Instrumentalizing myth in fantasy literature : mythical constructs of time, space, and gender in novels by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
department or school: Creative and Critical Studies, Faculty of (Okanagan)
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCO
creator: Claret, Anne-Bénédicte
issued: 2024-12-09T20:56:30Z
issued: 2024
related degree: Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: The term “myth” has often become synonymous with falsehood, fiction, or outdated beliefs. Yet such a definition fails to encompass the foundational and ever current role played by myths in shaping the values, ideologies, and worldviews of the cultures from which they originate. Following from a Barthesian understanding of myth, this dissertation explores the representation of myths in novels by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, namely American Gods, Neverwhere, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane (by Gaiman); Mort, Equal Rites, Wyrd Sisters, and Carpe Jugulum (by Pratchett); and Good Omens (co-authored by Gaiman and Pratchett). My argument postulates that these two authors’ interpretation and instrumentalization of myth is evidence not only of the relevance of myth for contemporary concerns, but also of the possibilities to be found, in fantasy, for reconceptualized and non-universalizing representations of myth. Through a comparative, critical analysis of the ways in which these novels articulate mythical constructs of space, time, and gender, this dissertation examines the tension at play between the reiteration of and the challenge to essentialized expressions of myth in the works Gaiman and Pratchett. I argue that at the heart of Gaiman’s and Pratchett’s instrumentalizations of myth lies an emphasis on the importance of interconnectedness, interdependence, and individual agency in the formation and constant reconfiguration of human worldviews.
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/89806
note: INSTRUMENTALIZING MYTH IN FANTASY LITERATURE: MYTHICAL CONSTRUCTS OF TIME, SPACE, AND GENDER IN NOVELS BY NEIL GAIMAN AND TERRY PRATCHETT by Anne-Bénédicte Claret Licence LLCE Anglais, Université Lumière Lyon 2, 2014. Master LLCE Anglais mention Recherche, Université Lumière Lyon 2, 2016. Master LLCE Anglais mention Enseignement, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 2017. A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Interdisciplinary Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Okanagan) December 2024 © Anne-Bénédicte Claret, 2024 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the College of Graduate Studies for acceptance, a dissertation entitled: Instrumentalizing Myths in Fantasy Literature: Mythical Constructs of Time, Space, and Gender in Novels by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett submitted by Anne-Bénédicte Claret in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Dr. Margaret Reeves, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies Supervisor Dr. Suzanne Gott, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies Supervisory Committee Member Dr. George Grinnell, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Daniel Keyes, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Ilya Parkins, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences University Examiner Dr. Allan Weiss, York University External Examiner iii Abstract The term “myth” has often become synonymous with falsehood, fiction, or outdated beliefs. Yet such a definition fails to encompass the foundational and ever current role played by myths in shaping the values, ideologies, and worldviews of the cultures from which they originate. Following from a Barthesian understanding of myth, this dissertation explores the representation of myths in novels by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, namely American Gods, Neverwhere, and …
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2025-02
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0447433
language: eng
degree discipline: Interdisciplinary Studies
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Reeves, Margaret (English teacher)
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/89806