Aging & Social Change: Ninth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

Based on the semiotic evidence of the 2018 movie Bohemian Rhapsody, this paper argues that the lead singer of Queen, Freddy Mercury traversed the European fantasy by being in solidarity with the struggle for freedom. He leaves all his postcolonial identities behind to be part of the London metropolitan to rise to a global superstar. Rather than being trapped in European colonial wounds (Fanon 1964; Bhabha 1994) and demanding acceptance for his historical cultural baggage, Freddy traverses the European legacy by only taking part in the radical European tradition of freedom. He finally becomes an emancipatory icon of the ‘European legacy’ (Zizek 2013; 2015) rather than claiming acceptance for his Indian-Parse identity. He unites with the common cultural ‘misfits’ of London metropolitan and elsewhere, sings to them and becomes a cultural icon of those with different sexual identities. He changes his name and sheds other cultural remnants of postcolonial upbringing. The English language, as Zizek (2010) points out in relation to India, becomes a powerful tool for Freddy to become a global icon, and he never finds it a cultural burden. Rather than speaking on his behalf, Freddy becomes a spokesperson for millions who struggled with new existential crisis in Europe, and extends his solidarity with the struggles of each culture. In the universality of his own identity crisis. Thus, a Parse-Indian who came from an unnoticeable corner of the postcolonial world traversed the European fantasy and became more visible than visible. He belonged to Europe, yet traversed it.