DALL’ORCO ALL’AVATAR: MITI ANTICHI E ALDILÀ DIGITALI IN UPLOAD DI GREG DANIELS

Abstract

This contribution analyzes Greg Daniels’ series “Upload” (2020-) through the lens of ancient mythology, specifically examining parallels between the show’s narrative and the myth of Adonis, Aphrodite, and Persephone. Set in 2033, the series follows Nathan Brown, who after his death is uploaded to a digital afterlife called Lakeview, where he becomes entangled in a complex relationship between two women: his controlling girlfriend Ingrid and his digital afterlife guide, Nora. The analysis demonstrates how the series unconsciously recreates the structural elements of ancient myths of female dominance and male objectification. Nathan's character mirrors Adonis in his exceptional beauty and passive position between two competing female figures. Ingrid, with her obsession with artificial beauty and controlling nature, parallels Aphrodite, while Nora, characterized by darker features and her role as guardian of the digital afterlife, embodies a modernized Persephone. The study employs a transformative approach to classical reception, viewing ancient myths not as static sources but as continuously evolving narratives that adapt to contemporary contexts. Upload transforms traditional mythological elements to address contemporary concerns about digital immortality, body commodification, and post-human existence. The series' digital afterlife concept parallels ancient Greek understandings of the afterlife, while its treatment of death and digital consciousness reflects modern anxieties about mortality and technological advancement.