The Mythic Symbols of Batman

This masters thesis discusses how Batman should be considered an American mythic archetype. Here is a brief paragraph explaining the intent of thesis:

Still, without the spiritual component, Batman cannot be said to fulfill all the functions of myth. Perhaps he is best described as a mythic archetype, in particular a mythic American archetype. My thesis will examine Batman as this archetype, first exploring his connection to ancient myth, in particular those of the Greco-Roman tradition, and how he continues their timeless themes. I will then discuss Batman as an American archetype, showing how he has helped to develop and continue new myth for a new world. And finally, I will look at how Batman has reflected the zeitgeist of several eras by examining the cultural negotiations that have occurred between Batman‟s creators, consumers and the dominant societal authority.

While there are lots of good cultural analyses going on in this paper, what really stands out to me is how the author divides the Batman mythology into distinct ages. These ages reflect Batman and the time period in which the particular version of Batman existed. I was looking for a framework to discuss Batman and information technology, and this framework may prove useful like Dennis O'Neil's 5 Batmans. These ages are the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, the Dark Age, and the Contemporary Age.

URL = http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd2158.pdf