Att rekonstruera världen
tillämpade på de moderna olympiska spelen
The aim of this essay is to illustrate a modern phenomenon, the Olympic Games, by applying the ideas of Mircea Eliade concerning space, time and myth. This literature study is mainly divided in two parts, one descriptive and one analytic. In the first part Eliade?s ideas and some criticism, which has been pointed against his theoretical approaches as well as his character, are presented. In the second part an analysis is carried out, based on the previously presented ideas and elements essential for the Olympics; the idea of the Olympics, the place, the ceremonies, the competition and the concept of individual idolism.I have discussed what seems like gnostic tendencies in Eliade?s ideas, in the sense that both Eliade?s ideas and the concept of Gnosticism argue that knowledge is a necessary condition for salvation, as well as the fact that Eliade and his ideas have not always a pro-Christian approach. I have also shown that incoherency exists in his theoretical approach concerning the manifestation of the sacred.I have found that Mircea Eliade?s ideas, with some difficulties, very well can reflect a modern phenomenon such as the Olympic Games. I have also put forth the idea of translating Eliade?s conception of axis mundi into an ideological landscape; the Olympic values become an analogy to axis mundi. Furthermore, I have also shown that modern man in different ways desires to be close to the sacred, and how this fact to some extent may explain people?s devotion to and worship of sport heroes, and thus why not only athletes but also billions of spectators are inclined to attend the Olympics. Finally, I show that, according to Eliade?s ideas, the Olympics might facilitate the process of creating modern myths.