The Dark Knight and the Evilness of Evil

The problem of evil is a recurring cinematic motif. However, in the theatres as much as in theology, evil is often misunderstood. Its peculiar ontology (as neither created nor divine) and its problematic presence (as defeated yet hostile) makes evil conceptually hard to speak of. Surprisingly, then,...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Cocksworth, Ashley (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage [2009]
In: The expository times
Year: 2009, Volume: 120, Issue: 11, Pages: 541-543
Further subjects:B Augustine
B GOOD & evil in motion pictures
B Theology
B Ethics
B Hostility (Psychology)
B wickedness
B The Dark Knight
B Ontology
B Evil
B Violence
B Theodicy
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:The problem of evil is a recurring cinematic motif. However, in the theatres as much as in theology, evil is often misunderstood. Its peculiar ontology (as neither created nor divine) and its problematic presence (as defeated yet hostile) makes evil conceptually hard to speak of. Surprisingly, then, the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight, offers a very good (or rather, very evil) account of wickedness that aims not to 'solve' the problem of evil but to expose wickedness in all its savaging awfulness. This article will discuss some of the issues that stand behind the account of evil proffered by Batman's archenemy and Gotham City's agent of chaos, the Joker.
ISSN:1745-5308
Contains:Enthalten in: The expository times
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0014524609106841