Myth
Over the last two years, I have seen a veritable phenomenon occurring in people being drawn into The Lord of the Rings. People I would never have expected are saying, "I need to read the book." People not normally keen on fantasy movies are loving these films. The appeal has been remarkable for women as well as men and across a wide span of ages. In the crowd I run with socially, the level of interest in the films is fever pitch. It is discussed and watched again and again; people talk about the images. It's in jokes; its lines are quoted. The enjoyment I have gotten from the films has been terrific. I have also gotten the chance to think about it in larger terms and seen how it relates to life and our own journeys through it.
I think the reason we go back to LOTR again and again is that it remarkably and beautifully dramatizes a tale that feeds into a much larger Myth, and that Myth is the reality we must believe in, else we must cease trying to be human. It moves the heart to those places we want to see it go. It helps us to see and feel the decisions that need to be made in our lives and gives a window of sight onto the mindset needed to make them. It evokes the aspirations we must have toward life. Sacrifice must be honored, courage must be possible, love must endure, those of faith must unite - all these are the "have-tos" we need out of life. If these cease to be important to us, then truly all is lost or never was. So in simplicity I think we go to see. I think we go to believe again. Myth of course is not absurd or fantasy. It is nothing like that. It is actually quite real. Myth pulls back the layer of what we normally see and allows us to peer into the true underlying nature of things. Where we see things the way they are, not the way they seem.
LOTR of course shows us wizards and heroes and warriors and other fantastical characters. Even if we never envision ourselves to be all of that, even if we never envision ourselves able to make the decision exhibited, to do what they do, we still want to live out the story's implications. Even if is only from the safety of the darkened movie theater with our friends around us. I did not say that the tales thrust us into the invisible reality. I say that they provide a window. The choice must still be made to enter.
I think all stories fall somewhere along the spectrum of true Myth. That is, they touch upon elements of myth in lighter or deeper shades or lighter or heavier measures. Where LOTR succeeds is in touching upon a multitude of those elements and doing so with beauty and clarity and class. I believe that there are great numbers of elements, and I feel that LOTR goes after so many that you can get the feeling that it says all. It's the feeling that you have really lived something out in your following the story onscreen.
And what are these mythic elements? Courage, valor, sacrifice, perseverance, awe, greatness, evil, grace, undefeatable-ness, wisdom, skill, fellowship, will, keeping a light heart, effort, innocence, survival, etc., etc. - all these are attributes of the characters. There are also more fluid elements woven into a story: reward, defeat, struggle, reunion, grief, uniting, hope, triumph, restoration, culture - all these combine to form the environment of the story, its quality, its tenor. And there are elements in the storytelling themselves: adventure, music, suspense. A story thus becomes successful in how well it incorporates and expresses these elements - with integrity, beauty, vision, and enjoyability.
Where people's complaints come in on this trilogy is mostly how well the makers attained to or presented these elements. And its praises come in at the overall feeling produced, with it being impossible to succeed in presenting a compelling whole without bringing in these mythic elements.
I will pick up this discussion in an upcoming post , try to flesh out some of these ideas, and then see if I can connect some of these thoughts back to a form where they can speak to our reality.
I think the reason we go back to LOTR again and again is that it remarkably and beautifully dramatizes a tale that feeds into a much larger Myth, and that Myth is the reality we must believe in, else we must cease trying to be human. It moves the heart to those places we want to see it go. It helps us to see and feel the decisions that need to be made in our lives and gives a window of sight onto the mindset needed to make them. It evokes the aspirations we must have toward life. Sacrifice must be honored, courage must be possible, love must endure, those of faith must unite - all these are the "have-tos" we need out of life. If these cease to be important to us, then truly all is lost or never was. So in simplicity I think we go to see. I think we go to believe again. Myth of course is not absurd or fantasy. It is nothing like that. It is actually quite real. Myth pulls back the layer of what we normally see and allows us to peer into the true underlying nature of things. Where we see things the way they are, not the way they seem.
LOTR of course shows us wizards and heroes and warriors and other fantastical characters. Even if we never envision ourselves to be all of that, even if we never envision ourselves able to make the decision exhibited, to do what they do, we still want to live out the story's implications. Even if is only from the safety of the darkened movie theater with our friends around us. I did not say that the tales thrust us into the invisible reality. I say that they provide a window. The choice must still be made to enter.
I think all stories fall somewhere along the spectrum of true Myth. That is, they touch upon elements of myth in lighter or deeper shades or lighter or heavier measures. Where LOTR succeeds is in touching upon a multitude of those elements and doing so with beauty and clarity and class. I believe that there are great numbers of elements, and I feel that LOTR goes after so many that you can get the feeling that it says all. It's the feeling that you have really lived something out in your following the story onscreen.
And what are these mythic elements? Courage, valor, sacrifice, perseverance, awe, greatness, evil, grace, undefeatable-ness, wisdom, skill, fellowship, will, keeping a light heart, effort, innocence, survival, etc., etc. - all these are attributes of the characters. There are also more fluid elements woven into a story: reward, defeat, struggle, reunion, grief, uniting, hope, triumph, restoration, culture - all these combine to form the environment of the story, its quality, its tenor. And there are elements in the storytelling themselves: adventure, music, suspense. A story thus becomes successful in how well it incorporates and expresses these elements - with integrity, beauty, vision, and enjoyability.
Where people's complaints come in on this trilogy is mostly how well the makers attained to or presented these elements. And its praises come in at the overall feeling produced, with it being impossible to succeed in presenting a compelling whole without bringing in these mythic elements.
I will pick up this discussion in an upcoming post , try to flesh out some of these ideas, and then see if I can connect some of these thoughts back to a form where they can speak to our reality.
Labels: Lord of the Rings
posted by David at 5:32 PM
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