Christopher Vogler The Writers Journey
Osiris. Images of beings in conflict, people in combat or gods and heroes wrestling
with monsters, cause tension in our stomachs as we identify with one or another of
the combatants. Images of protective or generous spirits (kindly grandmothers, an
gels, Santa C l a u s ) give us a warm feeling of comfort. Representations of sympathetic
characters in physical torment evoke a physical response, as in graphic medieval art
depicting the Crucifixion and the martyrdoms of various saints like St. Sebastian
who was shot full of arrows.
Classical Greek drama used startling visceral effects on stage, like Oedipus
appearing with his eyes torn out, to elicit a strong reaction in the bodies of the
beholders. T h e language of Greek plays could be bold and brutal, hammering at
the audience with vivid word choices that suggested violent blows and the spilling
of blood. Often a bloody act was committed off-stage, but described with stom
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