Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth and the Hero’s Journey
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Joseph Campbell’s book of Narratology and Comparative Mythology: The Hero with a Thousand Faces provides a concept of the monomyth. According Greimas (2003), the introduction of the hero’s journey narrative occurred his 1949. The variation in stories is minimal since they follow similar cultural myths. Campbell realized that all stories trailed the prehistoric pattern of myths, which creates the understanding during story telling. The theme of hero myth transpires in every culture and moments since the hero is the dominant subject of rites of passage. He identified that the knowledge entrenched in mythology assists in understanding human races and the related problems (Greenstein, 2015). The concept of the mythology explains that individuals have the capacity to modify the hero myth into their suitable specifications.
According to Campbell, the definition of mythology falls into three classifications, separation, initiation and return. He refers to the tree stages as the monomyth’s nuclear units, which can further divide into numerous sequences. The first section is the separation, which is when the hero departs from the usual life and leaves for the adventure (Greimas, 2003). Human’s normal domain refers to where he or she exists before the call to adventure (Greimas, 2003). The information gathered from the champions’ origin assists in the identification of the capabilities, life outlook, and the true nature. It always occurs after the demand for the hero’s actions. The adventure starts when the aspired champion gets a mandate to go for a given challenge (Greenstein, 2015). The call may be direct such as a phone conversation or an indirect action including a threat to family security or community safety and peace.
Greenstein (2015) explained that the initial response from the champion reflects a refusal to give into the mission. The refusal can be because of the fear to leave, family obligation, insecurity, or duty that clutches individuals into their current situations. The repudiation transforms the adventure into its negativities such as tiresome work, monotony; making the conqueror less powerful to act. The rigid act of the champion can cause dangers to him or her calling for a savior. The need for a supernatural assistant appears to the hero after the acceptance of the mission (Greimas, 2003). The champions who accept the call without self-denial gets encouragements from the mentor, who might give them an insight of dilemma, words of wisdom, self-confidence, and an object of great significance such as a magical weapon.
Crossing the threshold is where one puts the normal life and venture into a new dangerous world with unidentified instructions and restrictions. At this point, the story begins with the adventure taking off to begin his pursuit. The quest can be emotional, physical or spiritual depending on the theme. The hero continues to get into the mission directed by the embodiment of his or her destiny until they meet the verge protector (Greenstein, 2015). The champion crosses either voluntarily or forcefully to the new world. The last separation from the hero’s usual environment and self-refer to the belly of the whale. It represents an individual’s acceptance to go through a conceptualized change.
Initiation section represents the core of the story where the writer or the storyteller indicates the structure of the narrative. According to Greenstein (2015), eight-point story arc contains stasis, the introductory point of a character, scene or place. The hero pledges into true physique by undertaking numerous prosecutions and rites marking the foundation of a transformation process. The boulevard of trials is a succession of examinations that a person must go through in the initial stage of transformation (Greimas, 2003). In this phase of myth-adventure, the hero aid by the supernatural assistance and the advice provided earlier. The trail precedes an experience of love: a powerful feeling that leads to identifying a partner. The hero myth explains that at this point, the hero proficiencies a significant power of love that is, compared to that of an infant and the mother.
The partner poses life temptations that might hinder the mission process. The conqueror meets sequences of challenges including physical or psychological, which he has to overcome each of them. Learning to identify the trustworthiness of others helps the hero to overawe certain encounters. An individual goes through the initiation of what holds the power in his or her life after enticement temptation. Finally, the hero gets a period of peace and rest after he or she gains the status of compassion, love, and knowledge. When a sudden occurrence beyond the control of the hero (trigger) takes places, he or she has to figure out the quest (Greenstein, 2015). The manner in which the hero handle battles surprises indicates his true character and decision-making ability.
In the third stage is where the hero returns in victory to merited acknowledgment, after the misfortunes and tribunals. The inmost cave signifies an inner battle or where a mysterious danger, in which the hero must be well, prepared (Greimas, 2003). The approach may create fear and doubts within the hero as he spends moments to reflect on the entire journey. To survive the tests, he must endure the supreme ordeal. The pursuit achievement: defeating the enemy, overcoming fear, and surviving death challenges (Greenstein, 2015). The champion becomes the strongest person as he emerges from the quest as a victory, marking the resolution.
When the champion accomplishes the expedition, making the climax of the arc, he or she returns with a metamorphosing medal. However, having found the paradise and illumination in the new environment, the hero may hesitate the return to normal life. According to mythology, the champion must go through a fight with the guidance from the supernatural helper. The assistance is crucial in cases of injuries or lack of strength. The main aim of this stage is to recollect the knowledge expanded on the mission, to assimilate that insight into a human life, and identify means of sharing the wisdom with the rest of the world. The freedom to live follows the master of two worlds, where one has to acquire balance for the inner and outer environments. The conqueror emerges from the new world transformed by the modern knowledge and wisdom, thus the reversal stage of the story structure. He returns to the normal world with the treasure, knowledge, elixir, and lessons. However, if he comes back with boon to humans, he faces the consequences of re-embarking the adventure.
Reference
Greenstein, E. L. (2015). The Fugitive Hero Narrative Pattern in Mesopotamia. In Worship, Women and War: Essays in Honor of Susan Niditch (pp. 17–36). Society of Biblical Literature. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1803z68.7
Greimas, A.J. (2003). A.J. Greimas and Narratology. In Narratology and Text: Subjectivity and Identity in New France and Québécois Literature (pp. 18–38). University of Toronto Press. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3138/9781442677562.5