The Hero's Journey- An Archetypal Story
Apotheosis
(greek meaning "from god") hero recognizes his true identity- the spark of divinity from within
Hero's Ending Realizations
*the hero realizes that he can be at home in 2 worlds, he is more confident & wiser *having faced evil- both inside and out- hero is free from powerlessness and fear
The Hero With a Thousand Faces
Joseph Campbell's book, where Campbell asserted that all stories follow the same patterns of myth & use elements of the Hero's Journey
The Return
Part three in the Hero's Journey
Magic Flight
Upon deciding to return home, the hero must flee from yet another danger
Questions the Monomyth help answer
Why am I here? Why is there suffering? What is the meaning of life?
archetype
a pattern such as type of character or type of story that is repeated in literature
Meeting with a Goddess
a wise or magical being gives guidance or advice to the hero
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
accepts challenges & sometimes invites problems
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
achieves his goal
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
battles demons/monsters
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
descends into darkness(often the underworld)
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
encounters women who tempt him
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
excels in skill, strength, and courage
Crossing the Return Threshold
finally the hero returns home
"deus ex machina"
god in a machine
Rescue from Without
hero escapes with a little outside help
Refusal of the Call
hero has 2nd thoughts; adventure looks to risky
Road of Trials
hero learns that life in the world of adventure can be difficult
Crossing the 1st Threshold
hero leaves old world & enters new world
Battle with the Dragon
hero must confront & vanquish a malevolent being
Supernatural Aid
hero receives gift to help on the journey
The Ultimate Broom
hero succeeds in his goal
Refusal of Return
hero wonders if its possible to return to his old life, "how can I go back?"
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
is a man of action
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
is generous to his followers, but ruthless to his enemies
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
meets monsters & temptations
Separation
part one of the hero's journey; breaking away from the old life
Initiation
part two of the hero's journey; during this phase, the hero learns to live in the new world
Part 3 Subcategories
refusal of return, magic flight, rescue from without, crossing the return threshold
Temptation
someone or something(usually a woman) tries to distract the hero from his goal
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
sometimes makes rash decisions & takes unnecessary risks
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
succeeds in war & adventure
Monomyth
term to describe how all ancient epic stories follow the same basic patterns & elements of The Hero's journey
Part 1 Subcategories
the call to adventure, the refusal of the call, supernatural aid, crossing the 1st threshold, and the belly of the whale
Belly of the whale
the hero experiences the "dark night of the soul" & must face his faults and the truth, hero feels trapped often
Call to adventure
the hero is invited to leave a boring/mundane life & seek adventure
Atonement with the Father
the hero resolves his issues with a parent figure
Part 2 Subcategories
the road of trials, meeting with a goddess, battle with a dragon, temptation, atonement with the father, apotheosis, the ultimate broom
Function of the Story
to entertain, instruct, & to inspire; hero's journey is a metaphor to life itself
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
usually has a guide/mentor
Characteristic of an Epic Hero
values honor and glory
Joseph Campbell
world's foremost authority on mythology, the components of the hero's journey were identified by him
Common Mythic Elements
young hero yearning for adventure, 2 worlds- boing and fantastic, mentor trains heroin in special skill, the oracle- a wise person guides hero, prophecy which hero must fulfill, failed hero- guy who didn't make it, wearing the enemy's skin, the shape shifter- archetypal friend with shape shifting/ambiguous loyalties
