Utilizing mythic criticism in contemporary narrative culture: Examining the “present‐absence” of shadow archetypes in spider‐man

This paper conducts a reading of the popular film Spider‐Man by examining the use of shadow archetypes in the portrayal of the Green Goblin. The Gram Goblin character provides a complex representation of villainy in a modem popular narrative. Utilizing cultural definitions of shadow in mythology, this paper discerns that the Goblin incorporates two traditional portals of access to the shadow, the mirror and the mask. These two symbols allow the audience access to the shadow, but at the same time allow the shadow to remain elusive. Ultimately, I argue for the use of polysemic analysis, particularly hermeneutic depth, in mythological criticism. By positioning mythic criticism as a way of understanding polysemy in contemporary narrative, we are able to ascertain patterns of mythic context rather than mythological retellings in narratives.

Key concepts:

• Film
• shadow
• myth
• criticism
• polysemy
• villain
• Spider‐Man