Ankara Üniversitesi Dil ve Tarih-Coğrafya Fakültesi Dergisi (Jan 2017)
Reconstructing The Ancient Mythemes: Thematic Enclosure of Dr. Iannıs As A Postmodern Odysseus In Captaın Corellı’s Mandolın
Abstract
Louis de Bernières’ novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin revives some of the mythemes of the Odysseus myth, such as the hero’s encounter with monsters and the hero’s dominance by intelligence, among others. In the process of using these mythemes, the novelist revises and challenges both their structures and earlier established meanings. This study focuses on the representation of the character Dr Iannis as an Odysseus figure. In doing so, the novelist deconstructs the essence of Odysseus myth, namely the hero’s assertion of his wisdom, supremacy and victory in each enterprise, and reconstructs the mythemes anew. By juxtaposing the old meanings with new ones, Louis de Bernières stresses the incapability of the earlier mythical units to serve forever as fixed signifiers. In Louis de Bernières’ reworking of the myth, Dr Iannis as a postmodern Odysseus fails to rise to the expectations of the mythical paradigm, presenting instead his limits concerning intelligence, knowledge and authority.
