Superhero mimesis

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Superhero mimesis

The term of “mimesis” or imitation is a widely constructed term discussed back and forth between Plato and Aristotle regarding poetic and literary sense. The term of imitation could also apply to human actions. “Pleasure which for Plato, is the source of poetry’s greatest danger, is for Aristotle an intrinsic part of our response to poetry since all human beings instinctively take delight in “imitations’”. (Murray xxxi). In the clip taken from Kill Bill vol. 2, the main character Bill, makes an interesting analogy to describe his former lover and best assassin, Beatrix Kiddo through not poetry but comic analysis.

In short he mentions that unlike all the other superheroes who are simple and have to dress up to be powerful, Superman was born a hero and like her, blends in to look weak. “..That’s you trying to disguise yourself as a worker bee. That’s you trying to blend in with the hive. But you’re not a worker bee. You’re a renegade killer bee.” (Kill Bill vol2). I believe that both Plato and Aristotle would agree that the idea of imitation is a definite sense of falseness within the self, the difference between the two is the reason to be false. Plato as we know saw that misuse of emotion or catharsis was useless and dangerous for a prosperous republic. In the clip, Beatrix kiddo understands as she listens to Bill that she will never be like everyone else which causes her emotions to rise. Plato sees no point in hiding ones identity and therefore the emotions caused by that hiding are useless.

According to Aristotle the idea of mimesis and tragedy indeed enhances the catharsis and evokes his discussed Reversal, Recognition, and Suffering which is not something to be frowned upon, unlike Plato who would definitely beg to differ. “A reversal is a change from one state of affairs to its opposite, one which conforms, as I have said, to probability or necessity.” (Aristotle 70). Beatrix felt that she was in a desperate position to change herself in order for her daughter to have a “normal” life and upbringing. Aristotle justifies these actions as a necessity while Plato is much more pessimistic and necessity is subjective according to our actions and emotions.












Works Cited
Kill Bill Vol. 2. Dir. Quentin Tarantino. Perf. Uma Thurman and David Carradine. YouTube. 3 Feb. 2009 .
Murray, Penelope. "Aristotle: Poetics." Classical Literary Criticism. By Penelope Murray. Trans. Penelope Murray. New York: Penguin Classics, 2000. Vii-166.