Re: Heroes within the Scapegoat Mechanism -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 19:27:26 02/03/08 Sun
Author: JD Reed
Subject: Re: Heroes within the Scapegoat Mechanism
In reply to: Shannon 's message, "Heroes within the Scapegoat Mechanism" on 13:50:09 01/29/08 Tue

I think the thing to remember here is that by "monstrous" Girard is often referring to things (or creatures) that blur the lines of definition between different qualities or other creatures, such as the minotaur. I think it is easy to see this in the terms of heroes, both in the classical sense and the modern sense. The heroes of old were men who, although seemingly like you and me, also had qualities that were part of what would be the divine (and this is even explicitly acknowledged in many of the Greek heroes who were demi-gods). Looking at modern times I would use the example of something like comic book heroes, who are hailed but oftentimes cause much hatred or discrimination in regular citizens because they do blur the lines of distinction (such as between a spider and a man or a bat and a man). I think this does play a part in double transference because it allows them to be a marginal character in the group that they are in. Additionally, there seems to be a precarious balance on the praise and scorn of heroes which seems recollective of the "ambivalence" that is often associated with the scapegoat. Perhaps these feelings and the activity of the "heroes" is variation on the scapegoat mechanism that is even more hidden behind the apparent actions.

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Replies:

Beowulf, Odysseus, and Gawain -- JPJ II, 20:13:47 02/03/08 Sun