The Hero’s Quest

1. The Hero’s Quest

2. One of the most enduring and malleable narratives is the ‘hero’s quest’ • The hero’s quest can be found in the oldest of recorded literature, across time and space • Found in ancient Greek myths, Japanese anime, war films, Medieval poems, news stories

3. Campbell’s “Monomyth” • Most notably identified with Joseph Campbell, who studied comparative religion • Campbell began as a critical scholar of literature and eventually became interested in the many myths found throughout the world • Unlike most who studied the differences among myths, Campbell looked for the similarities among them • Identified/constructed the ‘monomyth’

5. Joseph Campbell • Campbell’s scholarship was controversial • Criticized as lacking scholarly rigor • Validity of the monomyth was questioned • Some argued that he ignored critical differences among myths, mashed others together to fit his scheme

6. Campbell’s impact • Campbell’s scholarship was embraced by some in academe • He may have had his greatest impact through the adoption of his ideas in popular culture • A number of writers and filmmakers applied his ideas to storytelling • Christopher Vogler wrote a memo at Disney that applied Campbell’s ideas to storytelling, then went on to write a book and coach writers freelance

7. Hero’s quest • The mythic narrative of the hero’s quest, though not Campbell’s only interest, was the one that gained the most popular attention • His short version of the narrative was: • “ 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.”

8. The hero’s quest was a spiritual journey as well as a physical one • Left the seeker forever changed—for the better • Mystical and transformative • Leaving home was a symbolic representation of leaving childhood, becoming aware/adult—going through a transformation • The life devoid of a spiritual quest was empty and meaningless • We all have our own quest to follow

9. Monomyth.org

12. Campbell’s analysis applied Jung’s concept of archetype to a reading of a vast number of myths • He felt he had found a limited set of actions, characters and plot points that made up a monomyth • The monomyth represented a universal set of ideas and beliefs that were unconsciously held by all humans • The stuff of dreams

14. A short version • The scene begins, as most narratives, with a stable (and usually happy) situation • There is either a disturbance or a recognition that the situation is not as it seems • The disturbance may often be supplied by the act of an evil force (villain) • The hero is called upon to act to make things right • The source of the call varies, but is often another traditional character, the mentor

15. Reaction to the call • The hero often will deny or refuse the call to adventure • Fear, uncertainty • The hero must ultimately accept the call • Becomes aware of the lack/danger or further transgressions move him toward acceptance of the call • In many cases, the hero must be prepared • Gain strength, wisdom, etc. • The hero may be provided with some form of magical weapon or elixir

16. The hero chooses to leave his world and enter the world of wonder/danger • The ‘threshold crossing’ • The hero willingly crosses the threshold, often into a very dark place • The road of trials • The hero is tested in a number of ways, must meet the challenge or die • The Belly of the Whale • The hero faces ‘death’ or perhaps even dies

17. Meeting with the goddess • The hero symbolically and/or physically becomes one with a female (or, upon the rare case of a female hero, with a male) • The female represents knowledge of life and of the earth • Atonement with the father • The hero recognizes the dark side of himself and discover the loving father

18. Apotheosis • The hero transcends his former self and gains greater awareness, melding the knowledge from the land of trials with that from his native land • The hero is then able to gain the ‘boon’ • Either a physical object that can provide humanity with great benefits or wisdom, etc. that will allow the hero to guide those in his original world toward the good

19. Return • The hero may refuse to return, finding the land of adventure far more suitable than the one he left • Alternately, there may be evil forces or guardians of the passageway blocking his return • There may be a pursuit, with the hero receiving magical aid • It may be necessary for those in the other world to provide aid that can help the hero return

20. Master of Two Worlds • The hero returns and bestows the boon upon humanity • He has been transformed and is now ‘master of two worlds’ • Freedom to live • The hero has been transformed and is now able to accept the fates of both worlds, perhaps to live in both with harmony • He may be called upon to make a final sacrifice

21. Characters • The hero • The mentor • The helper • The villain • The goddess • The trickster

27. Hero’s quest in popular culture • Though the entire narrative is rarely found, portions of the hero’s quest show up in a great number of popular films, TV shows, videogames, music, etc.

28. Why are heroic journeys so appealing? • Simple, stark contrasts easy to comprehend, powerful and compelling • Simple dialogue • Personalization/individuation • Echo deeply-held feelings and beliefs that may not be conscious • Good and evil • Spirituality • Exciting action, often violence • Emotion rather than reason drives the action

31. Sources of concern • Teach people to think in terms of either-or approach to conflict/competition • Inability to thoughtfully consider context, ambiguity • Little consideration given to compromise • Preach violence and brinkmanship as a strategy of dealing with conflict/competition • Demonization of other side leads to escalation • Strengthens position of extremists • No actions are mutually beneficial • Life as a ‘zero-sum game’

32. Sources for concern • Portrayal of a world split into warring factions • Archetypal good and bad groups lead to a portrayal of those who are different in extremely negative terms • Archetypes applied in the real world can quickly lead to harsh stereotyping or demonization of groups or individuals

35. Sources of concern • Conflict based in religion, klan, nation • Can easily slide into some rather unpleasant representations • Nazi use of Wagner’s epic heroic opera • Teaches to make decisions, etc. based on tribal loyalties, heated passions rather than dispassionate, rational debate • Can justify extreme, uncompromising actions • Brutality • War • Enslavement • Torture