Several aspects of mythology, superheroes, and diversity exist in modern society. Both in film and literature documentaries, authors seek to explore various facets of knowledge about human values, myths, and beliefs as portrayed in the case study essays. Gender notions and culture seem to dominate the authors’ perceptions, although illustrated differently by authors. From the list of essays, I liked Rei Wolfshon’s narrative the most because of its contextual illustration. In this film, Odin’s rule and Thor’s succession are master class illustrations of community values, culture, gender, and human development. Contrariwise, I least liked Hollywood essays on culture because it is difficult to understand and is not that interesting.
The film Thor: Ragnarok – Reconstructing Masculine Identity + Divinity presents interesting notions of how gender and culture are showcased in different social backgrounds. Accordingly, Rei provides an organization of how the movie unfolds with aspects of gender, masculinity, and feminism well illustrated. The masculine people were portrayed as strong and glorious in this society. They were to be the primary leaders whose influence and decisions were pivotal in social development. Several aspects of their worth depended on both physical looks and inner abilities. In essence, such notions exist in several communities around the universe.
Culturally, gender roles seem to be defined by masculinity or feminism. The masculine is believed to have divine strength that emanates from supernatural beings. They are to protect and defend the rights of their people. Interestingly, the characters in Thor and Loki help the audience to understand how cultures may force people to act in a certain way. The strong ties and beliefs that bring people together form the foundations upon which individuals can make decisions about their destinies. Thus, family and relationships seem to be the foundation of all gender roles as defined by culture.
Nonetheless, all the films, in this case, have interesting facts about social order and characteristic determinants of development. Thor, as Odin’s son, faced an identity crisis in several ways within the play. Essentially, he only begins to recognize his masculinity attributes upon the death of his father. His encounter with the skeleton helps to disclose the concept of inheritance in character and behavior. In modern times, too, people may not understand what society demands of them until they face a crisis.
There are several other illustrations that can also help to understand the heritage and social norms. Thor’s family lineage is a complete picture of what many kingships practices. As the son inherits the father’s throne, several variables are portrayed. Accordingly, women were never depicted as potential leaders in this community. Their roles are predominantly defined by the presence of man in their lives; they act and follow orders as instructed. Thus, there is a need for gender mainstreaming in such communities. People need to redefine values and virtues to ensure there is an inclusive approach to such problems.
To conclude, the presented essays have a massive influence on how societies perceive various concepts of gender roles, culture, and values that bind human beings. Ideally, there is a need to explore all the tools used in showcasing some of the underlying issues in societies. Both the figurative language and the surface meanings of the diction used in these films help to indicate the dynamism of humanity. There are wide-ranging diversity elements across societies, even in the contemporary world. Thus, one needs to approach such premises with an open mind.
References
Bland, Archie. “Comic Book Superheroes: The Gods of Modern Mythology.” The Guardian, 2018. Web.
Haynes, Natalie. “Before Marvel and DC: Superheroes of the Ancient World.” BBC Culture, 2015. Web.
Wolfsohn, Rei. “Thor: Ragnarok — Reconstructing Masculine Identity + Divinity.” Medium, 2021. Web.
Williams, Zoe. “Why Wonder Woman Is a Masterpiece of Subversive Feminism.” The Guardian, 2018. Web.
Schrobsdorff, Susanna. “Wonder Woman: A Perfect Paradox for the Generation That Expects to Have It All.” Time, 2017. Web.