Humans have since the beginning of time made sense of our society by telling stories and conjuring up an archetype. One of the greatest 20th century myth explorers, Joseph Campbell said that myths are a collection of dreams and these myths from our imagination are some of the most powerful creations of world culture. These myths still reverberate in our unconscious, in our dreams and the stories we tell. From the Renaissance era to the mainstream authors to film and cinema, writers and directors have looked to mythology for an inspiration for their plots and imagery. In the famous essay “Ulysses, Order and Myth” T.S Eliot praises James Joyce, the writer of Ulysses, for his excellent resort to the mythological method and the importance of it to writers of that time. He states it was “simply a way of controlling, of ordering, of giving shape and significance to the immense panorama of futility and anarchy which is contemporary history.”
In our modern day society, we see the application of the Katabasis in myth being used repeatedly in modern cinema and television to deal with political stress such as the 9/11 tragedy. The Katabasis is a hero’s descent into and ascent from the underworld. Campbell presented the idea that in myths, before the hero’s journey to the underworld there is often a “call to initiation” and a separation from family and familiar surroundings. The katabasis has endured in visual media because it can be applied to most characters, times and settings. This essay will explore how the influence of Greek mythological conventions, in particular the Katabasis, on the American TV show “Supernatural,” appears strongest during times of heightened political stress. As part of the general topic a couple themes will be explored which I will describe after. I will look into the portrayal of a hero in the two different periods and how the modern-day heroes help tell the Katabasis story better as they reflect on real life tragedies.
I will then discuss what makes a hero want to venture into the underworld and how this is a crucial part of developing the hero into what their society wants. Lastly, I will look into what actually happens in the underworld and how all heros are presented some form of challenge: Dean has to deal with guilt due to his decisions and Odysseus has to become self restraining. My essay will highlight how the modern day heroes Katabasis is necessary for their personal development to become a great hero but the greek hero is about their pride and how can they can use this opportunity to show off their skill. This will be done by analysing a variety of Greek pottery mainly the Red-figure calyx krater by Painter of Dolone showing the nekyia of Odysseus on side A. I will also be looking at episodes of Supernatural to when Dean and Sam go to hell. These will show how the painting of Odysseus was supposed to remind the gluttonous Greeks to have self restraint and when the Katabasis is shown in television, it is to send a message of unity and togetherness in times of turmoil.
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No mythological hero’s story is complete without the Katabasis: the journey to and return from the underworld. The Katabasis triggers one to assess who they are as they are estranged from themselves. To the Greeks, the underworld journey is the perfect vehicle for a hero to display his exceptional qualities whilst likely rescuing someone. Very often the Greek heroes require guidance or instructions to get out but they are barely sent there to be tortured but to rescue someone unlike the modern day heroes. In this realm, the Greek protagonist might end up imprisoned or captured but it tends to be a improvement of the mind as opposed to physical torture. However, both types of heroes end up discovering an inner revelation and are transformed and ready for a new stage in their journey to selfhood. Our modern-day heroes are more relatable than Greek heroes as they change and grow, and so we, as an audience, have hope that we can also be heroes. Meanwhile the greek myths share the hero’s story that the audience can marvel and be amazed by.
The meaning of a “hero” has evolved as society as a whole changes-reflect the ideals of their society, they develop over time to suit the desired audience by being an embodiment with traits valued by their society. The horrific sprees of societies new killers – terrorists, mass shooters- inspired “Supernatural”, a show fueled by anxiety that anyone could be snatched and taken away to a terrible fate. This leads to the creation of a new breed of heros, Sam and Dean; humans that are willing to risk their lives for the good of humanity. The complexity in these heroes is important when analysing the descent into the underworld and it helps the audience understand reasons for actions by both the heroes themselves and the creator. American TV shows reflect the Ancient Greek narrative conventions most strongly at time of profound social anxiety as there are political similarities between the Americans and Ancient Athenians and the perceived vulnerability of the foundations of their constitutions. Athenians were obsessed with their short lasting achievements and how it rested on the foundations that could collapse at any minute.
Robert Hughes noted that Greek art is often seen by traditionalists as an expression of the victory of humans over the gods as the painters focussed on warding off monsters. In our times, the monsters would represent political threats. Both brothers visit hell but Dean’s version is has more similarities with the traditional pattern. After the Trojan war, Odysseus encounters his own katabasis which is a 10 year journey consisting of hell and him wandering the earth lost. The end of season two of Supernatural results in Sam’s death by getting stabbed in the back. Out of desperation, Dean makes a deal with a demon where he trades his soul for his brother’s life showing highlighting how worthless Dean thinks his life is. Similar to Greek Odysseus, the only way for Dean to be fulfilled is to be die and prepare for the dark road to the underworld. Just like Odysseus, Dean is ready to descend into hell to save the one person he loves the most- his little brother.
Dean is dragged into hell by hellhounds- depicted as shadows with red eyes and sound like dogs barking. Upon arrival to hell, Dean has to make a burdensome decisions where he is sentenced to torture for eternity unless he tortured souls with the demons. For 30 years, Dean declines but then gave in. Whilst Sam tries to reassure a crying Dean, Dean says he could not feel anything. Dean spends 4 earth years in hell but in confesses to Sam that from his perspective he was in hell for 40 years. As expected, the words spoken to Odysseus in Odyssey are applicable to Dean’s situation: “no harder task for me-he thought” This incidence in Dean’s life is hugely formative of his persona.
He states that at the end of the 40 years, there was nothing left of him – “They sliced, and… carved, and tore at me in ways that you… Until there was nothing left. And then suddenly, I would be whole again. Like magic. Just so they could start it all over.” Dean is so guilt ridden that he is unable to forgive himself for his choice to torture other souls. This guilt felt by Dean is a huge motivating factor for his subsequent decisions. Garry disclosed that “the descent into hell is a necessary stage…for…psychological and spiritual development.” This event was the catalyst that allowed Dean’s character to evolve and have multiple dimensions, making him a more captivating character that the audience can attach to.
Traditional Greek myths present a static hero but Dean and Sam cannot be categorised into the traditional hero labels as they change their archetypes multiple times over the course of the eight seasons of the television show. Odysseus, the ideal Greek hero, has naturally gifted powers, extraordinary physical ability and incredible battle skills. He has to go through his own struggle whilst returning home to Ithaca but he was already a great hero. He is someone whom people in the society would look up to. Meanwhile, Sam and Dean are the outcasts in their society who rely on their intellectual ability to help them become heroes. Their choice of music and car reflect how the Winchesters were raised- they were denied the typical ideal American white picket fence lifestyle as they grew up on the side of the road in motels and fast food and cafes.
