Narrative Framing Influencing Moral Judgement: A Comparative Textual Analysis of Anti-Heroes in Contemporary Supernatural Television

References

[1] Chacherkar, D., & Menon, A. (2023). Looking closely at The Vampire Diaries and The Originals: Are the villains really villains? International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 4(9), 2124–2127. https://ijrpr.com/uploads/V4ISSUE9/IJRPR17337.pdf

[2] Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. https://collegepublishing.sagepub.com/products/qualitative-inquiry-and-research-design-4-246896

[3] Culpeper, J. (2001). Language and characterisation: People in plays and other texts. London, England: Longman. https://www.routledge.com/Language-and-Characterisation-People-in-Plays-and-Other-Texts/Culpeper/p/book/9780582357532

[4] Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2011). The Sage handbook of qualitative research (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. https://collegepublishing.sagepub.com/products/qualitative-inquiry-and-research-design-4-246896

[5] Eder, J., Jannidis, F., & Schneider, R. (2010). Characters in fictional worlds: Understanding imaginary beings in literature, film, and other media. Berlin, Germany: Walter de Gruyter. https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110232424/html

[6] Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4), 51–58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1993.tb01304.x

[7] Fiske, J. (1987). Television culture. London, England: Routledge. https://books.google.ch/books/about/Television_Culture.html?id=AJn06vwPQqkC

[8] Frazer, R. A., & Moyer-Gusé, E. (2021). Engaging the dark side: Exploring identification with morally complex antagonists. Psychology of Popular Media, 10(3), 312–324. https://kb.osu.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/b60a573a-49c4-4667-add4-a99994662d4f/content

[9] Frazer, R. A., Moyer-Gusé, E., & Grizzard, M. (2022). Moral disengagement cues and consequences for victims in entertainment narratives. Media Psychology, 25(2), 225–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2022.2034020

[10] Gadamer, H.-G. (1975). Truth and method. New York, NY: Continuum. https://archive.org/details/gadamer-truth-and-method

[11] García Martínez, A., Castrillo Maortua, D., & Echart Orús, P. (2019). Building identification with antiheroes: Narrative strategies in contemporary television series. Communication & Society, 32(1), 83–97. https://doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2019-1336

[12] García, A. (2022). Sympathy for the devil: Adorable antiheroes in contemporary TV series. Journal of Popular Television, 10(1), 45–61. https://www.academia.edu/4913347/Sympathy_for_the_Devil_Adorable_Antiheroes_in_Contemporary_TV_Series_

[13] Green, M. C., & Appel, M. (2024). Narrative transportation theory and the persuasive impact of stories: A review and advances in the field. Media Psychology Review. https://www.mcm.uni-wuerzburg.de/fileadmin/06110300/2024/Pdfs/Green___Appel__2024__Advances_Preprint.pdf

[14] Gómez Galisteo, M. C. (2017). The twilight of vampires: Byronic heroes and the evolution of vampire fiction in The Vampire Diaries and Twilight. Newcastle upon Tyne, England: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

[15] https://www.academia.edu/95861711/The_Twilight_of_Vampires_Byronic_Heroes_and_the_Evolution_of_Vampire_Fiction_in_The_Vampire_Diaries_and_Twilight

[16] Khan, K. (2020). A psychoanalytical study of Klaus Mikaelson in the trilogy The Originals. International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanities. https://doi.org/10.24113/ijellh.v8i3.10469

[17] Kjeldgaard-Christiansen, J. (2021). Relatable motives and righteous causes: Why the sympathetic antihero is not a moral psychological mystery. Psychological Inquiry, 32(4), 198–213. https://pure.au.dk/ws/portalfiles/portal/282518355/Relatable_Motives_and_Righteous_Causes_or_Why_the_Sympathetic_Antihero_is_Not_a_Moral_Psychological_Mystery_Accepted_manuscript.pdf

[18] Krippendorff, K. (2018). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology (4th ed.). Sage Publications .https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/content-analysis-an-introduction-to-its-methodology-4th-edition-klaus-krippendorff/280177227

[19] Kroener, O. (2018). Engaging television characters: A cognitive approach to contemporary television (Doctoral dissertation, University of Glasgow). University of Glasgow Theses Repository. https://theses.gla.ac.uk/30875/1/2018KroenerPhD.pdf

[20] Mahgoub, S. T. N. (2022). Sympathizing with the “new villain”: Morally ambiguous characters representation and audience perceptions. Arab Journal of Media & Communication Research. https://www.academia.edu/128580245/Sympathizing_with_the_New_Villain_Morally_Ambiguous_Characters_Representation_and_audience_perceptions

[21] Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

[22] Campbell, J. (2009). On the couch: Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. University of Texas Press. https://utpress.utexas.edu/9780292711853/

[23] Maurice, L. (2023). From Olympian to Christ-figure: Lucifer (2016–2021). Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, 35(2), 145–162. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/melodrama-and-asian-cinema/A3B6F7D5D5C18A0B4A23F7E1F9C0D8B2

[24] Carroll, N. (2004). Sympathy for the devil. In M. Hjort & S. Laver (Eds.), Emotion and the arts (pp. 167–184). Oxford University Press.

[25] Chatman, S. (1978). Story and discourse: Narrative structure in fiction and film. Cornell University Press.

[26] Möri, M., Wirz, D. S., & Fahr, A. (2023). Parasocial relationships with morally ambiguous media characters: The role of moral foundations. Media Psychology, 26(2), 157–180. https://api.pageplace.de/preview/DT0400.9780192644404_A43469430/preview-9780192644404_A43469430.pdf

@article{1718785,
      author = {Monalisa. G, Farooq Ahmed Shariff M},
      title = {Narrative Framing Influencing Moral Judgement: A Comparative Textual Analysis of Anti-Heroes in Contemporary Supernatural Television},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2026},
      volume = {9},
      number = {12},
      pages = {1007-1015},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1718785.pdf},
      abstract = {Contemporary television narratives increasingly depict counterproductive protagonists with ethical violations counterbalanced by emotional vulnerability, psychological depth and relational attachment. By examining how contemporary supernatural television narrative constructs moral sympathy towards counterproductive protagonists through narrative framing techniques; the study does so using qualitative textual analytic methodology through an analysis of selected scenes from supernatural television series The Vampire Diaries, Lucifer and The Originals that centre around characters Damon Salvatore (Vampire Diaries), Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer) and Klaus Mikaelson (Originals). Specifically using the Narrative Framing Theory, the Moral Disengagement Theory and the Character Engagement Theory as theoretical frameworks for analysis, the study examines how dialogue, trauma, emotional vulnerability, confession, relational attachment and self-sacrifice are used as agents of rehabilitation of counterproductive protagonists. The results indicate that narrative framing is the primary method by which audiences are invited to negotiate emotionally morality and sympathise with ethically troubling Contrapositives (antiheroes). Emotional pain, shameful trauma, confession and relational intimacy are repeatedly employed to contextualise ethical transgression enabling audiences to understand violence/cruelty psychologically/emotionally rather than simply ethically. Finally, the study indicates that redemption in supernatural television is constructed relationally (through emotional accountability and recognition) rather than through a complete moral sanctioning of character behaviour. The study adds to the bodies of literature on antiheroes; television studies and media morality by revealing how emotionally connecting and psychologically complex contemporary supernatural television strategically reframes immoral acts through emotional engagement and psychological complexity.},
      keywords = {Narrative Framing, Anti-Hero, Moral Judgement, Supernatural Television, Textual Analysis, Moral Disengagement, Redemption, Emotional Framing.},
      month = {June},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I12-1718785}
  }