The article examines the cinematic representation of Vikings, focusing on how films construct and reshape their image between historical reconstruction and imaginative reinterpretation. By analyzing key examples such as The 13th Warrior (1999) and The Northman (2022), the study highlights how Viking figures are portrayed through a blend of myth, violence, ritual, and cultural otherness. It emphasizes that these representations are not purely historical but are shaped by modern expectations, narrative needs, and visual conventions. The essay also considers audience reception, showing how cinema contributes to a persistent and evolving popular perception of Vikings as both exotic and archetypal figures, oscillating between realism and fantasy.
Unbridled Imagination: Vikings on Film
Domitilla Campanile
2026-01-01
Abstract
The article examines the cinematic representation of Vikings, focusing on how films construct and reshape their image between historical reconstruction and imaginative reinterpretation. By analyzing key examples such as The 13th Warrior (1999) and The Northman (2022), the study highlights how Viking figures are portrayed through a blend of myth, violence, ritual, and cultural otherness. It emphasizes that these representations are not purely historical but are shaped by modern expectations, narrative needs, and visual conventions. The essay also considers audience reception, showing how cinema contributes to a persistent and evolving popular perception of Vikings as both exotic and archetypal figures, oscillating between realism and fantasy.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
