A reappraised tragedy: Lazzaro, by Francisco Pereira da Silva

This article approaches the play Lazzaro (1948), one of the first works by playwright Francisco Pereira da Silva, born in Piaui, Brazil, in which he uses the genre intermezzo interlaid in an essentially tragic work, in order to discuss its dramatic function in it. The play here analyzed presents many connections with the tragedy Electra in the versions of both Sophocles and Euripides. But while in the Greek plays Orestes is not an instrument of blind fate since he acts as his father’s conscious avenger and his sister’s protector, in Pereira da Silva’s work the text is a little more complex because it is mixed with other texts, be it with different Greek myths or other textual inspirations such as the New Testament. It suffices to pay attention to the character’s given name that is also the title of the play. Besides, in the Brazilian playwright’s work we find the transposition of the original myth to the home of a decaying family in Northeastern Brazil.

An Examination of the Punishment Motif in the Book of the Watchers 10:4–8 in Light of Greek Myths

The Book of the Watchers (1 Enoch 1–38; BW) describes a series of punishments that God renders against Asael (10:4–8). Several scholars have tried to identify possible traditions that stand behind these punishments in light of Jewish and Greek literatures. However, Henryk Drawnel recently challenges such attempts, positing a Mesopotamian background. Although Drawnel has shown that interacting with Mesopotamian literatures has something to offer in grasping a fuller understanding of the mentioned passage, this article argues that Greek literatures are still valuable sources, potentially shedding further light on the design of the punishment motifs in BW. In order to demonstrate this supposition, I interact with the myths of Prometheus, Tantalus, and Teiresias. Ultimately, I suggest that scholars should be open to the possibility that various traditions, rather than a single tradition, stand behind the punitive descriptions in BW 10:4–8.

التوظيف السياسي للمرأة في الأساطير والملاحم اليونانية القديمة

بحث "التوظيف السياسي للمرأة في الأساطير والملاحم اليونانية القديمة" يسلط الضوء على دور المرأة السياسي من خلال توظيفها لتكون لاعباً سياسياً تارةً بصورة إيجابية كما في قصة ملك مدينة اثينا اوديسيوس بزوجته بنلوب , والملك اجاممنون ملك ميسينيا وطبيعة علاقته بزوجته كليتمنسترا إذ حملت تلك العلاقة الملحمية تصويراً للدور الكبير الذي يقع على عاتق المرأة في الجانب السياسي وصيرورتها لاعباً إيجابياً كما صورته علاقة أوديسيوس ببنلوب وسلبياً تارة أخرى كما في علاقة أجاممنون بزوجته كليتمنسترا , وانطلاقاً من هذا المفهوم تم للبحث مناقشة دور المرأة والآلية التي تم بها توظيف هذا العنصر الحيوي سياسياً من خلال الأساطير والملاحم اليونانية القديمة , وقد أستند البحث إلى جملة من المصادر باللغتين العربية والانكليزية منها ملحمتا الإلياذة والأوديسة , وملحمتا أنساب الآلهة والأعمال والأيام لهزيود , وكتابي بيار غريمال الميثولوجيا اليونانية , وفينلي عالم أوديسوس ونيهاردت الآلهة والأبطال في اليونان القديمة , والملحمة الإغريقية القديمة فيما يخص المؤلفات المترجمة , أما التي باللغة الانكليزية فكان منها (Peter Parley , Tales About the Mythology of Greece and Rome) , (Robert Graves , The Greek Myths).

Precedent Names in B. Werber’s Postmodern Discourse: Communicative Aspect

This article reveals the peculiarities of the use of precedent names in the novels "Empire of Angels", "The Breath of the Gods" and "The Last Secret" by the contemporary French writer Bernard Werber. The communicative aspect is traced in the interaction of the cosmopolitan postmodern worldview of different peoples. Particular attention is paid to myths and the postmodern reading of ancient Greek myths in the author's works. The phenomenon of "speaking names" is also examined and their use in some works of French literature is traced.

Archetypes of Greek Myths in the Fashion Design of the XХI Century from a Metamodern Viewpoint

The purpose of the article consists in clarifying the features of the archetypal structures functioning (in this case – archetypes of Greek myths) in modern fashion design and also in the analysis of the fashion design methodology peculiarities in the condi­tions of metamodernism. The realization of this purpose is planned by developing the meth­od of designing modern clothing, taking into account the principles and characteristics of metamodernism. Research methodology. The complex problem of analyzing the features of fashion design development in the environ­ment of metamodernism is solved based on interdisciplinary system analysis with a combi­nation of subject, historiographic and morpho­logical analyzes.Scientific novelty. For the first time, it was shown that modern design trends, such as in-personal empathy and situational expressiveness, more careful consideration of aesthetic guidelines, psychological attitudes, and user expectations, are most harmoniously reflected in the principles of metamodernism. It was demonstrated that in the conceptual space of the metamodern, the principle of os­cillation corresponds to a choice between two competing primary sources of an image gen­eration in fashion design. The images of Greek mythology gods were chosen as traditional ele­ments of the design project, and prototypes of modern clothing models were chosen as com­petitive elements. Conclusions. As a result of the research, we conclude that in the practice of fashion design, it is expedient to solve the project approach in a balanced way between the factors of the creative source, the personal qualities of the individual, and the archetypes manifested in it. The methods for elements of Greek myths heroes’ images synthesizing with elements-carriers of fashion trends was pro­posed, taking into account the tendencies of metamodernism. Experimental approbation of the research results was carried out by assess­ing the artistic and aesthetic qualities of mod­ern women’s clothing models collection based on Greek myths motives. Thus, the results of the collection design confirmed the feasibility of turning to archetypal forms to find innovative design solutions.

On our Doorstep. Simmel, Weber and the Making of Reality

Whether we like it or not, whether we believe it or not, 2020 will be the year that future historians will choose to mark as the advent of a new era. The pandemic did not simply hit us harder than any previous crisis – and God knows we had a few since the beginning of the XXI century! It left us disoriented and stranded, orphans of too many promises and proclamations, while showing us mercilessly the limits of our knowledge and the extent of our hybr is, a mixture of inebriation and arrogance often found in Greek myths, where it leads heroes such as Icarus to ruin. The most powerful technology put to shame by an invisible... what? Thing? Living being? We just don’t know, four words that we’d better keep in mind while reading the following pages. The virus hasn’t fit within our worldview right from the start and still there it is, paralyzing global economies and exposing the flaws and shortcomings of the neoliberal ideology. It makes it clear that no one survives on his/her own, that “free” markets bring forth indecent inequalities and scientists hold no definite truth, but argue and squabble about numbers and theories.

The Intertextual Use of Greek Mythology in Agatha Christie’s Detective Fiction

This study investigates the intertextual use of Greek mythology in Agatha Christie’s short stories Philomel Cottage, The Face of Helen, and The Oracle at Delphi, a short story collection The Labours of Hercules, and a novel, Nemesis. The results of this research based on the hermeneutical and comparative methods reveal that A. Christie’s intertextual formula developed over time. In her early works, allusions were based on characters' appearances and functions as well as on the use of motifs and themes from Greek myths. Later on, she turned to using allusory character names; this would mislead her readers who thought they already knew the formula of her stories. Although not a postmodern writer, A. Christie enjoyed playing games of allusion with her readers. She wanted them not only to solve a case but also to discover and interpret the intertextual references.