Tracking Classical Monsters in Popular Culture - by Liz Gloyn (Paperback)

About the Book

"What is it about ancient monsters that popular culture still finds so enthralling? Why do the monsters of antiquity continue to stride across the modern world? In this book, the first in-depth study of how post-classical societies use the creatures from ancient myth, Liz Gloyn reveals the trends behind how we have used monsters since the 1950s to the present day, and considers why they have remained such a powerful presence in our shared cultural imagination. She presents a new model for interpreting the extraordinary vitality that classical monsters have shown, and their enormous adaptability in finding places to dwell in popular culture without sacrificing their connection to the ancient world. Her argument takes her readers through a comprehensive tour of monsters on film and television, from the much-loved creations of Ray Harryhausen in Clash of the Titans to the monster of the week in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, before looking in detail at the afterlives of the Medusa and the Minotaur. She develops a broad theory of the ancient monster and its life after antiquity, investigating its relation to gender, genre and space to offer a bold and novel exploration of what keeps drawing us back to these mythical beasts. From the siren to the centaur, all monster lovers will find something to enjoy in this stimulating and accessible book"--

Book Synopsis

What is it about ancient monsters that popular culture still finds so enthralling? Why do the monsters of antiquity continue to stride across the modern world? In this book, the first in-depth study of how post-classical societies use the creatures from ancient myth, Liz Gloyn reveals the trends behind how we have used monsters since the 1950s to the present day, and considers why they have remained such a powerful presence in our shared cultural imagination. She presents a new model for interpreting the extraordinary vitality that classical monsters have shown, and their enormous adaptability in finding places to dwell in popular culture without sacrificing their connection to the ancient world.

Her argument takes her readers through a comprehensive tour of monsters on film and television, from the much-loved creations of Ray Harryhausen in Clash of the Titans to the monster of the week in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, before looking in detail at the afterlives of the Medusa and the Minotaur. She develops a broad theory of the ancient monster and its life after antiquity, investigating its relation to gender, genre and space to offer a bold and novel exploration of what keeps drawing us back to these mythical beasts. From the siren to the centaur, all monster lovers will find something to enjoy in this stimulating and accessible book.

Review Quotes

In this remarkable volume, Liz Gloyn is a new Ariadne who tosses Theseus out of the labyrinth and instead offers the Minotaur a dazzling story-thread. Gloyn's compelling exploration gives voice to the classical monsters of popular culture and uncovers their powerful impact on society today.

Informed by expert knowledge of the field and presenting a highly thoughtful and engaging approach to the material, this book creates a space that enables classical monsters to push the ubiquitous - and usually male - hero off the pedestal for a moment and be appreciated in their own right.

This book will appeal to anyone with an interest in monsters and their place in popular culture.
Salon Futura

About the Author

Liz Gloyn is Senior Lecturer in Classics at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK. Her research interests beyond classical reception studies explore the intersection between Latin literature, the Roman family and ancient philosophy. She is the author of The Ethics of the Family in Seneca (2017).