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Hero Mythology and Right-Wing Populism: A discourse-mythological case study of Nigel Farage in the Mail Online

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Darren KelseyORCiD

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Abstract

This paper is concerned with mythology as a discursive practice of journalistic storytelling. By adopting a discourse-mythological approach (DMA) I analyse Mail Online articles about UKIP leader, Nigel Farage. Archetypal traits of mythological Heroism in the Mail Online are constructed through the ideological mechanisms of populist discourse; through Farage’s image as a man of the people who distinguishes himself from the political establishment. It is through the Hero myth that we see a distinct trait of this archetypal convention: the Hero’s journey. Farage is constructed as a man on a mission, fighting against the odds, overcoming trials and tribulations in his efforts to win the UK’s democratic power back from the EU. Mythological conventions function to suppress ideological, historical and contextual complexities that contradict Farage’s image as a man of the people. By exploring archetypal traits of the Hero myth in Farage’s rhetoric and the Mail’s reporting, this analysis shows how discursive constructions of mythology have functioned to support and promote the ideological agenda and political objectives of UKIP. Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE

Publication metadata

Author(s): Kelsey D

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journalism Studies

Year: 2015

Online publication date: 25/03/2015

Date deposited: 19/02/2016

ISSN (print): 1461-670X

ISSN (electronic): 1469-9699

Publisher: Routledge

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2015.1023571

DOI: 10.1080/1461670X.2015.1023571

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