Today we were briefly introduced to the scope of the hero’s
journey and how this encompasses a prevalent and common archetype in countless
myths, even from the beginning of time (from the time when the Epic of
Gilgamesh was engraved on stone tablets, as Mrs. Clinch says). I found John
Campbell’s profound interpretation of this hero’s journey to be extremely
enlightening and noteworthy, as I can now see this depiction of the archetypal
hero in pop culture’s most epic stories such as Star Wars and Harry Potter
in a way I never have before. Campbell’s theory regarding the explicit stages
which a typical hero undergoes is referenced in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the book that Campbell wrote in
order to accentuate the connection between modern psychology and a more
thorough understanding of ancient mythology. I think this depiction of a true
hero is already so commonly accepted in society (like Christ) that we don’t
even realize its significance until it is clearly presented to us in the form
of a set structure or “sequence of events” if you will.
For instance, how many die-hard Harry Potter fans immediately
recognize Dobby as a helper/amulet (one of the stages of the hero’s journey) in
Harry’s heroic adventure? Or that Dumbledore is the wise old mentor who serves
as the source of courage and wisdom for Harry? Or that Hagrid is technically
the herald in the hero’s journey, as he is the one who brings the call to
adventure by telling Harry he is a wizard, opening up the possibilities of a
whole new realm of existence (wizarding world)? Perhaps initially we don’t
identify Professor Lupin as a shapeshifter, Draco Malfoy as one of the
threshold guardians, or Voldemort as the shadow, but once we are presented with
these ideas, it is much easier to distinguish and associate the characters to
the typical archetypes of a hero’s journey.
In the interview with Joseph Campbell that we watched in
class, Campbell explains the duration of the hero’s journey as something of a
cycle, in which the hero must ultimately make a massive sacrifice for the sake and
of others, whether that be spiritually or physically, in order to undergo this
heroic transformation to consciousness and understanding. In some aspects, the
hero’s journey is comprised of many psychological references and concepts. The
hero/heroine not only must face physical obstacles and impediments he/she is
presented with such as a monster or a dark force, but he/she must also learn to
overcome his/her inherent and mental obstructions
such as fear and a dramatic, unanticipated change. It is not until one discovers
and overcomes one’s internal conflict of opposing feelings and thoughts that
one can truly achieve some great deed that renders one a hero.
In addition to
the psychological realization that a hero must endure, Campbell addresses other
various aspects of the hero’s journey in the interview, such as the three
stages usually contained within all myths: departure, fulfillment/initiation,
and return, which together epitomize the entire span of the hero’s journey.
Campbell emphasizes the importance of these three crucial points of the hero’s
journey as they essentially structure the entire course of the hero’s journey.
Overall, I think Joseph Campbell’s depiction of the hero’s
journey is extremely interesting and meaningful, and I look forward to applying
these concepts in our analysis of literary works. J
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