Gladiatorial contests
Gladiatorial contests are a recurrent theme of fascination in fiction and in SF.
Typically works that feature societies with gladiatorial contests are intended to suggest thmes associated with the fall of the Roman Empire: a debased and inhumane populace, with the wealthy able to satisfy any vices, the poor subject to slavery or abuse, a lack of ethics protecting the weak and disenfranchised, and a lack of religious codes restricting various sexual or other codes.
Characters may be sent to compete in gladiatorial contests, to show their nobility of spirit, strength, fighting skills, etc.
In a number of works featuring gender division, men are disempowered directly or indirectly, but have a major role as athletic competition.
examples
- Elizabeth Bear, Carnival (2006) (men win glory by athletic and martial competitions)
- Marion Zimmer Bradley books
- Ursula K. Le Guin, "The Matter of Seggri" (1994)
- Modesty Blaise in the Those About to Die arc
A bunch of stories feature people (sometimes, "people") kidnapped, brainwashed, or in some other way enslaved and forced to compete in gladiatorial-style contests:
- Angel (TV series) episode 1x16 "The Ring" (2000) (demons)
- Birds of Prey (TV series) episode Gladiatrix 1x10 (2003) (meta-humans)
- Blood Ties (TV series) episode 1x10 (2007) "Necrodrome" (former boxers resurrected zombie-style)
- Diana Wynne Jones, Dark Lord of Derkholm (Kit and Blade are forced to fight for entertainment)
- dystopia / reality show version
- The Hunger Games & sequels, by Suzanne Collins
See also
- pouty slave boys
- Gladiator Games at TV Tropes wiki