I understand that some people might view Michael as a tragic figure, considering how unfairly he has been treated by the media, and brought down just for the heck of it. Some people just have to knock down the tall poppy. But aren't they the tragic ones really--they are so pathetic that another man's success threatens them and they have to try to destroy him to make themselves feel better?
Well I think that Michael is a hero and not a tragedy. My daughter took a Classical Studies class last year, and one of the plays she studied was "The Odyssey". She was so enthralled by this story that I began to take an interest in it too. As I followed the story of Odysseus' heroic journey, battling monsters and seductions, I kept seeing similarities between his story and that of Michael Jackson. I ended up writing a long essay that points out the parallels between the two men's journeys, showing that Michael, like Odysseus, is a hero who has overcome formidable obstacles to achieve his goals.
I spoke to my daughter's teacher about my essay and she told me that she has written her master's thesis, many years ago, on the topic of tragic heros and had referred extensively to Michael Jackson's life as an example of a tragic hero. I argued with her that she had judged his outcome way too early in his journey and that she ought to revisit his life and consider how he has overcome and proven himself a true hero--one who inspires courage in others.
My essay is very long (over 4,800 words) but I have always wanted to post it on the forum. There may be very few who would be interested enough to read it, but I certainly enjoyed writing it. Perhaps this is the opportunity to present my essay, however, if the mods think that it is inappropriate or too long, please feel free to delete it. It may be more appropriate in a blog somewhere but I have never used that option. (I'll have to split it in sections to fit in here...)
The Michael Jackson Odyssey
~Dimity K~
August 1, 2007
As we travel through life, each one of us follows a heroic journey. My journey, one recent Sunday morning, was rather ordinary, apart from the mist that filled the valleys of the Adelaide Hills, and the koala that I spied perched up in a eucalyptus tree by the rail tracks. While the train trundled along, rocking me gently with it’s predictable rhythm, I listened to the more exciting rhythms of Michael Jackson on my i-pod. When we passed by the thickly forested Blackwood Reserve, I recalled images from a movie that I had watched with my family the day before. It was the story of Odysseus—a depiction of the epic poem by Homer—“The Odyssey”. Michael’s voice broke often into my thoughts and before long I found myself considering the epic journey that this remarkable artist had made throughout his forty-two year career. Like the Greek warrior, Michael established himself at an early age as king of his domain. He has conquered the world with his music and dance, and he has fought long and hard to maintain his rightful title. Along the way he has encountered much opposition and many obstacles. He has faced his nemesis and survived the ordeal. It remains to be seen whether he will rise again to dominate the music world, but for many he will always remain the King of Pop.
For as a long as human beings have told stories they have inspired their listeners and readers with accounts of the heroic deeds of mere mortals—both fictional and real—who have struggled to overcome life’s challenges. “The Odyssey” follows a classic pattern of story telling that reflects the journey of humanity. That is why the “heroic journey” and great stories in general are so treasured by society and revered as art. They validate us. They inspire us to continue our own journey. Michael Jackson’s life is no less remarkable than that of the fictional Odysseus—more remarkable in fact, because it is real, and because we have watched the drama of his life played out before our very eyes. The more I thought about it, the more parallels I could see between the “The Odyssey” and the story of Michael’s life. The following is my account of the “Michael Jackson Odyssey”.
For any readers who are not already familiar with the epic poem, I will start by summarizing “The Odyssey”. Odysseus was the king of a Greek island, Ithaca. He was married to Penelope who bore him a son—Telemachus. Soon after Telemachus’ birth Odysseus was asked to join other Greek kings in a war against the walled city of Troy in order to rescue Helen, the wife of the Spartan king, Menelaus. Helen had been abducted by the Trojan prince, Paris, and was taken to be his bride. After ten years of battle the Greek armies had not been able to penetrate the Trojan city, until Odysseus came up with the idea of the Trojan Horse—a supposed gift, though filled with soldiers who would gain access to the city and lead to its downfall. Odysseus was celebrated as a great and particularly clever warrior. After the war he left Troy and began his journey home, but was waylaid by many challenges and distractions, including monsters, shipwrecks and seductions. It took another ten years before he finally returned to Ithaca where, with the help of his grown son, he had to overcome a hoard of suitors who were trying to woo his wife and take over his role as king. Finally, through his many trials, Odysseus overcame his own weaknesses, defeated all of his enemies and was reinstated as king of his homeland.
“The Odyssey” does not follow the sequential order of events. It actually commences near the end of Odysseus’ journey, as his twenty one-year old son sets out to find him or at least to confirm whether or not his father is dead. The first we see of Odysseus is just before his penultimate challenge. As he recovers from that challenge he then recalls the events of his twenty-year journey, and thus we discover the history of his life. In compliance with the original epic, I’m going to approach the parallels between Michael and Odysseus in the order presented in the poem. Many of the parallels will be symbolic and may have more than one possible comparison. I make no claim of being an expert on either Michael Jackson or “The Odyssey”.
Before we commence Michael’s heroic journey, let’s take a look at the main characters and the lead up to the story. I find myself wondering whether Michael Jackson even needs an introduction. Surely he is one of the best-known celebrities on the planet. African American by race, Michael was born in the USA in1958, the seventh of nine children. He first performed publicly at his kindergarten when he was five years old, later joining his four older brothers to form a band “The Jackson 5” in 1965. Under the direction of their strict and demanding father, they worked conscientiously to achieve their dream of musical success. By the time Michael was eleven years old he had already produced four number one consecutive hits and the Jackson 5 had risen to phenomenal fame, worldwide.
By thirteen years of age Michael had produced several solo hit singles. Although he continued to sing in his brothers’ bands, he rose to superstardom in the 1980s following the release of his solo albums “Off The Wall”, “Thriller” and “BAD”. “Thriller” remains the top selling album of all time, clearing over fifty million copies. Michael’s short film for “Thriller” stunned the music industry with its innovation, and spectacular dance scenes, raising the bar and forever influencing music film production. Michael went on to produce solo albums “Dangerous”, “HIStory”, “Blood On The Dance Floor—HIStory in the Mix” and “Invincible” —all highly successful albums, followed by a greatest hits album “Number Ones” and two box sets, “The Ultimate Collection” and “Visionary”. During his career he travelled the world several times over, touring and performing to record crowds, bringing spectacular entertainment to millions of people.
This may look like the whole story, but Michael’s achievements have not come unimpeded. Like Odysseus, he met many a peril along the path to fame and fortune. Odysseus’ journey took about twenty years. When I consider Michael’s heroic journey, I place its commencement at the beginning of the BAD tour when, apart from bringing his music to the world he also set out to make the world a better place through his philanthropic endeavours—supporting sick and disadvantaged children all over the world. Twenty years have passed since the commencement of the BAD tour. Perhaps soon, with the release of Michael’s next album, he will truly “return home” and reclaim the title that has always been his as king of his musical realm.
What happened before the BAD tour was equivalent to the setting up of Michael’s status as king of his domain, just as Odysseus became king of his island, Ithaca. Looking at the big picture of Michael’s life, the music world is his Ithaca. The public (his potential audience) is his wife, and his devoted fans are his child. Even Michael said in his interview with Martin Bashir that he is “married to [his] fans.” When Odysseus married Penelope, he carved his bed out of the roots of a great tree and then he built his house around that tree as a symbol of the strength of his love and faithfulness to his wife. This brings to mind a scene in the documentary “Living With Michael Jackson” where Michael showed Bashir his “Giving Tree.” Lithely climbing the tree, Michael explained that he was inspired to write many of his best selling songs whilst sitting in the branches of that tree.
Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, was born shortly before Odysseus left for the Trojan Wars. The “offspring” of Michael’s art was born not long before he set out upon his journey. I would compare Telemachus’ birth to the overwhelming response of adulation that was engendered in response to “Thriller”. A core of totally devoted fans was the “son” of that achievement, born out of Michael’s courtship and passionate engagement with the public (his wife) and his desire to please her through creating the best album of all time. Michael certainly was a potent lover, and “Thriller” set the world on fire. His fame spread far and wide and he was greatly admired for his achievements. Michael was the undisputed king of his domain—King of Pop, Rock and Soul. His heroic journey commenced after that birth, after his entry into stardom. For the next twenty years he would struggle, just as Odysseus did, to learn the lessons that he must learn, and to return to his Ithica, to his wife and child, and to reclaim his place as king.
And just as the suitors envied Odysseus and coveted his wife and his kingdom, so many in the music world and beyond envied Michael and coveted his success. When Odysseus disappeared after he left Troy (ten years into his journey) the suitors moved in on his territory, competing for Penelope’s attention, trying to seduce her into marrying them so that they could rule Ithaca and take over Odysseus’ possessions and status. The suitors insisted that Odysseus was dead, though there was no proof. Penelope and her son resisted the suitor’s approaches and loathed them for their greed and plundering. They loved Odysseus, believed in him and waited for his return, like Michael’s true fans wait for him to delight them again with his art.
Just as Odysseus played his part as a great warrior in the Trojan Wars, the first ten years of Michael’s journey (1987—1997) were spent conquering the music world with his solo albums and tours: “BAD” “Dangerous” “HIStory” “Blood on the Dance Floor”. Michael Jackson invaded the music world, forever making his mark in history. At the same time he strove to bring peace, love and joy to the underprivileged, visiting hospitals and giving millions of dollars in support of charities—a noble crusade. I would not be at all surprised if the names of Michael’s albums reflect the refining of his character as he has been honed and matured through the experiences of life. Certain epithets were used in “The Odyssey” to identify the character of Odysseus, such as “Nimble-witted Odysseus, Lion-hearted Odysseus, and God-like Odysseus—favourite of Zeus”—all characteristic that have been attributed to Michael’s nature by those who admire him: a musical genius with enormous courage and a God-fearing heart.
After an invocation to the muse of poetry, “The Odyssey” starts with Odysseus’ grown son, Telemachus, who is persuaded by the goddess of wisdom, Athena, to call a counsel of the elders and confront the one hundred suitors who have been pestering his mother. He wants them to stop plundering and to leave his mother alone until Odysseus’ death has been confirmed. The suitors refuse to cooperate and the elders do not help. As Telemachus sets off on a voyage to find his father the suitors plot to assassinate him on his return.
I compare Telemachus’ confrontation with the suitors as similar to the many times over the past six years in particular when Michael’s fans have rallied against Sony and against the media in support of him. The suitors are like the media parasites who want to exploit Michael, and those in the music industry who want to destroy him to make way for their own ambitions. They envy him and they conspire against him, harping on about his demise, his ruin, his bankruptcy, without any evidence that it is so—a propaganda campaign to achieve their own ends—to take over that which Michael has established and to gain control of his wealth and status. Michael’s loyal fans, like Telemachus and his mother refuse to believe the media’s lies and set out to prove over and again that Michael Jackson is still the King of Pop. And the fans are often the brunt of ridicule too for their loyalty—branded as fanatical, crazed cult worshipers, when often they are reasonably outraged at the injustices brought against their idol.
When Telemachus heads off on his journey and seeks consultation from his father’s friends and colleagues he is not encouraged. Although they speak highly of Odysseus, they are not hopeful of his survival, since they have not seen anything of him since he left Troy, and they assume that he is dead. I liken this to the fans constantly having to wade through media rumours and even forum-generated rumours about Michael’s life and work. Perhaps his publicist, Raymone Bayne is like the goddess Athena who helps Telemachus and Odysseus in the end to vanquish their enemies by supplying them with intelligence about what is going on amongst the suitors and by helping to disguise Odysseus so that he can secretly investigate who has been loyal to him and who has betrayed him. Or perhaps Raymone is more like Hermes, the messenger of the gods, delivering warnings to those who impede Odysseus’ passage, and thus helping him make his way home.
At this point in “The Odyssey” while Telemachus is searching for his father, the goddess, Calypso, is given a message from Zeus, via Hermes, to release Odysseus, since she has held him captive for seven years on her island. We’ll get back to Calypso later… Odysseus sets sail on a ship that he constructs but Poseidon is angry with him for blinding his son, the Cyclops, earlier in his travels, and so the sea god capsizes Odysseus’ boat, but spares his life. Odysseus is washed ashore and cared for by the Phaeacians who honour him and help him finally return home to Ithaca to face his enemies after his twenty-year journey. Poseidon, like all other Greek gods, was very human-like, fickle and sometimes unreasonable. He demanded his “pound of flesh” from the Greeks who were punished if they did not worship him and thus prove their piety. So please don’t be alarmed if I liken Thomas Sneddon, the now retired District Attorney of Santa Barbara, to Poseidon, as the man is hardly god-like, (though he may have felt he was worthy of such devotion). Just as Poseidon was a constant source of possible trouble for Odysseus (if Odysseus failed to appease him) so Sneddon became an on-going source of trouble for Michael Jackson, meddling in his affairs, pursuing a vendetta against the pop star and ever-ready to swamp him with child-molestation trials that would distract him from his journey. On the other hand, the gods, including Poseidon were also instrumental in molding Odysseus’ character as he overcame the obstacles that they placed before him. Sneddon too, may have been unwittingly instrumental in moulding Michael’s life through the suffering that he endured, making him even stronger.
It is at this point in the poem, when Odysseus is being cared for by the Phaeacians, that he recalls the story of his adventures over the previous ten years—the many life-threatening challenges that taught him the lessons that the gods intended. Michael’s entire life has been filled with challenges—especially as his early career deprived him of the normal joys and freedoms of childhood. I hope that one day he will write his story for us, but in the meantime his life is reflected in his art.
After the end of the Trojan War, Odysseus’ wanderings began when he and his crew raided the central city of the land of the Cicones, where they killed the men, enslaved the women and plundered riches. All I can say about the King of Pop’s prowess in battle is that during Michael’s musical tours he certainly knocked all other male singers right off the stage with his amazing performances (a total massacre), which certainly enslaved the hearts of many a young woman! He gathered his riches for sure, becoming one of wealthiest entertainers of his time. After the raid, Odysseus’ wanted to move on, but his men lingered too long enjoying their plunder, and were routed by a reserve force of Cicones. Michael has endured attacks from the very commencement of his journey. Even as early as the BAD tour he received flack from the media who branded him as “weird” with rumours that he slept in a hyperbaric chamber, lightened his skin on purpose (rather than suffering Vitiligo) and that he was a plastic surgery addict. Michael has been the “ tall poppy” that the media have delighted in cutting down.
Odysseus escaped Cicone by sea but was blown off course by an interfering Athena. Again, if Michael’s group of advisors and publicity managers equate to the somewhat fickle Athena, then it is true enough that they may have blown him off course from time to time and led him towards dangerous places in his career. After nine days at sea, Odysseus visited the land of the Lotus-eaters who were constantly high on drugs, causing them to become forgetful and lazy. I imagine that in Michael’s line of work there have been many possible opportunities to be seduced by the allure of drugs and other luxuries that might distract him from his goals, but like Odysseus, who managed to persuade his men to leave the Land of the Lotus-eaters before they were lured into oblivion, Michael also has managed to avoid the dissipating effects of self-indulgence. His phenomenal success is the product of his hard work.
