Rahan: A hero at the service of physical and moral education

Abstract

In the field of comics, Rahan represents a sort of ordinary hero whose relationship with his body is an important part of the humanistic message that he conveys. His physical abilities bring him close to his readers and ultimately to everybody. By means of his physical education and teaching attitude, the hero serves as both an educational and a moral model: through the learning of swimming, life-saving techniques, and navigation, he escapes from dangerous situations, and opposes conflicts between different tribes and the traditions imposed by the tribe’s wizard. His altruism and innovative approach make him an exceptional hero for the primitive era. In fact, the movement with which the artist – André Chéret – endows his hero echoes the sport techniques of 1970 – 1980, thus favoring the reader’s identification process.