Impacts of the Apocalypse Motif From Past to Present

To begin with, it should be known what apocalypse means. When we look at the etymology of this word, it can be discerned that it has been formed by the Greek syllables “apo” (-un) and “kaluptein” (to cover) and these words have combined, then it has a meaning “uncover, reveal”. In the process of time, the shape of the word has changed into “apokalupsis” and later the last model “apocalypse”. In general, apocalypse gives us a meaning of divine retribution and an event regarding damage or destruction on a catastrophic scale. It is a fancy way of saying “the end of the world”. At that point, another term that needs to be taken is eschatology. The word arises from the Greek éschatos which means “last” and -logy meaning “the study of”. The definition of the word shows us the meaning of the study of last things. Because the terms apocalypse and eschatology are linked with each other in terms of theme and meaning, I wanted to give a place to eschatology. It encompasses three areas of study. First is the Biblical prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled. Secondly, it is personal concerns of life and death, following heaven and hell. Thirdly, it matters concerning the fulfillment of redemptive history or end times like an apocalypse.

The apocalypse motif is a great source for books, movies, myths, and video games which could be about nuclear fallout, worldwide disasters, robot uprisings, zombies, etc. and I already will be exemplifying these apocalyptic products for the ancient and modern world. For many years, the stories of the end of the world in cultures around the globe have been found and therefore they can be seen as a reflection of the uncomfortable fact for the whole community. As I said before, the apocalypse mentions that the world comes to an end. However, apocalypses are linked with humanity’s death although it is similar to the motif “afterlife”, which is about more individuals. The quotation which tells the concept of divine retribution by David A.Leeming “Through their myths of the apocalypse human societies express a sense that the higher powers of the universe must intervene definitively to put an end to the failure of humanity.”(Leeming,76) indicates similarity to what we saw in all those flood stories such as Mesopotamia, China, The Inca Empire. Yet, these flood stories are related to the “past” while apocalypse stories reveal something about the “future”. Even though they speak of the end of the world, these apocalyptic stories provide a new beginning for humankind. They have been found in many cultures since ancient times; hence, this apocalyptic figure has many cultural variations.

In the Hebrew Bible, there is more than one tale of apocalypse foretold by several prophets. The end of the world is unfolded by two events: general destruction -which is frequently of the natural world- and judgment punishing the enemies of God. Yet, I prefer to talk about the Christian apocalypse at that point. The end of the world is described in the Book of Revelation. It depicts the coming of the kingdom of God to Earth, the rising of the dead, and the last judgment.

Apart from the ancient stories about an apocalypse and the end of the world, it is evident that we are exposed to modern type productions such as Hollywood movies, books, and video games. This apocalypse motif related to religion is introduced to the audiences and the readers by making it more dramatic, specifically the protagonist. It is often portrayed as a lonely, desperate but in the meantime savior and vengeful for family or society. As a sample from the modern world, the movie War for the Planet of the Apes holds forth the confrontation between the apes, which are led by Caesar, and the humans for control of Earth, while Caesar himself exacts revenge for the murder of his family. On the one part, humans are wiped out by the killer Simian flu, comprised as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, and apes are tested as a captive for the treatment. But this test leads the apes to be hyper-intelligent in a threatening way. Consequently, the war has begun for the sake of “saving the planet”. The only goal of the apes is to live separately but especially equally. Generally, it is presented to the audience in a very striking way that the destructiveness of human beings will bring the end of humanity. Besides this, Caesar’s adventure of saving the world -kneaded with pain, power, love, struggle, and conscience- is told which is identified with the apocalypse motif.

As seen, the effects of the apocalypse figure on many cultures, their religions in the past, and the present modern world, including technology, cannot be denied. At the same time, this figure has influenced many people in terms of faith, because no matter how difficult this struggle is for humanity, it is necessary to destroy the old to finally set sail for new and beautiful beginnings which becomes something that gives hope to humanity. Jacques Derrida’s saying “The end approaches, but the apocalypse is long-lived.”, the reference from the movie X-Men Apocalypse: “Everything they’ve built will fall! And from the ashes of their world, we’ll build a better one!“ and the quote “Apocalyptic imagery is very much a part of the way we see reality today.” (Leeming, 77) reinforce the idea of living better after calamity underlying the apocalyptic figure and also still being here in even today.