Citizendia
Your Ad Here

"Hero's journey" redirects here. For the computer game, see Hero's Journey (computer game). Hero's Journey is a fantasy MMORPG by Simutronics, with no projected release date (as of early 2008

The monomyth (often referred to as the hero's journey) is a description of a basic pattern found in many narratives from around the world. A narrative or story is a construct created in a suitable format (written spoken poetry prose images song Theater, or Dance) that describes a sequence of This widely-distributed pattern was described by Joseph Campbell in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949). Joseph John Campbell ( March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American Mythology Professor, Writer The Hero with a Thousand Faces (first published in 1949 is a non-fiction book and seminal work of Comparative mythology by Joseph Campbell [1] An enthusiast of novelist James Joyce,[2] Campbell borrowed the term monomyth from Joyce's Finnegans Wake. James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 &ndash 13 January 1941 was an Irish expatriate writer widely considered to be one of the most influential writers of the Finnegans Wake is a fictional work by James Joyce, published in 1939 [3]

Campbell held that numerous myths from disparate times and regions seem to share a fundamental structure. This fundamental structure contains a number of stages, which include:

  1. A call to adventure, which the hero has to accept or decline
  2. A road of trials, which the hero must fail or overcome
  3. Achieving the goal or "boon", which often results in important self-knowledge
  4. A return to the ordinary world, again which the hero can succeed or fail in achieving
  5. Applying the boon, in which what the hero has gained can be used to improve the world

In a well-known quote from the introduction to The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell wrote:[4]

“ A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man. ”

The classic examples of the monomyth relied upon by Campbell and other scholars include the Buddha, Moses, and Christ stories, although Campbell cites many other classic myths from many cultures which rely upon this basic structure. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder Moses ( Latin: Moyses,; Greek: grc Mωυσής in both the Septuagint and the New Testament; Arabic: ar موسىٰ Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed "

Contents

Summary

Main article: The Hero with a Thousand Faces

In the monomyth, the hero starts in the ordinary world, and receives a call to enter an unusual world of strange powers and events. The Hero with a Thousand Faces (first published in 1949 is a non-fiction book and seminal work of Comparative mythology by Joseph Campbell If the hero accepts the call to enter this strange world, the hero must face tasks and trials, and may have to face these trials alone, or may have assistance. At its most intense, the hero must survive a severe challenge, often with help earned along the journey. If the hero survives, the hero may achieve a great gift or "boon. " The hero must then decide whether to return to the ordinary world with this boon. If the hero does decide to return, the hero often faces challenges on the return journey. If the hero is successful in returning, the boon or gift may be used to improve the world. The stories of Osiris, Prometheus, Moses, Buddha, and Christ, for example, follow this structure very closely. Osiris ( Greek language, also Usiris; the Egyptian language name is variously transliterated Asar, Aser, Ausar, Ausir In Greek mythology, Prometheus (Προμηθεύς "forethought" is a Titan known for his wily intelligence who stole Fire from Zeus Moses ( Latin: Moyses,; Greek: grc Mωυσής in both the Septuagint and the New Testament; Arabic: ar موسىٰ Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " [2]

Campbell describes some seventeen stages or steps along this journey. Very few myths contain all seventeen stages — some myths contain many of the stages, while others contain only a few; some myths may have as a focus only one of the stages, while other myths may deal with the stages in a somewhat different order. These seventeen stages may be organized in a number of ways, including division into three sections: Departure (sometimes called Separation), Initiation and Return. "Departure" deals with the hero venturing forth on the quest; "Initiation" deals with the hero's various adventures along the way; and "Return" deals with the hero's return home with knowledge and powers acquired on the journey.

The monomyth structure can be found in many popular books and films, such as the Star Wars and The Matrix movie series, and the Harry Potter series of novels. Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction - martial arts - Action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski and Harry Potter is a series of seven Fantasy novels written by British author J

The Seventeen Stages of the Monomyth

Departure (or Separation)

The Call to Adventure

The adventure begins with the hero receiving a call to action, such as a threat to the peace of the community, or the hero simply falls into or blunders into it. The call is often announced to the hero by another character who acts as a "herald". The herald, often represented as dark or terrifying and judged evil by the world, may call the character to adventure simply by the crisis of his appearance.

Campbell: The Call To Adventure – "A blunder – apparently the merest chance – reveals an unsuspected world, and the individual is drawn into a relationship with forces that are not rightly understood. "[3]

Classic examples: Sometimes the call to adventure happens of the character's own volition. In the story of the Minotaur, Theseus learns the tale of the beast and the terrible sacrifice to appease it, which sets him on a quest to destroy it. In Greek mythology, the Minotaur ( Greek:, Mīnṓtauros) was a creature that was part man and part bull. For other uses see Theseus (disambiguation Theseus (Θησεύς was a Legendary king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered In Herman Hesse's book Siddhartha the main character, Siddhartha, becomes weary of his way of life and decides he must venture away from his accustomed life in order to attain spiritual enlightenment. Most Buddhist myths describe the Buddha as becoming bored with his royal life and venturing into the world. Other times, the hero is plunged into adventure by unforeseen events. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus is caught in the terrible winds of the angered god Poseidon and sent off to distant lands. Homer ( Ancient Greek:, Homēros) is a legendary ancient Greek epic Poet, traditionally said to be the author of the epic poems the The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. grc-Latn Odysseus or la Ulysses ( Greek grc-Latn Odysseus; Latin: la Ulixes or more commonly Ulysses) oʊˈdɪsiəs In Greek mythology, Poseidon ( Greek:; Latin: Neptūnus) was the god of the Sea and as "Earth-Shaker"

Refusal of the Call

In some stories, the hero initially refuses the call to adventure. When this happens, the hero may suffer somehow, and may eventually choose to answer, or may continue to decline the call.

Campbell: Refusal of the Call – "Refusal of the summons converts the adventure into its negative. Walled in boredom, hard work, or 'culture,' the subject loses the power of significant affirmative action and becomes a victim to be saved. "[4]

Classic examples: Mythology is rife with examples of what happens to those who refuse the call too long or do not take it seriously. A Persian city was turned to stone, inhabitants and all, for refusing the call of Allah. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' In Judeo-Christian mythology, Lot's wife is turned into a pillar of salt for looking back with longing to her old life when she had been summoned forth from her city by Yahweh and is thus prevented from being the "hero". Judeo-Christian (or Judaeo-Christian, sometimes written as Judæo-Christian) is a term used to describe the body of concepts and values which are thought to be held According to the Bible and the Quran, Lot ( Arabic: لوط, Lūṭ |; "Hidden covered" was the Nephew For information about Yahweh see God in Abrahamic religions, which provides useful links One of the clearest references to the refusal and its consequences comes in the voice of Yahweh in Proverbs 1:24-27 and 32:

Because I have called, and ye refused . . . I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. . . . For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

Supernatural Aid

After the hero has accepted the call, he encounters a protective figure (often elderly) who provides special tools and advice for the adventure ahead, such as an amulet or a weapon. [5]

Classic example: In Greek mythology, Ariadne gives Theseus a ball of string and a sword before he enters the labyrinth to confront the minotaur. In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth ( Greek λαβύρινθος labyrinthos) was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer In Greek mythology, the Minotaur ( Greek:, Mīnṓtauros) was a creature that was part man and part bull.

The Crossing of the First Threshold

The hero must cross the threshold between the world he is familiar with and that which he is not. Often this involves facing a "threshold guardian", an entity that works to keep all within the protective confines of the world but must be encountered in order to enter the new zone of experience. [6]

Rebirth

The hero, rather than passing a threshold, passes into the new zone by means of rebirth. Appearing to have died by being swallowed or having their flesh scattered, the hero is transformed and becomes ready for the adventure ahead. [7]

Biblical applications: In the gospels, John the Baptist baptizes Jesus before Jesus begins his public ministry. Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE)

Classical Example: In the story of Dionysus, Hera sends hungry titans to devour the infant Dionysus. The titans tear apart the child and consume his flesh. However Dionysus's heart is saved by Hestia, goddess of the hearth, allowing Dionysus to be reborn as a god.

Initiation

The Road of Trials

Once past the threshold, the hero encounters a dream landscape of ambiguous and fluid forms. The hero is challenged to survive a succession of obstacles and, in so doing, amplifies his consciousness. The hero is helped covertly by the supernatural helper or may discover a benign power supporting him in his passage. [8]

Marriage

The ultimate trial is often represented as a marriage between the hero and a queenlike, or mother-like figure. This represents the hero's mastery of life (represented by the feminine) as well as the totality of what can be known. When the hero is female, this becomes a male figure. [9]

Woman as Temptress

His awareness expanded, the hero may fixate on the disunity between truth and his subjective outlook, inherently tainted by the flesh. This is often represented with revulsion or rejection of a female figure. [10][5]

Atonement with the Father

The hero reconciles the tyrant and merciful aspects of the father-like authority figure to understand himself as well as this figure. [11]

Biblical applications: In the gospels, Jesus wrestles with his impending death in the Garden of Gethsemane, before submitting to his Father's will. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Gethsemane ( Greek ΓεσΘημανι Gesthēmani ' Hebrew: גת שמנים, from Aramaic גת שמנא Gat Šmānê, lit

Apotheosis

The hero's ego is disintegrated in a breakthrough expansion of consciousness. Quite frequently the hero's idea of reality is changed; the hero may find an ability to do new things or to see a larger point of view, allowing the hero to sacrifice himself. [12]

The Ultimate Boon

The hero is now ready to obtain that which he has set out, an item or new awareness that, once he returns, will benefit the society that he has left. [13]

Return

Refusal of the Return

Having found bliss and enlightenment in the other world, the hero may not want to return to the ordinary world to bestow the boon onto his fellow man. [14]

Classic examples: After obtaining Nirvana, Buddha doubted whether he could communicate the path to enlightenment (though some Buddhist traditions hold that this was only cunning politics by Buddha: by saying this he gave people the impression that he didn't want to teach them, which made them curious and eager to hear all about it).

The Magic Flight

When the boon's acquisition (or the hero's return to the world) comes against opposition, a chase or pursuit may ensue before the hero returns. [15]

Classic examples: In many fairy tales and folktales, it is literally a magic flight, with the hero or heroine transforming objects to stop the pursuit (The Master Maid, The Water Nixie) or transforming himself and any companions to hide themselves (Farmer Weathersky or Foundling-Bird). A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological Shapeshifting is a common theme in Mythology and Folklore, as well as in Science fiction and Fantasy. The Master Maid is a Norwegian Fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in their Norske Folkeeventyr. The Water Nixie or The Water-Nix is a Fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 79 Farmer Weathersky is a Norwegian Fairy tale collected by Peter Chr Foundling-Bird is a German Fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, number 51

Rescue from Without

The hero may need to be rescued by forces from the ordinary world. This may be because the hero has refused to return or because he is successfully blocked from returning with the boon. The hero loses his ego. [16]

The Crossing of the Return Threshold

The hero returns to the world of common day and must accept it as real. [17]

Master of Two Worlds

Because of the boon or due to his experience, the hero may now perceive both the divine and human worlds. [18]

Biblical application: In the Christ story, Jesus is able to return to the ordinary world after resurrection.

Freedom to Live

The hero bestows the boon to his fellow man. [19]

Classic examples: Christ returns to the ordinary world after his resurrection, but not as an ordinary man. Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " This article concerns itself with Jesus Christ Christian, Islamic and other religious interpretations of resurrection in general He can seem to be as others are and interact with them, but his body is a "glorified" body, capable of assuming visible and palpable form, but freed from the bonds of space and time. He is now able to give life to others through his own death and resurrection. Other traditional examples of something similar are Elijah, Enoch, and Khidr, the "immortal prophet" of the Sufis. Elijah or Elias ( was a Prophet in Israel in the 9th century BC Enoch (from; Ashkenazi, Jiddish: ' jHenosch' Greek: ενωχ Enôkh; Arabic Name:إدريس "initiated dedicated Al-Khidr (الخضر "the Green One" also transcribed Khidr Khidar Khizr Khizar; or most accurately Ĥiḍr) has a disputed status amongst scholars Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف

Other Formulations

Campbell's proposed structure has been expanded and modified since its conception. Many modern characterizations of it add in new steps (such as the hero having a miraculous birth) or combine or prune others. For instance, Phil Cousineau, in his book, The Hero's Journey, divides it up into the following eight steps:

  1. The Call to Adventure
  2. The Road of Trials
  3. The Vision Quest
  4. The Meeting with the Goddess
  5. The Boon
  6. The Magic Flight
  7. The Return Threshold
  8. The Master of Two Worlds[6]

Another eight-step formulation was given by David Adams Leeming in his book, Mythology: The Voyage of the Hero:

  1. Miraculous conception and birth
  2. Initiation of the hero-child
  3. Withdrawal from family or community for meditation and preparation
  4. Trial and Quest
  5. Death
  6. Descent into the underworld
  7. Resurrection and rebirth
  8. Ascension, apotheosis, and atonement[7]

The Hero's Journey

The phrase "the hero's journey," to describe the monomyth, first entered into popular discourse through two documentaries. Phil Cousineau (born in 1952 is an author lecturer independent scholar screenwriter and documentary filmmaker The first, released in 1987, The Hero's Journey: The World of Joseph Campbell, was accompanied by a 1990 companion book, The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work (with Phil Cousineau and Stuart Brown, eds. Phil Cousineau (born in 1952 is an author lecturer independent scholar screenwriter and documentary filmmaker ). The second was Bill Moyers's series of seminal interviews with Campbell, released in 1988 as the documentary (and companion book) The Power of Myth. Bill Moyers (born June 5, 1934, as William Donald "Billy Don" Moyers) is an American Journalist and public commentator The Power of Myth is a book and six part television documentary originally broadcast on PBS in 1988 as Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. The phrase was then referenced in the title of a popular guidebook for screenwriters, released in the 1990's, The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers, by Christopher Vogler [20]. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The Writer's Journey Mythic Structure For Writers is a popular screenwriting textbook by writer Christopher Vogler, focusing on the theory that most stories Christopher Vogler is a Hollywood Development executive best known for his guide for screenwriters The Writer's Journey Mythic Structure For Writers Though they used the phrase in their works, Cousineau, Moyers, and Vogler all attribute the phrase and the model of The Hero's Journey to Joseph Campbell. Joseph John Campbell ( March 26, 1904 – October 30, 1987) was an American Mythology Professor, Writer

Influence of the Monomyth

The monomyth has influenced a number of artists, musicians, poets, and filmmakers, including Bob Dylan and George Lucas. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major George Walton Lucas Jr (born May 14, 1944) is an Academy Award -winning American Film director, producer, Screenwriter Mickey Hart, Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead had long noted Campbell's influence and agreed to participate in a seminar with him in 1986 entitled From Ritual to Rapture. Mickey Hart (born September 11, 1943) is a percussionist and musicologist. Bob Weir (born Robert Hall Weir, October 16 1947 is an American singer songwriter and guitarist most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia (August 1 1942 &ndash August 9 1995 was a Musician, Songwriter, Artist, and Lead guitarist and The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. [8]

Campbell's work has been consciously applied by a wide variety of modern writers and artists, for example, in creating screenplays for movies. The best known is perhaps George Lucas, who has acknowledged a debt to Campbell regarding both the original Star Wars trilogy and its prequels. George Walton Lucas Jr (born May 14, 1944) is an Academy Award -winning American Film director, producer, Screenwriter Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded A trilogy is a set of three works of art usually Literature, Film, or Video games, that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or three A prequel is a work that portrays events and/or aspects of a previously completed narrative but is set prior to the existing narrative

In addition, leaders in the men's movement, notably Robert Bly and Michael J. Meade, have used Campbell's insight as a guide for personal spiritual growth. Men's and fathers' rights masculism See also Men's rights, Fathers' rights, Masculism The men's rights and fathers' rights differ in their Robert Bly (born December 23, 1926 in Madison Minnesota) is an American Poet, Author, activist and Michael J Meade was a leading figure in the Mythopoetic branch of the Men's Movement of the 1980s and 1990s

George Lucas and Star Wars

George Lucas's deliberate use of Campbell's theory of the monomyth in the making of the Star Wars movies is well-documented. George Walton Lucas Jr (born May 14, 1944) is an Academy Award -winning American Film director, producer, Screenwriter Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded In addition to the extensive discussion between Campbell and Bill Moyers broadcast in 1988 on PBS as The Power of Myth (Filmed at "Skywalker Ranch"), on Campbell's influence on the Star Wars films, Lucas, himself, gave an extensive interview for the biography Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind (Larsen and Larsen, 2002, pages 541-543) on this topic. Bill Moyers (born June 5, 1934, as William Donald "Billy Don" Moyers) is an American Journalist and public commentator The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the The Power of Myth is a book and six part television documentary originally broadcast on PBS in 1988 as Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. Skywalker Ranch is the name of the workplace of Film director and producer George Lucas in secluded but open country near Nicasio California Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded In this interview, Lucas states that in the early 1970's after completing his early film, American Graffiti, "it came to me that there really was no modern use of mythology. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. American Graffiti is a period Coming of age film directed by George Lucas, and written by Lucas Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck . . so that's when I started doing more strenuous research on fairy tales, folklore and mythology, and I started reading Joe's books. Before that I hadn't read any of Joe's books. . . . It was very eerie because in reading The Hero with A Thousand Faces I began to realize that my first draft of Star Wars was following classical motifs"(p. Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope (originally released as Star Wars) is a 1977 Space opera 541).

Twelve years after the making of The Power of Myth, Moyers and Lucas met again for the 1999 interview, the Mythology of Star Wars with George Lucas & Bill Moyers, to further discuss the impact of Campbell's work on Lucas's films [21]. The Power of Myth is a book and six part television documentary originally broadcast on PBS in 1988 as Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. In addition, the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution sponsored an exhibit during the late 1990s called Star Wars: The Magic of Myth which discussed the ways in which Campbell's work shaped the Star Wars films [22]. The National Air and Space Museum (NASM of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington D The Smithsonian Institution (smɪθsoʊnɪən is an educational and research institute and associated Museum complex administered and funded by the Government of Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) A companion guide of the same name was published in 1997.

Chris Vogler, The Writer's Journey, and Hollywood films

Christopher Vogler, a Hollywood film producer and writer, created a now-legendary 7-page company memo, A Practical Guide to The Hero With a Thousand Faces[23], based on Campbell's work which inspired films such as Disney's 1994 film, The Lion King. Christopher Vogler is a Hollywood Development executive best known for his guide for screenwriters The Writer's Journey Mythic Structure For Writers Walt Disney Pictures refers to several different entities associated with The Walt Disney Company: Walt Disney Pictures, the film banner was established The Lion King is a 1994 American animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, released in theaters on June 15 1994 Vogler's memo was later developed into the late 1990s book, The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The Writer's Journey Mythic Structure For Writers is a popular screenwriting textbook by writer Christopher Vogler, focusing on the theory that most stories This story structure is evident in a vast number of successful Hollywood films including the Matrix series.

ACT I DEPARTURE, SEPARATION

1. Ordinary World

2. Call to Adventure

3. Refusal of the Call

4. Meeting with the Mentor

5. Crossing First Threshold

ACT II DESCENT, INITIATION, PENETRATION

6. Tests, Allies & Enemies

7. Approach to Inmost Cave

8. The Ordeal

9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)

ACT III RETURN

10. Road Back

11. Resurrection

12. Return with Elixir

Media:http://www.thewritersjourney.com/

ACT I DEPARTURE, SEPARATION

1. Ordinary World

• "the ordinary world is the context, home base, and background of the hero. . . "

• "vivid contrast with strange new world. . . "

• hero's problems and conflicts are already present in Ordinary World waiting to be activated. . . "

2. Call to Adventure

• "establishes stakes of game and makes clear the hero's goal. . . "

3. Refusal of the Call

• "fear, terror of the unknown. . . "

• "not yet fully committed to journey, some other influence required to get past turning point of fear. . . "

-> "change in circumstances"

-> "further offense against the natural order"

-> "encouragement of a mentor"

4. Meeting with the Mentor

• "introduce Mentor(s) to prepare hero to face the unknown"

5. Crossing First Threshold

• "hero commits to adventure, fully enters Special World, no turning back"

• "hero agrees to face consequences of dealing with problem or challenge posed in the Call"

ACT II DESCENT, INITIATION, PENETRATION

6. Tests, Allies & Enemies

• "begins to learn rules of Special World (saloons/bars)"

• "encounters new challenges and tests, makes allies and enemies"

• "watch hero and companions react under stress, reveal aspects of hero's character"

7. Approach to Inmost Cave

• "hero comes to edge of dangerous place where object of quest is hidden (often HQ of greatest enemy & most dangerous spot in Special World)"

• "pause to prepare, plan, and outwit villain's guards - SECOND THRESHOLD is when hero enters Inmost Cave"

8. The Ordeal

• "fortunes of hero hit bottom in direct confrontation with greatest fear"

• "brought to brink in battle with hostile force with possible death"

• " 'black moment' for audience, held in suspense and tension, not knowing if hero will live or die"

• "hero must die or appear to die so he may be reborn (life or death moment in which the hero or his goals are in mortal jeopardy)"

9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)

• "celebrate surviving death and take possession of reward were seeking: treasure, knowledge, experience"

• "hero may also settle conflict with parent, or opposite sex (love scene)"

ACT III RETURN

10. Road Back

• "hero deals with consequences of confronting dark forces of Supreme Ordeal"

• "if not reconciled, hostile forces may come raging after hero (chase scene)"

• "decision to return to Ordinary World, realizing Special World must eventually be left behind"

11. Resurrection

• "hero must be reborn and cleansed in one last Ordeal of death and Resurrection before returning to Ordinary World (one last test to see if really learned lessons of the Supreme Ordeal)"

• "second life and death moment, almost a replay of death and rebirth of the Supreme Ordeal (death and darkness get in one last desperate shot before being finally defeated)"

• "hero transformed by moments of death and rebirth and is able to return to ordinary life reborn as a new being with new insights"

12. Return with Elixir

• "hero returns to Ordinary World with Elixir, treasure or lesson from Special World"

• "Elixir may be treasure, love, freedom, wisdom, or knowledge that the Special World exists and can be survived"

• "unless something is brought back from the Inmost Cave, hero is doomed to repeat the adventure"

Orson Scott Card and Ender's Game

In his book, Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card gives a very complete example of the monomyth structure, with the main character, Ender Wiggin, fulfilling all eight primary stages of it (using Leeming's formulation):

The narrative structure within Ender's Game doesn't follow this structure perfectly linearly. Many elements of it are actually repeated throughout the book. For instance, the latter four steps can also describe the psychological states Ender went through after his realization of what he'd done to the Buggers. [9]

The men's movement

Poet Robert Bly, Michael J. Meade, and others involved in the men's movement have applied and expanded the concept of the hero's journey and the monomyth as a metaphor for personal spiritual and psychological growth, particularly in the mythopoetic men's movement. Robert Bly (born December 23, 1926 in Madison Minnesota) is an American Poet, Author, activist and Michael J Meade was a leading figure in the Mythopoetic branch of the Men's Movement of the 1980s and 1990s Men's and fathers' rights masculism See also Men's rights, Fathers' rights, Masculism The men's rights and fathers' rights differ in their Mythopoeia (also mythopoesis, after Hellenistic Greek grc μυθοποιία μυθοποίησις "myth-making" is a narrative Genre in modern [10][11]

Characteristic of the mythopoetic men's movement is a tendency to retell fairy tales and engage in their exegesis as a tool for personal insight. A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving Exegesis (from the Greek 'to lead out' involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text, especially of a Holy Using frequent references to archetypes as drawn from Jungian analytical psychology, the movement focuses on issues of gender role, gender identity and wellness for modern men. An archetype ( pronounced: /ˈɑːkɪtaɪp/ (Brit or /ˈɑrkɪtaɪp/ (Amer Analytical psychology (or Jungian psychology) refers to the school of Psychology originating from the ideas of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, and then advanced A gender role is defined as a set of perceived behavioural norms associated particularly with Males or Females in a given social group or system Gender identity (or core gender identity) is a person's own sense of Identification as Male or Female. [11] Advocates would often engage in storytelling with music, these acts being seen as a modern extension to a form of "new age shamanism" popularized by Michael Harner at approximately the same time. Storytelling is the ancient art of conveying events in Words Images and Sounds often by Improvisation or embellishment Michael Harner (born April 27 1929 is the founder of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies the formulator of " Core shamanism," and one of the primary proponents of

Among its most famous advocates were the poet Robert Bly, whose book Iron John: A Book About Men was a best-seller, being an exegesis of the fairy tale "Iron John" by the Brothers Grimm. Robert Bly (born December 23, 1926 in Madison Minnesota) is an American Poet, Author, activist and Iron John A Book About Men (ISBN 0-201-51720-5 is a book by American Poet Robert Bly published in 1990. A bestseller is a Book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade Exegesis (from the Greek 'to lead out' involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text, especially of a Holy A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving "Iron John" (aka Iron Hans or Der Eisnehaus) is a German Fairy tale found in the collections of the Brothers The Brothers Grimm ( German: Die Gebrüder Grimm) Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, [10]

The mythopoetic men's movement spawned a variety of groups and workshops, led by authors such as Bly and Robert L. Moore. Robert L Moore, PhD is an internationally recognized Jungian psychoanalyst and consultant in private practice in Chicago Illinois USA [11] Some serious academic work came out of this movement, including the creation of various magazines and non-profit organizations, such as the Mankind Project. ManKind Project ( MKP) previously known as The MKP organization is composed of 38 interdependent centers in nine countries, each with its [10]

Criticism

Thoughtless use of monomyth structure is often blamed for lack of originality and clichés in popular culture, especially big-budget Hollywood films. A cliché (from French, klɪ'ʃe or cliche is a phrase expression or idea that has been overused to the point of losing its intended force In addition to the popularity of Campbell-influenced guides such as The Writer's Journey, the influential book Screenplay by Syd Field also proposed an ideal three-act structure, which is easily compatible with modern screenwriters' attempts to craft a monomyth. This article is about the screenwriting guru for information on the British comedian see Sid Field. However, since the peak popularity of cinematic monomyth narratives in the 1990s, some would-be blockbuster movies that have been seen as conscious attempts to follow the structure have met with indifference from critics and often disappointing performance at the box office.

Novelist David Brin has criticized the monomyth, arguing that it is anti-populist, and was used by kings and priests to justify tyranny. A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Glen David Brin, PhD (born October 6, 1950) is an American scientist and award-winning author of Science fiction. Brin also pointed out that the existence of a monomyth may reflect cross-cultural historical similarities, rather than some deeper "human insight". He points out that, until relatively recently, story tellers were dependent upon the oligarchy for their livelihood and that the aristocracy only recently lost its power to punish irreverence. Oligarchy' ( Greek, Oligarkhía) is a Form of government where Political power effectively rests with a small elite segment Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations Once those historical factors disappeared, science fiction emerged--a story-telling mode Brin sees as the antithesis of Campbell's monomyth. [12]

In a similar vein, American philosopher John Shelton Lawrence and American religious scholar Robert Jewett have discussed an "American Monomyth" in many of their books, The American Monomyth, The Myth of the American Superhero, and Captain American and the Crusade of Zealous Nationalism. John Shelton Lawrence is an emeritus professor of Philosophy at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, United States. The American Monomyth is a 1977 book by Robert Jewett and John Shelton Lawrence arguing for the existence and cultural importance of an 'American They present this as an American reaction to the Campbellian monomyth. The "American Monomyth" storyline is: A community in a harmonious paradise is threatened by evil; normal institutions fail to contend with this threat; a selfless superhero emerges to renounce temptations and carry out the redemptive task; aided by fate, his decisive victory restores the community to its paradisiacal condition; the superhero then recedes into obscurity. [13]

Finally, scholars have questioned the very validity of the monomyth, its use as a tool for critical investigation and interpretation of narrative, and its male bias. Donald J. Consentino remarks, "It is just as important to stress differences as similarities, to avoid creating a (Joseph) Campbell soup of myths that loses all local flavor. "[14]; Marta Weigl rejects the idea of a "monomyth" in which women appear only exceptionally, and then as indistinguishable from men[15]. Others have found the categories Campbell works with so vague as to be meaningless, and lacking the support required of scholarly argument: Muriel Crespi, writing in response to Campbell's filmed presentation of his model[16] characterized it as ". . . unsatisfying from a social science perspective. Campbell's ethnocentrism will raise objections, and his analytic level is so abstract and devoid of ethnographic context that myth loses the very meanings supposed to be embedded in the "hero. " In Sacred Narrative: Readings in the Theory of Myth (1984), editor Alan Dundes dismisses Campbell's work, characterizing him as a popularizer: "like most universalists, he is content to merely assert universality rather than bother to document it. Alan Dundes, ( September 8 1934 &ndash March 30, 2005) was a Folklorist at the University of California Berkeley. […] If Campbell's generalizations about myth are not substantiated, why should students consider his work?" [24]

Notes

  1. ^ Monomyth website accessed November 28, 2006.
  2. ^ Joseph Campbell Foundation - Works - Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake, A
  3. ^ Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1949. p. 30, n35. Cambell cites James Joyce, Finnegans Wake. NY: Viking, 1939, p. 581
  4. ^ Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The Hero with a Thousand Faces (first published in 1949 is a non-fiction book and seminal work of Comparative mythology by Joseph Campbell Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1949. The Princeton University Press is an independent publisher with close connections to Princeton University.
  5. ^ There is some debate as to whether this is truly a universal feature of myths, or a specific example of a broader category of "temptation away from the true path". Although most of Campbell's book uses examples from many cultures, his chapter on "Woman As the Temptress" draws examples exclusively from Judeo-Christian stories. Judeo-Christian (or Judaeo-Christian, sometimes written as Judæo-Christian) is a term used to describe the body of concepts and values which are thought to be held See [1].
  6. ^ The hero's journey: Joseph Campbell on his life and work. Edited and with an Introduction by Phil Cousineau. Forward by Stuart L. Brown, Executive Editor. New York: Harper and Row, 1990.
  7. ^ Leeming, David Adams. Mythology: The Voyage of the Hero. New York: Harper & Row. 1981.
  8. ^ Pacifica Graduate Institute | Joseph Campbell & Marija Gimbutas Library | Joseph Campbell - Chronology
  9. ^ Ender's Game and the Hero's Quest by Michael R. Collings, published in "In the Image of God: Theme, Characterization, and Landscape in the Fiction of Orson Scott Card. Michael Robert Collings (born 1947 is an Author, Poet, literary critic, and bibliographer, and a former professor of Creative writing " by Michael R. Collings, Westport CT: Greenwood, 1990. ISBN 978-0313264047, revised by Collings for his website.
  10. ^ a b c Boston Globe accessed 2008-01-06
  11. ^ a b c Use by Bly of Campbell's monomyth work accessed 2008-01-06
  12. ^ Salon Arts & Entertainment | "Star Wars" despots vs. "Star Trek" populists
  13. ^ Jewett, Robert and John Shelton Lawrence (1977) The American Monomyth. New York: Doubleday.
  14. ^ "African Oral Narrative Traditions" in Foley, John Miles, ed. , "Teaching Oral Traditions. " NY: Modern Language Association, 1998, p. 183
  15. ^ "Women's Expressive Forms" in Foley, John Miles, ed. , "Teaching Oral Traditions. " NY: Modern Language Association, 1998, p. 306
  16. ^ American Anthropologist, 92:4 (December 1990), p. 1104

References

Books based upon interviews with Campbell

DVD/Discography

See also

External links

The Power of Myth is a book and six part television documentary originally broadcast on PBS in 1988 as Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. Vladimir Yakovlevich Propp (Владимир Яковлевич Пропп &mdash 22 August 1970) was a Russian formalist scholar who

Dictionary

monomyth

-noun

  1. (mythology) a cyclical journey or quest undertaken by a mythical hero
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic