| dc.description.abstract | Abstract
This masters thesis is about the portrayal of the historical duel in modern film and TV shows. It seeks to use a combination of historical theory about the use of history and the relationship between historical fact and historical authenticity to explore this portrayal. Based on empirical evidence in scientific literature about the duel as a historical phenomenon, the dissertation creates an operational definition of the historical duel. This definition of the concept is aimed to clarify for the reader what a duel is/was and uses this as a foundation for the further analysis. The sources that will be used as the empirical evidence for this text are carefully chosen as representatives of multiple genres of film and television, including popular subject matter such as ancient Greece and the Vikings. They have been chosen both for the historical context of the eras they are set in, as well as for the nature of the duels themselves that are portrayed in them. These duels have all been categorized with the different types of historical duels they represent in mind. The master thesis main goal is to further explore these portrayals in a deep analysis of the duel. The method chosen for this is to use a combination historical theory about the use of history, as well as theory concerning the relationship between historical correctness and historical authenticity in historical fiction. It is the opinion in this thesis that the duel is used in the visual media both to entertain and to provide a solution to violent conflicts that arises during the narrative. By choosing to resolve such conflicts in a duel, it gives the filmmakers opportunity to portray their main characters in a positive light, if that is their wish. This text will also show how the duel is portrayed with great historical correctness in most cases, due to the heavy expectations often related to the phenomenon even among non-historians. Lastly, the text provides evidence that the duel itself is used to fill in a gap in the knowledge of the public regarding how armed conflicts were solved in different historical time periods, and thus providing them with both a satisfying conclusion to a conflict in the narrative, as well as giving the feeling that the portrayal may be historically authentic. | |
