Futuristic Visions and Classical Myths: Nonlinear Time as a Device for Reinterpreting Antique Plots in Dan Simmons’ Novel “Ilium”
Abstract
Ancient mythology remains an important source of inspiration for contemporary literature, where its plots and images are used to reinterpret universal questions of human existence. In the context of postmodern and metamodern paradigms prioritizing non-linearity, intertextuality, and multi-layered narratives, mythology becomes a tool for examining such fundamental themes as time, space, and fate. The works of Dan Simmons, in particular his Trojan Dylogy, are relevant for study due to the combination of ancient stories with science fiction and the question of the relationship between the past, future and present.
The purpose of the article is to study the interpretation of the passage of time in ancient mythology through the prism of postmodern and metamodern approaches that transform mythological concepts of time and space in Dan Simmons' novel Ilium.
The research uses a comparative analysis of ancient sources and Simmons' works. An interdisciplinary approach is applied, which includes elements of a philosophical study of the mythos in the Ilium, taking into account cultural, historical and social aspects.
In his novels, Dan Simmons creates a unique chronotope where the past, present, and future are intertwined. The Trojan War in his novels takes place in the future under the supervision of the gods of Olympus, while modern people and characters from antiquity interact with each other. A key feature of these novels is the use of the laws of time: non-linear temporal dimensions and the possibility of changing the foreseen future become central themes.
The reinterpretation of classical mythology in modern literature, as exemplified by the works of Dan Simmons, demonstrates the meaning-forming role of ancient stories in the study of complex philosophical topics. Simmons successfully integrates mythological elements into science fiction, allowing us to explore the issues of time, space, and human freedom within postmodern and metamodern discourses.
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References
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