New discursive and technological modalities in contemporary politics
Tintin and Contemporary Politics
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Transcript of Tintin and Contemporary Politics
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
Tintinand contemporary politics
Subhayan Mukerjee [email protected]
Tintin ConferenceUniversity College, London
10th January 2014
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
● A chronological look at 20th century politics through Tintin’s adventures ○ Before the Second World War○ During the Second World War○ After the Second World War
● A look at other “political” issues○ Tintin as an ideal European hero○ Tintin and human rights○ Tintin and sexism
Two objectives
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
Before thesecond world war
Tintin’s first appearance He boards a train to the Soviet Union in Le Petit Vingtième, the weekly youth supplement to Le Vingtième Siècle (Le XXe Le Siècle)
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
● The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917● The founding of the Soviet Union in 1922● Tintin in the Land of the Soviets published in 1930● Hergé worked for a right wing Belgian newspaper,
Le XXe Siècle ● The story was thus inherently and intentionally
biased against the Bolshevik government to instill anti-Marxist and anti-Socialist ideas into children
● Examples○ Bolsheviks rig elections○ The government steals the people’s grains
Communism in the Soviet Union1929-30
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1929-30
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Racism and animal cruelty in the Congo● Congo was a Belgian colony between 1908 - 1960● Tintin in the Congo was originally meant to educate
young Belgians about their country’s colonial regime
● Hergé’s most controversial story○ Racism - depiction of African natives as
subhuman, “monkey people”○ Animal cruelty - Tintin kills animals wantonly,
chimpanzees, antelope; in the original version he blows up a rhino with dynamite
● Immature, ill-researched story, when compared to the later ones.
1930-31
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1930-31
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
1930-31
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
1930-31
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Capitalism in the New World● A masterpiece of satire. ● Hergé mocks American capitalism
○ finding an oilfield in Red Indian country○ Gangsters’ Syndicate of Chicago○ widespread mechanisation of industries
● Original versions raised some controversies○ lynching of African Americans
1931-32
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1931-32
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
1931-32
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
1931-32
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Political insurgencies in the Far East● The Blue Lotus is one of Hergé’s pivotal works
○ attention to historical accuracy■ The Mukden incident■ Japanese invasion of Manchuria■ The League of Nations
○ realistic, less contrived storyline
● Tintin takes a stand against Asian stereotypes
1934-35
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1934-35
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1934-35
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Politics in South America● In The Broken Ear, Hergé creates two fictitious
countries to draw parallels with his story and South American politics○ San Theodoros, a satirical version of a South
American nation under the yoke of military dictatorship
○ Historically similar to Bolivia or Argentina○ The Grand Chapo War○ The minor character of Basil Bazarov, and his
equivalent in real history - Basil Zaharoff
1935-37
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1935-37
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Balkan politics
● King Ottokar’s Sceptre is one of Hergé’s political masterpieces.
● Stunning parallels with Balkan politics leading to WW2○ Syldavia = Transylvania + Moldavia ?○ Borduria is a typical Eastern Bloc nation under a
totalitarian Fascist government○ Musstler = Mussolini + Hitler?○ Steel Guard and the Romanian Iron Guard
1938-39
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1938-39
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The Second World War● Belgium had been annexed by the Nazis● Hergé was now working for Le Soir, a pro-Nazi
newspaper● Subtle references to the World War in the earliest
(unfinished version) of The Land of Black Gold● Anti Semitism and Nazi bias in early editions of
The Shooting Star○ deleted panels showing Anti Semitic caricatures○ The “enemy” was originally sponsored by the
United States
1939-45
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1941-42
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after thesecond world war
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The Space Race● The space race between the USSR and
the USA inspires the epic two-part lunar landing adventure
● Syldavia’s secretive atomic research center
● Borduria’s attempts at sabotage● Rise of a polar world, continued in The
Calculus Affair.
1950-53
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The Cold War● The Calculus Affair is yet another political
thriller● Syldavia and Borduria are shown as two
superpowers, attempting to get their hands on a weapon of mass destruction.
● Professor Calculus’ visit to Geneva was possibly inspired by CERN.
1954-56
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1954-56
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Slave trading in the middle east● The Red Sea Sharks is a logical sequel to The
Land of Black Gold● Rampant slave trading in the Red Sea by Arabs● Tintin and Captain Haddock take a humanitarian
stand, in an attempt to help the African natives● Hergé’s way for making up for the controversies
in the Congo?
1956-58
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1956-58
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
The politics of the media● The rise of the paparazzi culture forms the
backdrop of The Castafiore Emerald.
● Politics between rival media houses
● Ill treatment of gypsies
1961-62
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Politics of a banana republic● Tintin and the Picaros, Hergé’s last complete
story is a political masterpiece.● Oppressive military dictatorships of South
America● San Theodoros as a satirical banana republic
○ Revolution sponsored by the International Banana company
○ stratified social classes● Human rights
○ Tintin insists that the revolution be completely non violent and bloodless
1975-76
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1975-76
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
Tintin - the ideal comic book hero● Comics originally written in French.● A certain French law of 1949 banned all
children’s literature that showed cowardice and ignominy in favourable light. Probably why Tintin was shown to be○ noble, courageous, dignified○ like an overgrown boy scout, in
pursuit of a simple ethical code● Politically motivated legislation to curb
Superman in Europe?
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Tintin and human rights● An overgrown boy scout in pursuit of a
simple ethical code○ What ethics?
● Early stories created many controversies○ Animal cruelty○ Racism○ Antisemitism
● Later however, Herge made amends○ Tintin and Captain Haddock against slave
trading○ Tintin enforcing that a revolution be
bloodless
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Tintin and sexism● Terribly skewed sex ratio of
characters● Only ONE major female
character○ Bianca Castafiore
● Helpful, “good” person, but often shown in negative light○ melodramatic, comically foolish,
whimsical, absent-minded, talkative
Subhayan Mukerjee / blog.subhayan.com
Thank you
Particularly,
Professor Hari Nair for inspiring me to work on this topic.And, Tyler, for helping me present this from Calcutta.