Examining the Construction of Ideological Meaning in the Television Dramas "Buppesannivas" and "Phromlikit" Impacting on the Revival of Thai Culture

Abstract

This study was to analyzed the strategies to construct the ideological meaning of “Buppesannivas or Love Destiny”and "Phromlikit or Love Destiny 2” that impact on the revival of Thai culture. John Fiske's principles of television code analysis were applied along with Ralph Linton’s concept of cultural revival through nativism as the study framework. It was found that even though Phromlikit, succeeding to Buppesannivas, reproduces representations of past events using ideologies, i.e. superstition, nativism, nationalism, humanism and modernism, that are consistent with today’s values and beneficial to the present society, but these two dramas have distinctive ideologies that affect the revival of national culture in different ways. Through the heroine role, the modern main character of each drama, Buppesannivas emphasizes on collectivism to represent the happiness that derives from social cohesion and devotion to the kingdom, while Phromlikit uses individualism to focus on the importance of preserving one’s personal identity and profit, even if the character has to encounter conflicts with the socio-cultural context of Ayutthaya period. Phromlikit therefore does not allow viewers to escape today’s capitalist society and reconnect with the satisfied social bonds and prosperity of past cultures.