Totally agree with and loving the way you have broken down and identified 9/10 as the tragic hero. Wonderful. I wrote some meta on Angel a while back, and someone posted that list in response. I looked at it, and my jaw literally dropped.
And I’m not sure I can add anything to your analysis of 10 as Godlike being, specifically from a monotheistic approach, because it’s a complete and comprehensively perfect analysis. Thank you. *blushes* Thank you - that is high praise indeed.
I’m fascinated by the idea you identify that Moffat has taken the Doctor from the role of monotheistic god, to the role of pagan god/fairytale character – because this is really the archetypal role he originally occupied. Oh it really is. I've been watching Seven recently (I'm not done yet, and I've watched a bit of Four too), and it's AMAZING. People complain that they can't see how Ten and Eleven join up, but I now know that this is because Ten is such an atypical Doctor. Eleven is like Seven (manipulative, secretive, kind, always 500 steps ahead in his mind) and Four (mad, rambling, completely dotty) put together. I can trace the line from the older Doctors to Eleven perfectly. With Ten... I often have to scratch my head.
The irony of 10 is that the monotheistic approach has that separation of spirit and matter as a fundamental principle. Even though man is made in the image of god [or god in the image of man], there is a disconnect there in the basic theology/mythology [Which is basically what you said, but I’m just thinking out loud. ] Thinking out loud is very much encouraged, and your point is a very good one! I think one of the differences between RTD and Moffat is that although they're both atheists, RTD is much more... aggressive? He is deliberately showing us that the Doctor *isn't* god, whereas Moffat just wants him to be a madman with a box who gallivants around having fun. He's not interested in saying that the Doctor isn't god, because that's sort of pointless. (Look, I'm rambling now!)
The thing about pagan gods and the pagan mythic approach is that supernatural characters are in the world in a way that the monotheistic god isn’t. They are woven through the real world, through matter. Exactly! :)
And that’s such a wonderful thing. I’m so glad Moffat took it here, because if you’re going to draw on the mythic structure of paganism rather than Monotheism, then a balancing and union of the energies of God and Goddess is the ultimate and logical conclusion. I love it so much. <3
I read so many people moaning about this when it happened, on the forum I frequent. Moaning that it was a cop-out and a cheat, that they felt like Moff had pulled the wool over their eyes with a cheap trick. But that’s totally misunderstanding where Moff has taken the Doctor up to this point. *nods* And (again) It's a very Seven-y kind of resolution. Seven has no interest in the spot light. He'll step up, if necessary (and he's very good at it!), but he's much happier just pulling strings from behind the scenes, and then having a nice cup of tea.
Elisi, your meta is so wonderful that it’s blown my mind a little and I really can’t form many coherent thoughts to add. I think I’m going to be thinking about this for quite a while! :D :D :D Please come back and talk to me if you have more thoughts - I love your brain! :)
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I wrote some meta on Angel a while back, and someone posted that list in response. I looked at it, and my jaw literally dropped.
And I’m not sure I can add anything to your analysis of 10 as Godlike being, specifically from a monotheistic approach, because it’s a complete and comprehensively perfect analysis. Thank you.
*blushes* Thank you - that is high praise indeed.
I’m fascinated by the idea you identify that Moffat has taken the Doctor from the role of monotheistic god, to the role of pagan god/fairytale character – because this is really the archetypal role he originally occupied.
Oh it really is. I've been watching Seven recently (I'm not done yet, and I've watched a bit of Four too), and it's AMAZING. People complain that they can't see how Ten and Eleven join up, but I now know that this is because Ten is such an atypical Doctor. Eleven is like Seven (manipulative, secretive, kind, always 500 steps ahead in his mind) and Four (mad, rambling, completely dotty) put together. I can trace the line from the older Doctors to Eleven perfectly. With Ten... I often have to scratch my head.
The irony of 10 is that the monotheistic approach has that separation of spirit and matter as a fundamental principle. Even though man is made in the image of god [or god in the image of man], there is a disconnect there in the basic theology/mythology
[Which is basically what you said, but I’m just thinking out loud. ]
Thinking out loud is very much encouraged, and your point is a very good one! I think one of the differences between RTD and Moffat is that although they're both atheists, RTD is much more... aggressive? He is deliberately showing us that the Doctor *isn't* god, whereas Moffat just wants him to be a madman with a box who gallivants around having fun. He's not interested in saying that the Doctor isn't god, because that's sort of pointless. (Look, I'm rambling now!)
The thing about pagan gods and the pagan mythic approach is that supernatural characters are in the world in a way that the monotheistic god isn’t. They are woven through the real world, through matter.
Exactly! :)
And that’s such a wonderful thing. I’m so glad Moffat took it here, because if you’re going to draw on the mythic structure of paganism rather than Monotheism, then a balancing and union of the energies of God and Goddess is the ultimate and logical conclusion.
I love it so much. <3
I read so many people moaning about this when it happened, on the forum I frequent. Moaning that it was a cop-out and a cheat, that they felt like Moff had pulled the wool over their eyes with a cheap trick. But that’s totally misunderstanding where Moff has taken the Doctor up to this point.
*nods* And (again) It's a very Seven-y kind of resolution. Seven has no interest in the spot light. He'll step up, if necessary (and he's very good at it!), but he's much happier just pulling strings from behind the scenes, and then having a nice cup of tea.
Elisi, your meta is so wonderful that it’s blown my mind a little and I really can’t form many coherent thoughts to add. I think I’m going to be thinking about this for quite a while!
:D :D :D Please come back and talk to me if you have more thoughts - I love your brain! :)