Apotheosis in Literature & Literary Theory

Apotheosis: Etymology/Term, Meanings and Concept

Table of Contents

“Apotheosis” traces its roots to the Greek word “apotheoun,” meaning “to deify” or “to make a god.” The term denotes the elevation of a person or thing to divine status or the highest point of development or achievement. In various contexts, “apotheosis” embodies themes of transcendence, ultimate transformation, or the pinnacle of greatness. It can represent the glorification of individuals, ideas, or ideals beyond ordinary human limitations, often through symbolic or metaphorical means. Across literature, art, religion, and philosophy, “apotheosis” serves as a potent motif, capturing humanity’s aspirations for perfection, immortality, or spiritual enlightenment.

Meanings and Concepts:

Deification: Refers to the elevation of a mortal to divine status, often in religious or mythological contexts.

Transcendence: Signifies surpassing ordinary limits or boundaries, reaching a state beyond the mundane.
Ultimate Transformation: Represents a profound and significant change, leading to the highest possible state or form.
Glorification: Involves the exaltation or adulation of a person, idea, or concept to the highest degree.

Symbolism and Metaphor: Implies representing abstract ideas or qualities through concrete or symbolic imagery.
Aspiration for Perfection: Reflects humanity’s innate desire for excellence, completeness, or flawlessness.
Immortality: Connotes achieving a form of eternal existence or enduring significance beyond physical life.

Spiritual Enlightenment: Pertains to attaining deep understanding, insight, or awakening to higher truths or realities.

Apotheosis: Definition of a Theoretical Term

“Apotheosis” is a theoretical term that signifies the elevation of something to a divine or exalted status. It embodies the concept of ultimate transformation, representing the pinnacle of development or achievement. The term often implies a symbolic or metaphorical process through which individuals, ideas, or ideals are glorified beyond their ordinary human limitations.

Apotheosis: Theorists, Works and Arguments

Theorists:

Carl Jung: Jung explored the concept of apotheosis within his theory of individuation, suggesting it as a crucial stage in the process of psychological development where the individual integrates the conscious and unconscious aspects of the psyche.

Joseph Campbell: Campbell, in his work on comparative mythology, identified apotheosis as a common motif in hero’s journeys across cultures, where the hero attains divine status or enlightenment through trials and challenges.
Hegel: Hegel discussed apotheosis within his philosophy of history, viewing it as the culmination of the dialectical process where the Absolute Spirit achieves self-awareness through the development of human consciousness.

Works:

“The Hero with a Thousand Faces” by Joseph Campbell: In this seminal work, Campbell extensively discusses the archetype of the hero’s journey, highlighting the stage of apotheosis as a central aspect of the hero’s transformation.

“Psychological Types” by Carl Jung: Jung delves into the concept of individuation and the process of self-realization, emphasizing the significance of apotheosis in the integration of the psyche.
“Phenomenology of Spirit” by G.W.F. Hegel: Hegel’s magnum opus explores the development of human consciousness throughout history, with apotheosis representing the pinnacle of spiritual evolution in his dialectical framework.

Arguments:

Integration of the Psyche: Theorists argue that apotheosis symbolizes the harmonious integration of the conscious and unconscious aspects of the psyche, leading to self-realization and spiritual enlightenment.

Universal Archetype: Scholars assert that apotheosis serves as a universal archetype found in myths, religions, and philosophical systems worldwide, reflecting humanity’s collective aspiration for transcendence and ultimate transformation.
Teleological Progression: Hegel’s argument posits that apotheosis is the culmination of a teleological progression in history, where human consciousness evolves towards self-awareness and the realization of absolute truth.

Apotheosis: Major Characteristics

Beyond Human Limitations: The apotheosized figure breaks free from the constraints of mortality. This may manifest as immortality, extraordinary abilities, or freedom from earthly concerns.

Acquisition of Divine Traits: Individuals undergoing apotheosis often adopt qualities associated with deities, such as supernatural power, wisdom, or the ability to command natural forces.
Symbolic Significance: Apotheosis primarily functions as a powerful symbol, highlighting the extraordinary legacy and lasting impact of the subject rather than suggesting a literal physical change.
Reverence and Commemoration: Rituals, monuments, artistic representations, and literary works often mark apotheosis, venerating the individual’s elevated status.

Examples in Literature and History:

Ancient World:
- Hercules (Heracles): Upon completing his trials and attaining redemption, Hercules ascended to Mount Olympus as a god in Greek mythology.
- Roman Emperors: Figures like Julius Caesar and Augustus were sometimes deified as part of political propaganda and imperial cult practices.
Classical Literature:
- Virgil’s Aeneid: Aeneas, the Trojan hero and ancestor of Rome, undergoes a process of apotheosis.
- Dante’s Divine Comedy: Dante’s journey transcends the limitations of the earthly realm, culminating in a divine vision.

Functions of Apotheosis

Underscoring Extraordinary Achievement: It serves as a hyperbolic testament to an individual’s exceptional accomplishments, influence, or virtue.
Exploration of Ambition and Hubris: The motif raises philosophical questions about the dangers and consequences of individuals striving to surpass their natural limitations.

Cultural and Political Tool: In certain historical contexts, apotheosis was used to reinforce the power of rulers or promote nationalistic mythology (e.g., the “Apotheosis of George Washington”).

Apotheosis in Literary Theory: Critical Lenses and Interpretations

Apotheosis, the symbolic or metaphorical elevation of a figure to divine status, offers a rich source of analysis for numerous literary theories and critical approaches. It raises essential questions about power, ambition, the construction of cultural memory, and the limits of human representation.

Key Theoretical Frameworks for Analyzing Apotheosis:

Structuralism and Semiotics: Exploring apotheosis as a sign illuminates cultural understandings of authority, heroism, and aspirations beyond the boundaries of mortality. These frameworks emphasize the shifting symbolic systems associated with representations of the divine.

Psychoanalytic Theory: Apotheosis narratives illuminate unconscious desires for transcendence, perfection, and power. Psychoanalytic readings uncover individual and societal anxieties and wish-fulfillment embedded within depictions of figures exceeding human limitations.
New Historicism: A New Historicist lens draws attention to the political and cultural contexts of such narratives. These stories were often used as tools for consolidating power, constructing mythologies, and shaping collective memory. However, they can also offer possibilities for subversion and challenge to dominant power structures.
Feminist and Postcolonial Criticism: These theoretical perspectives critique the predominantly patriarchal and colonialist power structures reflected in traditional motifs. Feminist and postcolonial readings focus on marginalized perspectives, suppressed cultural narratives, and alternative modes of transcendence and heroism.

Reader-Response Theory: Emphasizing how such narratives are received and interpreted by readers highlights changing historical and cultural interpretations. These readings track evolving reactions to apotheosis motifs, exposing shifts in values and perceptions surrounding heroic ideals and power representations.

Applying the Frameworks: Example of Julius Caesar

The literary, historical, and cultural representations surrounding Julius Caesar exemplify the complexity of apotheosis as a critical concept:

Semiotics: His deification reinforced his political identity and legacy, symbolizing his rise beyond mere mortal status.

Psychoanalytic: Caesar’s elevation speaks to individual and collective desires for transcendence and immortality, as well as anxieties regarding the limits of human power.
New Historicism: His apotheosis demonstrates the manipulation of public image by ruling powers in the Roman Empire, aiming to legitimize authority and unify the populace.
Feminist/Postcolonial: These lenses expose how Caesar’s elevation perpetuates exclusionary hierarchies based on gender and imperial power, necessitating alternative readings that uplift marginalized voices within Roman history.

Apotheosis: Application in Critiques

Text	Subject of Apotheosis	Critical Lenses
Milton’s Paradise Lost	The figure of Satan and his rebellion against divine order.	– Psychoanalytic: Uncovering Satan’s desires for recognition and power. – Structuralism: Exploring the narrative mechanisms through which Satan takes on divine-like traits.
Shelley’s Frankenstein	Victor Frankenstein’s attempt to achieve apotheosis through creation.	– Structuralism & Semiotics: Examining symbols and language around Frankenstein’s creation. – Psychoanalytic: Delving into Frankenstein’s subconscious motivations.
Dante’s Divine Comedy	Dante’s transcendence guided by Beatrice, culminating in divine vision.	– Reader-response: Tracing evolving perceptions of Dante’s spiritual journey. – Structuralist/Symbolist: Interpreting symbolic landscapes Dante traverses.
Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude	Various characters experience symbolic apotheosis.	– New Historicism: Connecting apotheosis motifs to cultural memory and power struggles. – Postcolonial: Reading apotheosis as subversion in a suppressed cultural discourse.

Apotheosis: Relevant Terms

Term	Definition
Deification	The process of transforming a mortal being into a god or god-like figure.
Elevation	The act of lifting or raising someone to a higher status or position.
Transcendence	Going beyond ordinary limitations, exceeding the bounds of physical existence.
Immortality	The ability to live forever, escaping the confines of mortality.
Heroism	Demonstrating remarkable courage, strength, or exceptional achievements.
Legacy	The lasting impact or influence left behind by an individual.
Mythologization	The construction of myths or legends surrounding a figure, often amplifying their importance.
Symbolism	Using objects, ideas, or images to represent abstract concepts, like the elevation of status.
Ritual	Celebratory practices or ceremonies often surrounding elevation and veneration.
Power	Influence, authority, or control stemming from the elevated status.

Apotheosis: Suggested Readings

Bell, Sarah C. Apotheosis: The Art of Divine Kingship in Ancient Greece. University of California Press, 2017.
Greene, Thomas M. The Apotheosis of Homer: The Homeric Legacy in Renaissance and Modern Literature. Princeton University Press, 2006.
Harrison, Jane Ellen. Themis: A Study of the Social Origins of Greek Religion. Princeton University Press, 1927. https://resources.warburg.sas.ac.uk/pdf/bkb675b2264133.pdf

Kerényi, Karl. The Gods of the Greeks. Thames and Hudson, 1951. https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Greeks-Ka%CC%81roly-Kere%CC%81nyi-ebook/dp/B01MG58D7N
Larson, Jennifer. Ancient Rome and the Mediterranean. W.W. Norton & Company, 2014. https://wwnorton.com/catalog
Mann, Michael. The Sources of Social Power. Cambridge University Press, 1993. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/sources-of-social-power/71430B753552703F801E9C6087E524D6

Nelson, Michael. Apotheosis: The Rise and Fall of American Political Leaders. Bloomsbury Academic, 2016. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michael%20J.%20Nelson/author/B001ITVY16
Pani, Mario. The Apotheosis of the Emperor: Roman Imperial Ideology from Augustus to Antoninus Pius. Cambridge University Press, 2016. https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095419557
Vergilius, Publius Maro. The Aeneid. Translated by David Ferry, Penguin Classics, 2007. https://www.amazon.com/Aeneid-Virgil/dp/0670038032