Author: Hiranya Mukherjee

Abstract: Popular-culture at large, and science fiction and fantasy in particular harbours various representations of abject bodies. In my essay I have analysed the formation of protagonist-antagonist duos in the 2019 film Brightburn, The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series within a dynamic of conceptualising the protagonists and antagonists as mirror image alter-egos. The essay attempts to explore how the assertions of order, law and civility by the protagonist subjects of Clark Kent/Superman, Frodo/Bilbo and Harry Potter are disrupted by the antagonist subjects-- Brandon/Brightburn, Smeagol/Gollum and Tom Riddle/Voldemort through the impingement of abjection and the antagonists functioning as agents of abjection. In each of the cases a catalyst leads to the foregrounding of the abject body and the disruption of the identity of the antagonist subjects; leading to fragmentation and a resistance to acquiescence towards the “phallic object”.

Keywords: Abject, Shadow, Subversion, Alter-ego, Catalyst, Kristeva.

Article Info: Received: 02 Nov 2020; Received in revised form: 22 Jan 2021; Accepted: 12 Feb 2021; Available online: 20 Feb 2021

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.61.39