In 1997; a BAFTA award-winning British film about six out of work Sheffield steelworkers with nothing to lose took the world by storm. And now theyrsquo;re back; live on stage; only for them; it really has to be The Full Monty.Simon Beaufoy; the Oscar-winning writer of the film; has now gone back to Sheffield where it all started to rediscover the men; the women; the heartache and the hilarity of a city on the dole.
#2567843 in eBooks 2000-09-01 2000-09-01File Name: B00B7EOEDW
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A pleasure to read-up to a pointBy xxxThe book starts out very strong; and a pleasure to read. His case against oral history; against the assumption that stories about heroes; or indeed any information (myth; pedigree; tradition) which is ultimately founded on tradition and oral transmission; is based on some kernel of historic truth; is very convincing. The book is worth buying and reading for that part alone. Unfortunately; when he comes to present and defend his own theory; that mythsand heroic stories are based on ancient religious ceremonies; he gets much weaker; the evidence he presents against other theories is stronger than the positive evidence he can present in favor of his own. I wonder if he ever considered that stories might be told for entertainment; because they are good stories; his discussion gives me the impression he considered that irrelevant.44 of 44 people found the following review helpful. Better than CampbellBy JimboSacrilege; I know; but I found this book to be the most inciteful explanation of the hero mono-myth; at least in regards to western civilization; that I have ever read.The basic premise is that the hero journey; which forms the basis for all western stories; myths and legends; is a remnant of an ancient ritual drama enacted at the coronation of a priest-king (probably in ancient Mesopotamia).A definition: A ritual; according to Raglan; is an specific act performed for a magical purpose. A dramatic ritual is a ritual performed for an audience; and a ritual drama is a dramatic ritual where the participants play specific roles. In order to play roles a story/plot was needed and this story forms the myth. The myth of the priest-king outlived the ritual and became the many myths and folktales we are familiar with; from Hercules to Robin Hood to Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter (my additions).Raglan argues that at one time kings were more than kings; they were priests; even gods; and replaced on a regular basis. The ritual surrounding this replacement involved sacrificing the old king (in reality or ritually) and raising up a suitable substitute. Raglan says there are at least twenty-two aspects to this mono-myth and the closer the legend fits these aspects the less likely the hero was a historical personage at all.His argument is that all historical persons that we know of from actual evidence have differed greatly from these twenty-two points. However all purely legendary heros curiously share most of them.(1)Born of a royal virgin.(2)His father a King and(3)Often a near relative of mother; but(4)The circumsatnces of his conception are unusual and(5)He is reputed to be the son of a god.(6)An attempt is made to kill him at birth(often by father or father-figure) but(7)He is spirited away and(8)Raised by foster parents in a far country.(9)We are told nothing of his childhood.(10)On reaching manhood he journeys to his future kingdom.(11)Faces trials and tests.(12)Marries a princess and(13)Becomes king.(14)Rules uneventfully(15)Prescribes laws(16)Loses favor with the Gods or his subjects and(17)Is driven away where(18)He meets with a mysterious death(19)Often at the top of a hill.(20)His children; if any; do not succeed him.(21)His body is not buried; however(22)He has one or more holy resting places.Curiously Raglan neglected; while covering several legendary figures who fit this prototype; to mention Jesus Christ. Perhaps it was the time he wrote in (the 1930s).Lord Raglan makes an excellent argument for his thesis.I cant believe I am the first to review this amazing book.Highly reccomended.8 of 8 people found the following review helpful. The Literary Evolution of Heroic Figures from Ritual DramasBy Magickal MerlinIf you are a fellow admirer of mythical legends and heroic dramas;then you will be captivated by this book.One of the literary questions;i ask from time to time;is whether Merlin or Jesus Christ;was the first true magician.Both performed miracles and feats that amazed watchers.Their accounts rippled outward through bardic narratives and recorded in countless legendary tales.But;this study glosses over the Jesus topic.Whether because of moral sensitivity or whether expurgated due to the mores of the day.This myth theory deals with the major classical epics from the European perspective.However;there are no tales from Afrika;India;the Americas or Asia.All heroic myths may have started from the first campfire rituals of Eastern Afrika.And as human migration spread;so did the retelling of the proto-myths.The myths evolved and the characters evolved.Yet;the root basis of our modern fictional legends derive from a wandering sole folk-tellers tongue on ancient ritual dramas.I think one of the greatest achievements of this complex exposition;is to convey; that all of mythical tales are patterned upon a single basic human desire to idealize the deeds of our heroic figures. Im surprised that this book is not well-known today.Im glad to have discovered this work on myth traditions.And would recommend it to anyone else interested in literary pursuits and drama studies.