell: In Search of the Modern Myth. Holicong, PA: Wildside Press, 2003. Print. Stookey, Lorena L. Thematic Guide to World Mythology. Westport, Conn: Greenwood press, 2004. Print. Read More