Bibliography
Bennett, Jr., Lerone. "The Case Against Styron's Nat Turner." Ebony Oct. 1968: 148-57. Google Books. Web. 01 Apr. 2011.
In this article from the 1968 issue of Ebony, 10 African-American scholars argue that Styron, a White, Virginia-born man, portrays Nat Turner in a racially biased light. The book, Confessions, according to the scholars, takes a hero of African American culture, and completly disrespects him.
DuBois, Page. Slavery: Antiquity and Its Legacy. New York: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.
DuBois claims that film makers in such films as 'Spartacus' (1960) and 'Gladiator' (2003) reveal the film makers' "hatred of slavery, a desire for freedom, and an identification with the heroic slaves that is universalized. The situation in these ancient settings is allegorized to encompass what the American directors assume is a natural hunger for freedom and to escape bondage...the myth of escape from oppression, the huddled masses yearning informs profoundly these accounts of antiquity on film."
Hoffman, C. The Evolution of a Gladiator: History, Representation, and Revision in Spartacus. 2000. Journal of American & Comparative Cultures, 23: 63–70.
Hoffman argues that there is a distinct difference in the themes of Howard Fast's 1951 novel Spartacus and the 1960 film. According to Hoffman, the novel portrays the rebellion as a Marxist war, where the "oppressed proletarians" rebel against the elite class. The film, conversely, portrays the upheaval as a fight for human freedom. This, according to Hoffman, arises because the movie is targeted at mass audiences. This is a strong explanation for the positive portrayal of Spartacus in the film, and in American culture in general.
Tovar Paz, F. J. Spartacus and the Stoic Ideal of Death, in Spartacus: Film and History (ed M. M. Winkler). 2008. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Oxford, UK.
Paz argues that Spartacus' portrayal in the 1960 film actually does not embrace the "strong man" persona, as he does not win any major gladiatorial battles, but instead represents a contrast to Crassus and Graccus. He argues that Spartacus embraces the Stoic ideal of dying an honorable death, and that Spartacus' crucifixion while still alive both embodies this ideal, and gives him the "messiah effect" other authors discuss.
Spartacus. Dir. Stanley Kubrick. Perf. Kirk Douglas, Laurence Oliver, and Jean Simmons. Universal Pictures Co., 1960. DVD.
The classic 1960 film is a significant representation of the "portrayal" of Spartacus I frequently cite in this blog. The film portrays Spartacus to be a heroic figure, fighting a war of human rights. His death in the end shares some parallels with a Jesus figure, as it is a noble death for the betterment of his followers.
Urbainczyk, Theresa. Slave Revolts in Antiquity. Berkeley: University of California, 2008. Print.
Urbainczyk, a professor at the University College in Ireland, focuses on addressing the social and political context in which the revolts took place. The book is unique because the academic following of ancient slave revolts has been neglected. In her book, Urbainczyk hypothesizes that there is a clear explanation for the lack of scholarship on the subject. She argues that although slaves did revolt in antiquity, in some instances by the thousands, and sometimes in revolts lasting for years, but the key fact that they all eventually ended and slavery persisted. She also claims that the slaves did not really have a chance of succeeding.
Winkler, M. M. Culturally Significant and Not Just Simple Entertainment”: History and the Marketing of Spartacus, in Spartacus: Film and History (ed M. M. Winkler). 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Oxford, UK.
Winkler focuses heavily on the role of American cinema sparking public interest in Classical literature. He argues though that it took a portrayal of a character such as Spartacus to generate mass appeal. He says, "gone are the Romans Horace and Augustus and most of the details of Roman history..", meaning that the general American population is disinterested in cinema that focuses too heavily on historical details; Americans want sex appeal, and the film Spartacus provides this, even at the cost of historical misrepresentation.
Winkler, M. M. The Holy Cause of Freedom: American Ideals in Spartacus in Spartacus: Film and History (ed M. M. Winkler). 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Oxford, UK.
