MITO, HISTÓRIAS EM QUADRINHOS E EXPERIÊNCIA DO SAGRADO: UMA ANÁLISE FENOMENOLÓGICA DO RELIGIOSO NA OBRA DE GRANT MORRISON

Abstract

The present work investigates the Comic Books (Comics) as contemporary myths, from the Phenomenology of Religion’s point of view. The objects are the works All Star Superman and Batman Arkham Asylum, both written by the Scottish Grant Morrison. The first part presents the theoretical framework, the Phenomenology of Religion, that locates the essence of the religious phenomenon in the idea of Sacred, relativizing the idea of an “absolute truth” or an unquestionable reality, to introduce the idea of truth in experience and intersubjectivity. Therefore, the phenomenological method aims to describe the way in which the religious phenomenon is perceived. The investigation identifies the fundamental element of religion in one’s daily experiences, their life-world, from the notion of Sacred, which happens as hierophany, that is, as manifestation, appearance. Sacred is a modality of perception of ordinary objects and processes in daily life, which are elevated to the condition of meaning producers to human existence. The object in question, here, are the Comic Books. The second part presents the correlation between the idea of Sacred and the Myth, while expression and communication of the religious experience, defying the possibilities of being translated to ordinary language, since, for not being “rational”, it can’t be closed in objective concepts. From that on, the best way of expressing the Sacred is the symbolic language. The symbol is understood as a psychic support, that can present itself as an image, a gesture, a word or an object, and that possesses a double level of signification: the immediate and shallow, the empiric apprehension of its objective manifestation, and another one transcendent, that points to the dimension of what can’t be fully understood in the rational concept level. That transcendent level, to Phenomenology, is the religious dimension of the symbol. When it presents itself in narrative structure, the symbol transforms into myth, that is, myth is a narrative that uses symbolic language to express what is beyond words, because it is the experience of Sacred. Hence, myth as an attempt of communication of the experience of Sacred is structuring narrative and a meaning provider to human life. Third part focuses in the analysis of the Comics. It identifies Superman as a representation of the solar god or hero archetype, capable of great deeds, performing impossible tasks, overcoming even death. The solar hero is a symbol of what humanity projects as the best in themselves, example to be followed of perseverance, hope and kindness. Batman, on the other hand, is a dark hero, representing the heroic disposition to get in touch with unconscious contents, specially those that were rejected by consciousness, forming our Shadow. That hero is symbol of our capacity do accept our shady and crazy side, producing the best possible results. Comics are thus contemporary myths that can provide religious experiences, once they present the typical elements of mythic narrative, present in countless mythologies, specially considering their heroic figures.