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Heroism in the matrix : an interpretation of Neo's heroism through the philosophies of Nietzsche and Chesterton
Dissertation (MA (Visual Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
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| Format: | Thesis |
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University of Pretoria
2013
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| _version_ | 1867613557229617152 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Van Eeden, Jeanne |
| author_browse | Van Eeden, Jeanne |
| author_facet | Van Eeden, Jeanne |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © University of Pretoria 2007 E771 / |
| description | Dissertation (MA (Visual Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/26562 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:38:02.052Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publishDateRange | 2013 |
| publishDateSort | 2013 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/26562 Heroism in the matrix : an interpretation of Neo's heroism through the philosophies of Nietzsche and Chesterton Van Eeden, Jeanne duncan.reyburn@gmail.com Reyburn, Duncan Eternal return Chesterton Gk The matrix reloaded Superman Ubermensch Soteriology Perspectivism Nietzsche friedrich Monomyth The matrix revolutions Visual culture Wachowski brothers Will to power Eternal revolution Heroic jouney Heroism The matrix UCTD Dissertation (MA (Visual Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007. This study explores the representation of the hero in Lawrence and Andrew Wachowski’s Matrix film trilogy, which comprises The Matrix (Wachowski, Wachowski&Silver 1999), Matrix Reloaded (Wachowski, Wachowski&Silver 2003a) and The Matrix Revolutions (Wachowski, Wachowski&Silver 2003b). Special reference is made to how Neo embodies a postmodern view of heroism. This implies an exploration into the relationship between Neo, the protagonist and hero in the Matrix trilogy, and his mythological predecessors, as well as the relationship between the representation of Neo and ideas concerning heroism. In order to further understand the nature of heroism in the Matrix trilogy, the ideas of two philosophers, namely Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) and Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936), are explored and compared. It is argued in this study that the heroism presented to the viewer by the Matrix trilogy can be interpreted as being representative of the meeting of the apparently contradictory ideas of these two philosophers. Both of these philosophers, though striving for a heroic ideal, arrived at vastly different conclusions. This study, whilst considering the nature of heroism in these two views, also seeks offer an examination of the relationship that Nietzsche’s and Chesterton’s writings have to one another. This examination is not an attempt to take sides with either of these philosophers, but merely to point out certain aspects of their two distinctive viewpoints as they relate to the films in question. This study especially seeks to investigate the claim that Neo is the embodiment of the Übermensch, the figure that most clearly resembles Nietzsche’s heroic ideal. Chesterton’s views of heroism are referred to in order to counter-balance and contextualise Nietzsche’s views on this. Mainly ethical aspects of the character and narrative of the hero are focused on in this study in order to show, firstly, that these more abstract aspects are implicit in the representation of the hero in the Matrix trilogy, and secondly, that the hero belongs to a moral taxonomy. The final aim of this study is to present a coherent view of the many facets of heroism that incorporates an assessment of how philosophy, ideology and semiology underpin the visual. Visual Arts unrestricted 2013-09-07T06:36:32Z 2008-08-04 2013-09-07T06:36:32Z 2007-09-05 2007 2008-07-23 Dissertation a 2007 E771 /gm http://hdl.handle.net/2263/26562 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07232008-104531/ © University of Pretoria 2007 E771 / application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Eternal return Chesterton Gk The matrix reloaded Superman Ubermensch Soteriology Perspectivism Nietzsche friedrich Monomyth The matrix revolutions Visual culture Wachowski brothers Will to power Eternal revolution Heroic jouney Heroism The matrix UCTD Heroism in the matrix : an interpretation of Neo's heroism through the philosophies of Nietzsche and Chesterton |
| title | Heroism in the matrix : an interpretation of Neo's heroism through the philosophies of Nietzsche and Chesterton |
| title_full | Heroism in the matrix : an interpretation of Neo's heroism through the philosophies of Nietzsche and Chesterton |
| title_fullStr | Heroism in the matrix : an interpretation of Neo's heroism through the philosophies of Nietzsche and Chesterton |
| title_full_unstemmed | Heroism in the matrix : an interpretation of Neo's heroism through the philosophies of Nietzsche and Chesterton |
| title_short | Heroism in the matrix : an interpretation of Neo's heroism through the philosophies of Nietzsche and Chesterton |
| title_sort | heroism in the matrix an interpretation of neo s heroism through the philosophies of nietzsche and chesterton |
| topic | Eternal return Chesterton Gk The matrix reloaded Superman Ubermensch Soteriology Perspectivism Nietzsche friedrich Monomyth The matrix revolutions Visual culture Wachowski brothers Will to power Eternal revolution Heroic jouney Heroism The matrix UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/26562 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07232008-104531/ |