Ancient Egypt and the Gothic go well together – or to be more precise, modern images of what most consider to be a magical and enchanted, rather exotic period in history appear to find their most touching expression in what is widely considered to be a typical gothic manner of representation.
This paper deals with Stephen Sommers’s movie “The Mummy”, released in 1999 (c.f. International Movie Database, IMDb). It might be considered a Blockbuster, as it was able to not only regain but more than double its budget within the opening weekend alone (c.f. ibid.). What are the reasons for such a success? Two of them may already be found in the opening sentences of this introduction – “The Mummy” successfully unites both the audience’s visions of ancient Egypt and a typical – covert, but still tangible – gothic way of narration and style. However, another layer has been added that seems to have contributed to the movie’s success at international box-offices: the idea of an eternal love obviously doomed from its very beginning. It is this fatal love between a high priest and the Pharaoh’s mistress that represents the center of this paper’s argumentation. It will be examined whether this love can be called the “prima causa” (Conrad 1973: 17) of the catastrophe that follows it. Furthermore, it will be shown how well the love-story fits into the film’s general story and to its gothic appeal.
In preparation for this discussion, the paper enlists criteria of what is considered being a representative gothic novel and compares these criteria with characteristics of the movie. Additionally, the movie’s villainous couple and their love will be examined: Can he be seen as a typical gothic villain and is he “a se” (ibid: 18) evil or are the origins of his villainy to be sought in his environment? Does she truly love him or only see him as her possibility to oppose society and escape into a better future? In this context, the paper will also explore some current theories about the Byronic hero and heroine and their representation in literature. Again, the characteristics of this literary figure will be listed and compared to those of Imhotep and Anck Su Namun – it will then be examined whether the two of them can be read as such archetypes of literature.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- 1. What is gothic?
- 1.1 Characteristics of gothic fiction
- 1.2 Transferring gothic characteristics to “The Mummy”
- 2. The Byronic hero
- 2.1 Imhotep as Byronic hero
- 2.2 Doomed love in "The Mummy"
- 3. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper analyzes Stephen Sommers' 1999 film, "The Mummy," examining its success and exploring its connection to the gothic genre. It investigates whether the film's central doomed love story is the primary cause of the ensuing catastrophe and how this narrative fits within the broader gothic framework. The analysis compares the film's characteristics to established criteria of gothic fiction, focusing on the portrayal of the villainous couple and their relationship.
- The application of gothic conventions in a contemporary film setting.
- The portrayal of the villainous couple as Byronic heroes/heroines.
- The role of doomed love as a central driving force in the narrative.
- The exploration of themes of power imbalance and societal opposition.
- The analysis of the film's overall gothic mood and atmosphere.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Introduction: This introduction sets the stage for the analysis of "The Mummy" (1999), highlighting its unexpected combination of ancient Egypt and gothic themes, as well as its surprising box office success. The paper's central argument focuses on the doomed love story between Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun, exploring its role as a potential "prima causa" for the ensuing events. The methodology involves comparing the film's elements to established characteristics of gothic fiction, analyzing the villainous couple through the lens of the Byronic hero and heroine, and ultimately assessing whether the film can be legitimately interpreted as a modern take on gothic fiction.
1. What is gothic?: This chapter defines the gothic genre, moving beyond simplistic notions of ghosts and castles. It introduces the concept of an "identity theme," suggesting that a work's overall mood and atmosphere, rather than a strict adherence to specific elements, determine its classification as gothic fiction. The chapter then details key characteristics of gothic fiction, including the elegant and capable villain, the pure and innocent female victim, the constant struggle between them, the mysterious lair, and other less explicit elements like morally wrong family behaviors and the paradox of terror and pity. The chapter stresses that while some elements are crucial, the overall mood of the narrative is paramount in establishing the gothic atmosphere.
2. The Byronic hero: This chapter delves into the concept of the Byronic hero and heroine, examining their typical characteristics in literature and applying these criteria to the characters of Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun in "The Mummy." The analysis would likely explore whether Imhotep embodies traits like brooding intensity, rebellious nature, and a complex moral ambiguity. The chapter aims to assess whether the characters' actions and motivations align with established Byronic archetypes, contributing to the overall understanding of their roles in the film's gothic narrative.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Gothic fiction, "The Mummy" (1999), Byronic hero, doomed love, ancient Egypt, gothic conventions, villain, victim, power imbalance, narrative analysis, film analysis.
FAQ: Analysis of "The Mummy" (1999) and its Gothic Conventions
What is the overall purpose of this document?
This document provides a comprehensive preview of an academic paper analyzing the 1999 film "The Mummy" through the lens of Gothic fiction. It includes the table of contents, objectives, key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords. The analysis focuses on the film's connection to Gothic conventions, particularly exploring the portrayal of the villainous couple (Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun) and their doomed love story as central to the narrative's Gothic elements.
What are the key themes explored in the analysis of "The Mummy"?
The analysis explores several key themes, including: the application of Gothic conventions in a contemporary film setting; the portrayal of the villainous couple as Byronic heroes/heroines; the role of doomed love as a central driving force; the exploration of themes of power imbalance and societal opposition; and the analysis of the film's overall Gothic mood and atmosphere.
How does the analysis define the Gothic genre?
The analysis moves beyond simplistic definitions of the Gothic, emphasizing the importance of the overall mood and atmosphere ("identity theme") rather than strict adherence to specific elements like ghosts and castles. Key characteristics discussed include the elegant and capable villain, the pure and innocent female victim, their constant struggle, the mysterious lair, morally wrong family behaviors, and the paradox of terror and pity. The overall narrative mood is deemed paramount in establishing a Gothic atmosphere.
What is the role of the Byronic hero and heroine in the analysis?
The analysis examines the concept of the Byronic hero and heroine, applying these criteria to Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun. It explores whether their characteristics (brooding intensity, rebellious nature, moral ambiguity) align with established Byronic archetypes and contribute to the film's Gothic narrative.
What is the central argument regarding the doomed love story in "The Mummy"?
The central argument investigates whether the doomed love story between Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun is the primary cause ("prima causa") of the catastrophe in the film and how this narrative fits within the broader Gothic framework.
What is the methodology used in this analysis?
The analysis compares elements of "The Mummy" to established characteristics of Gothic fiction. It analyzes the villainous couple through the lens of the Byronic hero and heroine and assesses whether the film can be legitimately interpreted as a modern take on Gothic fiction.
What are the key chapters and their summaries?
The paper includes an introduction setting the stage for the analysis, a chapter defining Gothic fiction, a chapter exploring the Byronic hero archetype as it applies to the film's characters, and a conclusion (not fully summarized in the preview).
What are the keywords associated with this analysis?
Keywords include: Gothic fiction, "The Mummy" (1999), Byronic hero, doomed love, ancient Egypt, Gothic conventions, villain, victim, power imbalance, narrative analysis, and film analysis.
What is the overall conclusion of the analysis (as previewed)?
The full conclusion is not detailed in this preview, but the analysis aims to determine whether "The Mummy" (1999) can be considered a modern example of Gothic fiction, based on its use of Gothic conventions and themes.
- Quote paper
- Lena Meyer (Author), 2013, Unwrapping “The Mummy“. A Modern Example of Doomed Love and the Gothic, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/299332
