Reconstructing the Odysseus myth: the postmodern condition in Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Abstract

Louis de Bernières’ novel entitled Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is one of those postmodern works that revives the myth in order to explore the socio-cultural and historical moments which are of essential importance for the contemporary world. Since this novel is based on myth, there are multiple mythical perspectives that could be investigated. This article focuses solely on Odysseus myth, in general, and on character Mandras, as an Odyssean figure, in particular. Our purpose is to dissect the Odysseus scenario into mythemes, which are the smallest constitutive units of a myth, in order to observe the succession of the events and the association of these units to each other. Although the detected mythical units are easily recognizable, we discover that Louis de Bernières applies new signifiers each time he uses the mythemes, signifiers which prove to be pertinent to the age we live in. These signifiers include, among others, the association of the lover to the land, “museumification”, simulation, hyperreality, “language games”, use-value vs. exchange-value, and emancipation. We attempt to present myth as a system of signs and mythemes, which is universal but also dynamic, as it tends to recombine and create new meanings perpetually. The exhaustion of the mythical symbolism included in the detected units of Odysseus myth is prevented, because the reader is engaged, first, in the process of discovery of these mythemes; second, in the deconstruction of earlier established meanings; and, third, in the creation of his/her own meaning and symbolism, produced in relation to his/her cultural code. © 2014, Mediterranean Center of Social and Educational Research. All right reserved.