A domestic catabasis

manifestations of the descent into the underworld motif in Neil Gaiman's Coraline

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the motif of the catabasis, or descent into hell, in Neil Gaiman's novel Coraline, with the purpose of identifying its continuities and disruptions in comparison to this classic theme that denotes the tradition of Ancient Poetry. The research is supported by Bernabé (2011) and Dova (2012), who indicate some elements considered indispensable and constitutive of the catabasis, such as an underground world populated by sinister supernatural beings and the existence of a purpose that justifies the protagonist's journey to the dreaded underworld. In Coraline, these aspects are noticeable, although there is a significant twist: instead of a male hero with superhuman characteristics and grand motivations, there is a young, feminine and melancholic protagonist, whose challenges are highly subjective. We can, therefore, conclude that Gaiman's novel re-signifies the classic catabasis by approaching it with an intimate and contemporary perspective.