I Want a Word...

...that means "of or related to tradition," but that doesn't carry the very specific meaning of tradition. As in, I'd like to be able to talk about a "traditional viewing of V for Vendetta" and mean something akin to a "feminist viewing of V for Vendetta," only instead of talking about the relation of power and sexuality I'd be talking about the relationship of tradition--artistic, religious, and culture--to power. Because I think it'd make an interesting essay.

After all, V is in his way the ultimate liberal, the ultimate rebel, one so opposed to everything he sees that he has chosen to make himself into an icon for freedom and destruction. But the way we know he's serious about this is that he's a scholar and an art critic who fills his basement with "classic" (read: traditional) books and movies.

I think this irony may have been even more consciously embraced in Alan Moore's original graphic novel. One scene (reproduced in the movie) revolves around the highly immoral and lecherous hobby of a well-respected Anglican priest and his death at the hands of V. In the graphic novel, the "chapter" (in which, of course Evey's honor is preserved despite the priest's desires) has a title: "Virtue Victorious." Moore is very fluent with the terminology of Victorian times--so it is hard to imagine the "Virtue" of the chapter title doesn't at least carry an echo of the archaic euphemism for virginity. It's a perfectly V-esque moment--in its implicit appeal to Victorian sensibilities it demonstrates that V is far more appreciative of the "tradition" of the English culture he wishes to topple than those who claim to be "virtuous" while seeking only power. And after all, isn't that subtle wit far more "English" than the England V is warring against?

And so on. But I won't do more, because I don't have time. But I'd like to know a term that works for this. I mean, "feminist critique" would never have gotten anywhere if it'd been called "womanly critique."