The Return of a Genre
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23738762 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jerry Benjamin Pierce |
| Year | 2017 |
| Pages | 233-251 |
| Publication date | 2017-07-13 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | OTHER |
| Venue | A Companion to Ancient Greece and Rome on Screen (JOURNAL) |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/9781118741382.ch10 |
| OpenAlex | W2624551588 |
| ISBN | 9781118741382 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 7 |
In 2000, Ridley Scott's Gladiator unexpectedly revived the classical epic genre that had lain dormant for close to forty years. In reviving the classical epic, Gladiator also resuscitated several thematic tropes about the ancient world. These themes include the gaudy decadence and political corruption of the elites, sexual deviance and the exploitation of the disadvantaged and powerless. Decadence, opulence and excess have been associated with antiquity, especially Rome, since the earliest films to show the corruption and depravity of the political elite. Subsequent films of the 1950s and 1960s continued the theme of classical decadence. Despite the revival of many classical themes and tropes in the new round of epics, there have been several new developments that indicate substantial changes to the traditional narrative, many of which are found in the serialized productions such as Rome and Spartacus. One change is that sexuality, both positive and negative, is much more visible on screen.
Art · Decadence · Elite · EPIC · Language change · Literature · Narrative · Political science · Politics · Theme (computing) · Vulgarity · History · Law · Shakespeare, Adaptation, and Literary Criticism
| Citations per year | 0.33 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2023 - 2023 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |