Document Type
Article
Abstract
In this article, we demonstrate that the antihero archetype informs our understanding of Trump in important ways, including his rise to and fall from power. We introduce an analytical framework for analyzing Trump’s antiheroic traits based on his social positioning, individual motivation, and personal charisma. We argue that Trump is fascinating because he is powerful, amoral, and charismatic, and suggest that the American public was primed for Trumpism through a zeitgeist hospitable to antihero worship. That is, Trump’s dogged popularity with nearly half of the American public was foretold by decades of pop-cultural obsession with, and adulation for, the antihero.
DOI
10.26736/hs.2022.01.10
Recommended Citation
Prusa, Igor and Brummer, Matthew
(2022)
"Myth, Fiction and Politics in the Age of Antiheroes: A Case Study of Donald Trump,"
Heroism Science: Vol. 7:
Iss.
1, Article 5.
DOI: 10.26736/hs.2022.01.10
Available at:
https://scholarship.richmond.edu/heroism-science/vol7/iss1/5
Included in
American Politics Commons, American Popular Culture Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Film and Media Studies Commons, Folklore Commons, Leadership Studies Commons