#Source and Significance

[being-mughal]

5.Exploring Cyberpunk 2077 Semiotics: Relevance of Symbols in a Dystopian Future

Relevance of symbols in a dystopian future Symbolism is very common in video game narration and realistic backgrounds to make the player credulous and interested in the perceived plot. A clear example of how semiotics through the use of signs, symbol, and visual language to educate and to convey a particular culture can be strongly seen in CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077. The game is full of semiotically rich aspects that add to its deeper meaning and purpose, from the neon-lit streets to the rugged individuals that inhabit Night City. n this blog post, we will explore the semiotics of Cyberpunk 2077 and reveal the construction of these characters, their function and how they are "hidden" from the player.

Image Inshght: Neon-lit streets of Night City, portraying a dystopian aesthetic.

Cyberpunk 2077: Semiotics in a Dystopian World

Semiotics: Visual Narrative in a Dystopian World is a futuristic environment, in which high-tech system is mixed with social decay. The game takes players to Night City (an open-world with bad gangs, corporations, and cyber tech body modifications). The game world is full of semiotic markers that express deeper political, social and existential concerns in addition to the aesthetics of the cyberpunk genre.

The game environment acts as a "text" that the player decodes, in semiotic terms. Every building, shop and street corner has a purpose, supporting the dystopian plot and encouraging the player to consider contemporary social issues including inequality, corporate dominance, surveillance and human enhancement. A "sign" can be a written, visual or audio element that conveys a message, as Chandler (2002) notes in Semiotics for Beginners. In Cyberpunk 2077, these characters are complex and multi-layered.

Image Inshght: A neon advertisement illustrating consumerism and identity commodification.

Urban Jungle and Neon Signs: The Significance of the Signs

Significance of the Signs The advertisements and neat lights of Night City form one of the most profound semiotic features of Cyberpunk 2077. Neon signs seem to be part of the game and they are always illumining with pink, blue or green colors. These indicators are firmly linked with the semiotic plane within the studying game and are not mere concern of raciness. Neon is a major sense of Cybertpunk media in portraying the battle between urban decay and technology. The vivid, almost artificial glow of neon lights contrasts with the gritty, dreary streets of Night City, signifying a society that thrives on excess, materialism, and delusion.

But the underlying message of these neon displays is more than just eye candy. This is because most of them are products that relate to technology or physical prowess, which is the tagline for Cyberpunk 2077. This environmentalist civilization, which is captive to a hyper-capitalist aesthetic of sellable products and purchasable personae, is the result of corporate entities which sell identities alongside products. The neon signs are unmissable symbols of the consumerist societies where one can acquire and exchange physical appearance as well as spiritual disposition. Here the semiotic motive is to express threat of uncontrolled corporate and technical authority, as well as objectification of the human being.

Image Inshght: The contrast between urban decay and technological neon glow.

Characters and Identity

Some work has been done to decode these elements, but there is still one last semiotic layer: the Meaning of Humanity and Augmentation The characters of Cyberpunk 2077 particularly, and their physical add-ons, add another layer of meaning. Together with the practice of increasing one’s own body with cybernetic implants, augmentations are used in the game as markers to discuss identity, humanity and transhumanism.

For Example, several characters like the protagonist V, people around him, and even certain antagonist such as Johnny Silverhand have got themselves modified beyond just the cosmetic level in terms of augmentations. These implants represent the game narrative as constructed around the body and the ways in which it is a site of control and domination. In Cyberpunk 2077, augmentations are not only the organs’ substitutes that make the character physically capable; they are semiotic. More complex or developed the character is, the more we observe he is losing his humanity: for instance, Johnny Silverhand’s transformation is a slow process when his digital mind starts to overpower his body. His slightly glowing eyes and metallic mechanical parts are the visual incarnation of battle between technology and spirituality.

This symbolism is not a small thing:.ReadKey In this case, the body is not mere biology but a means through which other people can alter and design externally. Cyberpunk 2077 uses this to subtly critique current tendencies towards digital trust and body modification, where identity can be controlled and commodified.

Image Inshght: Johnny Silverhand as a transhumanist symbol.

Ideological Control and Corporate Logos

The Semiotics of PowerCyberpunk 2077 uses corporate emblems and symbols to critique systems of power in a game environment ruled by large corporations. Throughout the game, players will encounter businesses and brands that represent monopolistic control over technology, society's resources, and even individual lives. Companies like Arasaka and Militech have highly stylized logos meant to evoke ideas of power, militarism and technological superiority.

These corporate symbols described above play semiotic functions and emphasize the deserved play’s key topics of oppression, control, and watching. For instance when using the Arasaka logo, it is just a letter A surrounded by some lines to indicate an international affiliation as well as a firm grip on the world politics and economy. This emblem is familiar in adverts and corporate hierarchy, and its message for the audience is that corporate power is unescapable and omnipresent.

Into advertisement hoardings and billboards, Cyberpunk 2077’s corporate symbols are not mere aesthetics; but echoes and references to current problems of corporate appetite, oppression, and the weakening of democracy. These semiotic markers work behind the scenes to make a point that the war in Cyberpunk 2077 is not only with gangs or rogue artificial intelligence but also with ever-existent corporations which shape the society in which the player is thrown into.

Image Inshght: Arasaka Corporation’s logo, symbolizing corporate dominance.

Ideological Layers and Hidden Meanings

Be it through commentary on contemporary populism, state surveillance and data privacy, through melodramatic architecture, bumpy car chases and gang warfare, night city is undeniably rich with semiotic content even if the more explicit elements are easy to identify. Players are forced to deal with ethical dilemmas that are typical for the game’s setting where the division between black and white is not always clear-cut. In one mission, for example, players must decide whether to support a gang of rebels against corporate exploitation of the population, or a corporate executive. This choice has a deep semiotic meaning, as it forces the player to examine their own beliefs regarding justice, authority, and rebellion.

The game also has subliminal allusions to contemporary concerns, including the commodification of identity, the degradation of privacy, and surveillance. These are often not immediately apparent, but become apparent through subtle interactions with non-player characters, hints of the game world, and the overall plot. Through incorporating these ideologies critiques into semiotic landscape of the Cyperpunk 2077, the player is made to reflect on impact that capitalism and technology has on his or her society.

In conclusion, semiotics is used as a way of expressing social criticism and telling a story. One of the best examples of how semiotics may be used to interpret meanings associated with a video game is the Cyberpunk 2077. The game conveys its apocalyptic themes and critiques of contemporary society. using visual components such as neon lights, character designs, company logos and subliminal environmental footprints. In addition to enhancing the story, these semiotic components inspire players to critically interact with the game's environment and underlying themes of identity, power, and technology.

Semiotically therefore, Cyberpunk 2077 rebuilds its environment into a semiotically meaningful book whose meaning players need to decode, search for additional concealed messages, and think about broader meaning of the game. thanks to this the game offers fun and one of the most powerful messages about the challenges and dangers living in the technological world.

References:

Chandler, D. (2002) Semiotics for Beginners. Available at: http://www.visual-memory.co.uk/daniel/Documents/S4B/sem01.htm (Accessed: 2 November 2024).

Naughty Dog (2020) The Last of Us Part II. Available at: https://www.naughtydog.com/games/the-last-of-us-part-ii (Accessed: 2 November 2024).

Game Informer (2020) 'The Last of Us Part II: An In-Depth Character Analysis'. Available at: https://www.gameinformer.com/2020/06/23/the-last-of-us-part-ii-an-in-depth-character-analysis (Accessed: 3 November 2024).

Pocket-Lint (2020). 'Cyberpunk 2077 Review: Decisions, Dilemmas, and Darkness'. Available at: https://www.pocket-lint.com [Accessed 3 November 2024].

Ars Technica (2020). 'Cyberpunk 2077 and the Semiotics of Dystopia'. Available at: https://arstechnica.com [Accessed 3 November 2024].

Express.co.uk (2020). 'The Symbolism of Cyberpunk 2077’s Corporate Logos'. Available at: https://www.express.co.uk [Accessed 3 November 2024]

Gaming.net (2020). 'Cyberpunk 2077 Review: A Neon-Soaked Dystopia'. Available at: https://www.gaming.net [Accessed 3 November 2024].

[th-chen]

Critical Analysis

Malkowski, J, & Russworm, TM (eds) 2017, Gaming Representation: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Video Games, Indiana University Press, Bloomington. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central.

The author of this book is Jennifer Malkowski and TreaAndrea M. Russworm, although there are some co-authors I think I’m going to introduce those marked on the cite. Jennifer Malkowski is an Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies, at Smith College and also the founder of the college’s Video Game Research Lab. She teaches about digital media and focuses on the topics of race, death, and gender in the media. TreaAndrea M. Russworm is a Professor of Interactive Media & Games Division at the University of Southern California, she teaches courses on video games, television, and streaming platforms. We all know that in recent years, there has been a growing focus on identity and representation in the gaming industry, the author found that although journalists and bloggers who have public volume have brought this topic to the table and game developers are in the same chat room, there’s still lack academic discussions about the representation in such a new media so she decides to gather scholars in related field to publish this book. The page I chose to analyze is talking about gender in games, especially women. The author makes 5 points and arguments in these two pages, the first one is “The historical context of Femme Fatale”, first the author starts from the historical perspective and points out that this kind of character concept appeared in 1940s Hollywood, particularly in film industry, offering powerful female setup besides being a secondary role, the Femme Fatale was portrayed into smart, sexually attractive, and powerful, breaking away from the domestic roles traditionally given to women in the movie industry. This context provide the argument that the femme fatale was an innovative character, offering diversity and power for women in the movie industry, something rare at that time.

The second point is “Misogyny in the movie industry”, the author compares the “contemporary video game industry” with “1940s Hollywood's misogyny” arguing both have problems with female representation, and sometimes portrayal of women often remains problematic, the author made the analysis through history of femme fatale related to contemporary discussions about gender in video games.

The third point is “Femme Fatale as a Solution?”, the author points out “femme fatale” could be a good example for video games to create a female main character, because The femme fatale character type can provide strength performance and diverse ability to perform anything for the game needed, and the most important part is also being attractive at the same time. The author argues that this kind of character type is an ideal character to make the gaming industry balance, creating an appealing character for both male and female audiences.

The fourth point is “ The misuse or not enough representation of femme fatale.”The author criticizes the lack of playable femme fatales in video games, she takes “Max Payne 2” and “Heavy Rain” as examples and argues that when such femme fatale-like characters appear they often narrate their weakness or do not fully realize their power.

The fifth point is “Challenges in Adapting the Femme Fatale to Video Games”, the author first argues that because this kind of character is not built to fight enemies face to face, they use tricks and strategy to fight more than physical which could make it difficult to adapt to a video game format, where violence and action are central to most of the video games. Then the author acknowledges that the femme fatale relies on society's growth because the resistance is not due to mechanical limitations but rather a cultural issue within gaming culture in which men are afraid of the rise of women's presence. However, this part sounds subjective because of the lack of examples and the process of logical inference.

Why is the text interesting? First of all, I’m not from a culture that digs into gender and representation this much, it’s hard to see different kinds of skin color on the street in my country and I didn’t feel gender equality problem in my life at all and seldom heard from my friend. I heard there are D.E.I (Diversity, equity, and inclusion) problems in the gaming industry recently but I don’t know why this is the thing to makes people choose a side, I always think “Let money talk” for making games, nothing will happen if you make good games. It was kind of a culture shock when I realized this is such a big topic after I arrived UK, I still remember the moment I searched “What is “I pronounce” mean?” on the phone during class. Okay, I went a little bit far let me back to the topic.

The arguments presented in these two pages are interesting and important for me because the author went through the issues in both the past and present, especially in the Hollywood movies industry and the video game industry. The text starts by using the example of the character “Femme Fatale” in the film “Noir” to highlight a time mark about the iconic character type that represents women, exploring how these character types can be used and increase gender dynamics. In conclusion, the author finds that history seems to happen again by comparing the different media, it’s reasonable that we took the movie industry as an example to see the new kid which is the game industry.

I think the primary purpose of these two pages of text is to criticize the current state of female representation in video games through the historical aspect of women's representation in Hollywood films especially using the “Femme Fatale” in the film “Noir”. First, the author seeks to analyze the character “Femme Fatale”, and then points out the gaps in the video game industry, the next step is to propose a solution by providing the character type “Femme Fatale” which was analyzed at the beginning, and call for culture to change. In conclusion, the purpose of the text is trying to call readers to rethink the way women are represented in video games.

[ressioo]

Some doodles of my favourite guy

Man didn't ever really like The People as a species all that much. They were annoying and some that were Most annoying insisted on pointless meetings so they could feel good and important. Instead of simply letting him do the job that was forced on him since the very start of his existence

Not to mention having some pretty common iterator body feelings regarding random people having free range of his body regardless of his opinions

Whatever good views he may have had of them vanished when plans of the mass ascension were announced. He didn't really try to hold back from voicing his opinions from then on. Whats the point of trying to have good rapport with them when they'll be fucking off sometime soon?

Bonus pearl dialogue stuff

[cdx1016]

Human history is short compared to the age of the universe. If the age of the universe were compressed into a year, human history would be a few minutes.

(viacard1016)

(viadkct25)

[leafsfromthevine]

dallas and ian be normal with each other for more than 3 seconds challenge (impossible)

[canisalbus]

hypothetically speaking how powerful would Machete be if he got competent therapy and came out 100% problem-free?

Hard to say. He might be less ambitious actually. He's extremely driven and hardworking in both iterations and it's mostly thanks to his low self-esteem. He's a compensating and overachieving perfectionist and feels like if he's not giving it 110% at all times he's doing an unsatisfactory job .

[willowreadsgayfanfiction]

[whimzycle]

Bunny has lived for a long, long time on earth. Do you wonder, how many children lit up at the sight of him and call after his name, alight in joy and wonder, in same way Sophie does?

Do you think he thinks about them? That every time Sophie greets him, he hears millions of children at the same time, in the same breath, in the same chime as she speaks?

Do you think about how he'd feel? Do you think about how much affection he harbors for these children he knows so little about yet loves so much?

Does it ever struck you how much Easter means to him, knowing all of these now?

[snowydragon10]

Hear me out

The Lego Ninjago series, while still running, will have to eventually end aND WHEN IT DOES

The final scenes in the ultimate final episode (heck, maybe the entirety of the final episode!!) will be the Official Wedding between Jay and Nya.

All of the Ninja are there, along with all the friends and allies they have made through the years of the series (Said friends and allies will all have at least one second of cameo focus, given how many there already are along with the future ones).

From Humans to serpentine, ghosts (yes Morro too) and dragons, EVERYONE will be there, and it will be the fluffiest wedding ever with no interruptions from any bad guys whatsoever

AND when the ultimate final episode releases all of the reactors will either be quickly scrambling to put on something fancy or already be in a full suit by the time the vows start and it will be glorious

Jaya have been through so much, that in the name of the First Spinnljitzu Master they deserve a happy ending themselves!!

[being-mughal]

6.Uncovering the hidden layers: A semiotic analysis of the matrix code

Matrix Code, or the so-called "digital rain" - a typical sign of cyberpunk images and the discourse of philosophers about the nature of reality. In this blog post discussing the Matrix Code, in addition to analyzing the denotative, connotative, and mythological aspects of the sign, I will focus on the processes of creating and maintaining sign systems.

Denotation: Literal representation At the most basic and direct level possible, Matrix Code is a mass of small green prints of letters, numbers and other symbols on a black background arranged in an endless cascade. This kind of illustration is used in a cinematic environment to represent the Matrix as a virtual reality.

Connotation: Deeper association The use of matrix code corresponds to the deep meanings associated with technology and simulation as well as control. The green color of the code makes me connect it with screens and coding and place the viewer in the world of the future. Flawless switching between characters means the viewer gets a vividly colored picture of them as simulation models within the story.

The design also connotes mystery and mystery, emphasizing the fundamental question central to the film: "What is real?" This correlates with cyberpunk itself, part of which touches on the conflict between human and artificial, freedom and destiny.

Myth:Constructing a Cultural Ideology The Matrix Code is also accompanied by a myth, and its ideological aspect can be understood in the context of the concept of myth proposed by Roland Barthes. It symbolizes the popular silicon ideology of a technophile future in which human life is embedded and subordinated to technology. As for this myth, the very plot of the film is built around it - the world is fake and deliverance is only possible by manipulating the Matrix Code.

In addition, the Matrix Code is now associated with philosophy. It adds layers to concerns about existentialist themes and existentialism, epistemology and a touch of metaphysical inquiry turning symbols into a waterfall of truth discovery. This ideological layer was particularly troubling when it went beyond the film, the discussion led to popular culture and special studies.

Construction of meaning: The meanings inhabiting the Matrix Code are derived from its incorporation into the spatial and semiotic foundations of films. The code was thus reflected not only in an impressive spectacle, but also in the spectrum of other meanings inherent in the approach of the filmmakers. Digital rain is so directly contrasted with human feelings and hardships that one falls in love with humanism against mechanical constructivism.

Marketing and literature information and other cultural markers act to anchor Codex's position in the modern or postmodern and existential. Due to its use as a representation of similar themes, it has become an archetype in the media of post-contemporary tropes of simulation and reality.

Purpose and Visibility of Meanings: The semiotic depth of the matrix code has a number of functions. It serves as a plot and story telling tool, as a visual symbol and cultural unity. Some are easy to pick out as technology and simulation, but others like the ontological meanings of control and freedom, one has to step back and think.

Conclusion: Matrix Code shows how semiotics can effectively create a symbol that crosses cultural and knowledge boundaries. In its denotative, connotative and mythopoeic functions, the Codex conveys meanings that challenge and appeal to viewers and readers. Such symbols offer a sense of the narratives and political rhetoric through which meaning is made in the posthuman age.

References:

Barthes, R., 2009. Mythologies. London: Vintage. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2752/175470810X12863771378833 [Accessed 2 January 2025].

Chandler, D., 2002. Semiotics: The Basics. London: Routledge. Available at: https://compart.uni-bremen.de/content/4-teaching/0-winter-2020-21/1-semiotics-media/3-material/03_4_5_chandler_semioticsbasics.pdf [Accessed 2 January 2025].

Fiske, J., 1990. Introduction to Communication Studies. London: Routledge. Available at: https://www.routledge.com/Introduction-to-Communication-Studies/Fiske/p/book/9780415596497 [Accessed 2 January 2025].

Saussure, F. de, 1983. Course in General Linguistics. Translated by Harris, R. London: Duckworth. Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-linguistics/article/abs/f-de-saussure-course-in-general-linguistics-translated-and-annotated-by-roy-harris-london-duckworth-1983-pp-xx-236/BB3535D9FA3FE96D0E528C7EC143E134 [Accessed 3 January 2025].

Adamka, (2024).matrix style, holographic , green Matrix code , binary code , glitch, double exposure cinematic manga comix style, sci-fi, futuristic. Available at: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/u3o59V693mK1Z683O89m [Accessed 3 January 2025].

Wachowski, L. and Wachowski, L., 1999. The Matrix. Warner Bros. Available at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/ [Accessed 3 January 2025].

[th-chen]

10. Pushing limits...or not

Before running into the topic, I want to briefly talk about brand placement in video games. We all know brand placement as a kind of traditional commercial trick, a company pays or cooperating with film and television works like movies and animations to incorporate their product into the works to get public volume, there are some famous examples like the 007 series, James Bond is always wearing an OMEGA watch and driving Aston Martin. Especially in Skyfall, the company paid $45 million to let Bond drink Heineken, maybe you will doubt “Is it worth it?” “45 million sounds like a lot,” “but Bond is a global property. If you break it down into all the different countries that the company would be advertising in, anyway, it doesn’t seem so much. Heineken also knows that people will be watching a Bond film for decades, so it’s not as if they’re paying for a one-off ad. They’re paying to become known as a premium brand in the long term. It’s more about shifting perceptions than shifting products.”(Chris Sice, managing director of Blended Republic) We can tell although brand placement is an old commercial strategy for publicity anything, it’s still works! This strategy also works in the game industry, like Monster Energy in Death Stranding.

Fig 1. Monster Energy drink in Death Stranding as a consumable object(post by Gejzirowski)

We all know that making a triple-A game “A lot of money, A lot of resources, A lot of time” There’s never too much money and commercial support, while it takes so much time making games, having some income other from product selling itself is always something game company love to see. While game companies started using 3D or even VR engines to create games, there are research that discovered that brand placement seems to work worse on 3D and VR versions than on 2D versions!? “Presence was highest in the VR video game and lowest in the 2D video game, presence in the 3D game was in between.” (Johanna Roettl, Ralf Terlutter) It means the presence level varies inversely with how effective brand placement are, how’s that? “Brand placements suffer by an increase of the video game technology. We expect that performing the primary task of playing the game likely needs more cognitive resources (i.e. higher cognitive load) in the VR and the 3D video game as compared to the 2D video game, hence, these cognitive resources are no longer available for performing secondary tasks, such as processing and memorizing the brand placements in the game.” (Johanna Roettl, Ralf Terlutter, The same video game in 2D, 3D or virtual reality – How does technology impact game evaluation and brand placements? 2018) Just like some people will get dizzy playing 3D video games, not to mention VR games, I get dizzy after 3 minutes of racing in the VR world but I’m fine playing 3D games. Since technology keeps pushing our playing experience to a more “Realistic” level, the traditional marketing way might not work as well as it used to.

Bibliography:

Roettl J, Terlutter R. The same video game in 2D, 3D or virtual reality - How does technology impact game evaluation and brand placements? PLoS One. 2018 Jul 20;13(7):e0200724. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200724. PMID: 30028839; PMCID: PMC6054385.

Barber, N. (2022) Does Bond’s product placement go too far? https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20151001-does-bonds-product-placement-go-too-far.

Fig1. Wiki, C. to D.S. (no date) Monster Energy. https://deathstranding.fandom.com/wiki/Monster_Energy?file=Monster_Energy.jpeg.

[taraxippos]

I never touched it but I feel like i only ever hear positive things said about song of achilles.. in (rough strokes at least) what makes it dogshit to you?

Okay it's been a while since I actually read it so some of this might not be spot on accurate. Sorry if at any point I say 'the book never does xyz' and it actually does once or twice but I think my underlying criticisms are accurate

-Patroclus is made into like this soft gentle tender quivering little yaoi boy. In the source text, he's shown as compassionate and moved by the suffering of his own men (and apparently having some medical skill, tending to the wounded in the camp), but very much invested n combat and very, very good at it (pages worth of descriptions of the guys he's killing left and right). In this, the arguably more complex character from this 8th century BC text is flattened into Being A Healer, he doesn't want to go to war he just wants to help people, he only goes because Achilles has to but he doesn't want to fight he's a HEALER he's a gentle lover NOT A FIGHTER who just wants to help he just wants to help everyone around him he HEALS while Achilles is a doomed warrior who is so good at fighting and KILLING its a DICHOTOMY GUYS!!!LIKE THE BEAUTIFUL SUN AND MOON DOOMED LOVERS SO SAD patocluse HEALER . (I Think he's specifically characterized as being BAD at fighting but might be misremembering)

-I don't remember much about Achilles' characterization I think it just makes him less of a jackass while not adding anything of interest and levels out into being mad boring.

-Not getting into the literal millenias old debate whether the mythological characters Achilles and Patroclus were being characterized as some type of lover by the original oral sources of the Iliad or its Homeric writers. We will never know. We don't even know what (if any) culturally accepted conventions of male homosexuality existed in bronze age Greece (we know much more about their descendants). But there are some interesting elements of their characterization in this direction, with how unconventional their relationship is WITHIN the text itself- Patroclus is described as cooking for Achilles and his guests (very specifically a woman/wife's job), Achilles chides Patroclus like a father, but there's also scene where Achilles' mourning of him directly echoes a passage of Hector's wife mourning her husband, Patroclus is explicitly stated to Achilles' elder, and is overall treated as his equal or near-equal, closest confidant and most beloved friend (to the point that pederastic classical Greeks would debate over who was erastes (older authority figure lover) and who was eromenos (adolescent 'beloved')- many took it as a given that this text depicted their present-day cultural norms of homosexual behavior but it existed so Outside of these norms that it had to be debated who was who). Their relationship is non-standard both within the text and to the descendants of the civilization that wrote them.

Basically what I'm saying is this book had opportunities to like, explore the unconventionality of the relationship (being presented here as explicitly lovers), explore the dynamics of why Patroclus wants to do 'women's work' (besides being a tenderhearted softboy), the weird dynamics where they take on paternal roles to each other but also roles of wives, how they feel about being this way, and just kind of Doesn't. Which I guess isn't an intrinsic fault (because it omits much of what I just talked about to begin with). it's just like.... Lame. This book takes jsut abandons everything interesting about the source text in favor of flattening it into bland Doomed Yaoi.

-The conflict that sets off the core story of the Iliad is Achilles and Agamemnon fighting over Briseis, an enslaved Trojan woman taken by Achilles as a war-trophy, Achilles spends most of the story moping because he was dishonored by his 'trophy' being taken. Achilles and Patroclus and everyone else are raping their captives, all the women in the story are either captured Trojans (or in the case of the free women within the walls of Troy, soon to be enslaved, and are slave owners themselves). Slavery as an institution and extreme patriarchal conventions are innate to the text and reflective of the context in which it was developed. You cannot avoid it.

But obviously you can't have your soft yaoi boys doing this, so the author has them capturing women to Protect Them from the other men. Their slaves are UNDER THEIR PROTECTION and VERY SAFE (and they might even Like And Befriend Them but I might be misremembering that. Briseis does though). Our heroes have apparently absorbed none of the ideals of the culture they exist in and the author seems to think "they're gay and aren't sexually attracted to their captives" would translate to them being outright benevolent (also as if wartime sexual violence is just about attraction and not part of a wider spectrum of violent acts to dehumanize and brutalize an accepted 'enemy')

In the source text, Briseis mourns Patroclus as being the kindest to her of her captors, who tried to get her a slightly better outcome by getting her married to Achilles (which probably would be the Least Bad of all possible outcomes for a woman in that situation, becoming a legal wife instead of a slave), and wonders what will happen to her now that he's gone. This is a really really sad, horrible, and compelling dynamic which could be fleshed out in very interesting ways but is instead is tossed entirely aside in favor of them being Besties. Like brother and sister.

All of the above pisses me off so much. If you don't want to engage in the icky parts of ancient/bronze age Greece then don't write a retelling of a story taking place in bronze age Greece. I'm not gonna get mad at children's adaptations of Greek myths or silly fun stories loosely based on them for omitting the rape and slavery but it is SO fundamental to the Iliad. If you're not willing to handle it, either fully omit it or better yet set your Iliad inspired yaoi in an invented swords-and-sandals setting where you can have all your heartbreaking tragic doomed lovers plot beats and not have to clumsily write around the women they're brutalizing.

-The author didn't seem to know what to do with Thetis and she made her just like, Achilles bitch mother who spends most of the story trying to separate our Yaoi Boys (iirc her disguising Achilles as a girl and hiding him on Scyros is made to be more about getting him away from Patroclus than trying to save her son from his prophesied doom in the Trojan War) until she sees how much they loooove each other and I think helps Patroclus' spirit get to the afterlife or something in the end?

-This is more of a personal taste gripe but it has that writing style I loathe where the prose feels less like a story and more like an attempt to string together Deep Beautiful Hard Hitting Poetic Lines that will look great as excerpts on booktok (might predate booktok but same vibe). It's all very Pretty and Haunting and Deep but feels devoid of real substance.

I really like The Iliad and The Odyssey in of themselves. They're fascinating historical texts that give a window into how 8th century BC Greeks told their stories, saw their world, interpreted their ancestors, etc. And genuinely I think these texts have 'good' characters, there's a lot of complexity and humanity to it.

WRT the Iliad- all of the main Achaeans are pretty fascinating, the one singular part where Briseis Gets To Talk and laments her situation is great, Achilles fantasizing that all of the Trojans AND the Achaeans die so he and Patroclus alone can have the glory of conquering Troy (wild), Achilles asking to embrace Patroclus' shade and reaching out for him but it's immaterial (and the shade being sucked back underground with a 'squeak' (the squeak kinda gets me it's disturbing and sad)), Hecuba talking about wanting to tear out Achilles' liver and eat it in a (taboo, exceptioally pointed) expression of rage and grief for his mutilation of her son's corpse, just one tiny line where the enslaved women performing ritual wailing for their dead captors are described as using it as an outlet to 'grieve for their own troubles' is heartrending, etc. A lot of grappling with anger and grief and the inevitability of death, a lot of groundwork laid for characters that could be very interesting when expanded upon in the framework of a conventional novel.

And Song Of Achilles really doesn't do much with all that. I know a lot of my gripes here are kind of just "It's different from the Iliad", I would have thought of it as mostly mediocre and forgettable rather than infuriating if it wasn't a retelling (and I DEFINITELY have strong biases here). But I think the ways in which it is different are less just a product of a retelling (of course there's going to be omissions and differences) and more a complete and utter disinterest in vast majority of its own subject matter, to the book's detriment. I think a retelling has a point when it EXPANDS on the source, or provides a NEW ANGLE to the source. This book doesn't Really do either, it just shaves off the complexity of its source material, renders the characters into a really boring archetype of a gay relationship, and gives very little else. Its content boils down to a middling tragic romance that has been inserted into the hollowed out defleshed skeleton of the Iliad.

Bottom line: I definitely would not be as mad about it if I wasn't familiar with the source material but I think it's fair to expect a retelling to Engage with/expand on its source, and I also think it's weak purely on its own merits. This book was set up to disappoint Me specifically.

[quatregats]

I'm rereading Master and Commander and I'm deeply in danger of just posting every single passage from it ever but I did love the way that the capture of the prize in Chapter 6 was framed on either side by the logbook's entry, and also the way he transitions out of it to set the scene and tone:

Sunday, July 1 … Mustered the ship’s company by divisions read the Articles of War performed Divine Service and committed the body of Henry Gouges to the deep. At noon dº weather. Ditto weather: but the sun sank towards a livid, purple, tumescent cloud-bank piled deep on the western horizon, and it was clear to every seaman aboard that it was not going to remain ditto much longer. The seamen, sprawling abroad on the fo’c’sle and combing out their long hair or plaiting it up again for one another, kindly explained to the landmen that this long swell from the south and east, this strange sticky heat that came both from the sky and the glassy surface of the heaving sea, and this horribly threatening appearance of the sun, meant that there was to be a coming dissolution of all natural bonds, an apocalyptic upheaval, a right dirty night ahead. The sailormen had plenty of time to depress their hearers, already low in their spirits because of the unnatural death of Henry Gouges (had said, ‘Ha, ha, mates, I am fifty years old this day. Oh dear,’ and had died sitting there, still holding his untasted grog) – they had plenty of time, for this was Sunday afternoon, when in the course of nature the fo’c’sle was covered with sailors at their ease, their pigtails undone. Some of the more gifted had queues they could tuck into their belts; and now that these ornaments were loosened and combed out, lank when still wet, or bushy when dry and as yet ungreased, they gave their owners a strangely awful and foreboding look, like oracles; which added to the landmen’s uneasiness.

[...]

Jack leant back against the curved run of the stern-window and let Killick’s version of coffee down by gulps into his grateful stomach; and at the same time that its warmth spread through him, so there ran a lively tide of settled, pure, unfevered happiness – a happiness that another commander (remembering his own first prize) might have discerned from the log-entry, although it was not specifically mentioned there: 1/2 past 10 tacked, 11 in courses, reefed topsail. AM cloudy and rain. 1/2 past 4 chase observed E by S, distance 1/2 mile. Bore up and took possession of dº, which proved to be L’Aimable Louise, French polacre laden with corn and general merchandise for Cette, of about 200 tons, 6 guns and 19 men. Sent her with an officer and eight men to Mahon.

[anghraine]

I got a comment that was like ... people are only mad about film Faramir because he doesn't act exactly the way they personally imagined him, and tbh I'm torn between being annoyed at how deeply disingenuous that argument is and slightly impressed at the sheer audacity of pinning the Faramir Controversy on difference from random people's headcanons rather than the book itself.

...then I got to thinking about how the whole time-consuming and wildly out of character handling of the temptation of the Ring is one thing, and justifiably gets a lot of attention, but Faramir allowing his soldiers to beat Gollum for information is quite comparable in my mind. They're his men! Gollum is an unarmed prisoner! I guess it's meant to show the exigencies of war or something and I'm just like ... hahaha no.

In a way it reminds me of film Aragorn just straight up killing the Mouth of Sauron in a way that seems meant to show their desperation in a badass cathartic way, and meanwhile, I'm thinking ... oh, our heroes murder ambassadors now. I feel like it's the same underlying kind of rationale, and quite far from not matching people's headcanons.

[slightlytoastedbagel]

my brain can't make sense of it rn but please take my hand and ponder the differences between the family structure of the Shiraishi household compared to the rest of vbs.

[pinktinselmonstrosity]

DNF'd my first book of the year 😔 i just can't read these fucking greek myth retellings anymore i think lol they're just not for me