The Hero's Journey, by Joseph Campbell

[Bill Ryan]

-------

Dear Friends,

This is thought-provoking and inspiring, and it may not have been posted here before.

The Hero's Journey is a deep archetypal human pattern that appears to cross and unite all cultures, great myths, and even the storyline of many Hollywood movies.

In the briefest summary, it's about how an 'ordinary' person (like Frodo in Lord of the Rings, Tony Stark in Iron Man, or Neo in The Matrix!) can be 'called' to embark on a heroic, challenging and transforming journey, encountering many barriers, problems, and also unexpected support — along the way. Joseph Campbell argues that this applies to every one of us, in our lives, in one way or another.

Note: Just the first three and a half minutes of the video are inspiring, moving, special to us all, and VERY highly recommended. This very wonderful beginning contains a very simple and extremely profound message for every one of us.

Enjoy. :)

http://avalonlibrary.net/The_Hero's_Journey_(Joseph_Campbell).mp4
Source: http://avalonlibrary.net/The_Hero's_Journey_(Joseph_Campbell).mp4

[Meggings]

I studied "The Hero's Journey" once, being fascinated by it, by archetypes, by symbols. I fetched and edited this from something I saw once.

Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were once only walls.

28965

[Earth Angel]

Thank you Bill...just what I needed to see as I now face my own Hero's Journey and try to slay/love? the dragon.
Have bookmarked this and will watch it a few more times no doubt.

[Robin]

The Hero's Journey is a deep archetypal human pattern that appears to cross and unite all cultures, great myths, and even the storyline of many Hollywood movies.

In the briefest summary, it's about how an 'ordinary' person (like Frodo in Lord of the Rings

What a great synchonicity, Bill! I'm currently writing a book about the deep meanings behind Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings, and coincidentally, my current topic is on Campbell's Hero's Journey. Indeed, the Hero's Journey is a representation of all our soul journeys as we do the Great Work. Unbeknownst to most, they have not yet made it past the first section of three called Departure. Too many people are afraid to step outside their doors, research the Truth, accept the Truth, and fight for the Truth. They are content staying home where they are comfortable in blissful ignorance.

Actually, Frodo is one part of the Hero's Journey. Together, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin represent the human brain and consciousness. Frodo is the R-complex, and Gollum is the archetype of a person falling into domination of their Reptilian brain, which is indicative of the "sss" in his speech. He represents the Father of the Trinity, which is our thoughts, as well as masculine energy. Samwise is the Limbic System and represents the Holy Spirit of the Trinity, which is our emotions. Merry and Pippin represent the left-hemisphere and right-hemisphere, respectively, of our Neocortex. Together they represent the Son of the Trinity, which is our actions, as well as the energy of the Sacred Child. All of them need to function in unity in order to do the Great Work, which is destroying the ring (ego) and committing action unto the world.

This and a whole lot more will be hashed out in great detail in my book, Tolkien Untold: Waking Up in Middle-earth. I still have ways to go, but I'll publish it some time in 2015. :)

[wegge]

In this regard you can also check out Robert Bly´s Iron John. It´s about initiation into manhood with also great archetypal references.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThsevaCfTnA&list=PLOO-PWMoTt-8pc_LVYSXb0rSU9G1-MAeh

[lucidity]

bump... this thread deserves more eyes.

[araucaria]

An earlier example of this kind of analysis is to be found in Vladimir Propp’s Morphology of the Folktale, dating from 1928. Since Joseph Campbell would need to have read Russian to be familiar with Propp’s work, it may be interesting to compare his independent analysis with Propp’s 31 stages in the Russian folktale.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Propp


After the initial situation is depicted, the tale takes the following sequence of 31 functions:



ABSENTATION: A member of a family leaves the security of the home environment. This may be the hero (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero) or some other member of the family that the hero will later need to rescue. This division of the cohesive family injects initial tension into the storyline. The hero may also be introduced here, often being shown as an ordinary person.
INTERDICTION: An interdiction is addressed to the hero ('don't go there', 'don't do this'). The hero is warned against some action (given an 'interdiction').
VIOLATION of INTERDICTION. The interdiction is violated (villain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villain) enters the tale). This generally proves to be a bad move and the villain enters the story, although not necessarily confronting the hero. Perhaps they are just a lurking presence or perhaps they attack the family whilst the hero is away.
RECONNAISSANCE: The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance (either villain tries to find the children/jewels etc.; or intended victim questions the villain). The villain (often in disguise) makes an active attempt at seeking information, for example searching for something valuable or trying to actively capture someone. They may speak with a member of the family who innocently divulges information. They may also seek to meet the hero, perhaps knowing already the hero is special in some way.
DELIVERY: The villain gains information about the victim. The villain's seeking now pays off and he or she now acquires some form of information, often about the hero or victim. Other information can be gained, for example about a map or treasure location.
TRICKERY: The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victim's belongings (trickery; villain disguised, tries to win confidence of victim). The villain now presses further, often using the information gained in seeking to deceive the hero or victim in some way, perhaps appearing in disguise. This may include capture of the victim, getting the hero to give the villain something or persuading them that the villain is actually a friend and thereby gaining collaboration.
COMPLICITY: Victim taken in by deception, unwittingly helping the enemy. The trickery of the villain now works and the hero or victim naively acts in a way that helps the villain. This may range from providing the villain with something (perhaps a map or magical weapon) to actively working against good people (perhaps the villain has persuaded the hero that these other people are actually bad).
VILLAINY or LACK: Villain causes harm/injury to family member (by abduction, theft of magical agent, spoiling crops, plunders in other forms, causes a disappearance, expels someone, casts spell on someone, substitutes child etc., commits murder, imprisons/detains someone, threatens forced marriage, provides nightly torments); Alternatively, a member of family lacks something or desires something (magical potion etc.). There are two options for this function, either or both of which may appear in the story. In the first option, the villain causes some kind of harm, for example carrying away a victim or the desired magical object (which must be then be retrieved). In the second option, a sense of lack is identified, for example in the hero's family or within a community, whereby something is identified as lost or something becomes desirable for some reason, for example a magical object that will save people in some way.
MEDIATION: Misfortune or lack is made known, (hero is dispatched, hears call for help etc./ alternative is that victimized hero is sent away, freed from imprisonment). The hero now discovers the act of villainy or lack, perhaps finding their family or community devastated or caught up in a state of anguish and woe.
BEGINNING COUNTER-ACTION: Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action. The hero now decides to act in a way that will resolve the lack, for example finding a needed magical item, rescuing those who are captured or otherwise defeating the villain. This is a defining moment for the hero as this is the decision that sets the course of future actions and by which a previously ordinary person takes on the mantle of heroism.
DEPARTURE: Hero leaves home;
FIRST FUNCTION OF THE DONOR: Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc., preparing the way for his/her receiving of a magical agent or helper (donor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donor_%28fairy_tale%29));
HERO'S REACTION: Hero reacts to actions of future donor (withstands/fails the test, frees captive, reconciles disputants, performs service, uses adversary's powers against him);
RECEIPT OF A MAGICAL AGENT: Hero acquires use of a magical agent (directly transferred, located, purchased, prepared, spontaneously appears, eaten/drunk, help offered by other characters);
GUIDANCE: Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object of the search;
STRUGGLE: Hero and villain join in direct combat;
BRANDING: Hero is branded (wounded/marked, receives ring or scarf);
VICTORY: Villain is defeated (killed in combat, defeated in contest, killed while asleep, banished);
LIQUIDATION: Initial misfortune or lack is resolved (object of search distributed, spell broken, slain person revived, captive freed);
RETURN: Hero returns;
PURSUIT: Hero is pursued (pursuer tries to kill, eat, undermine the hero);
RESCUE: Hero is rescued from pursuit (obstacles delay pursuer, hero hides or is hidden, hero transforms unrecognisably, hero saved from attempt on his/her life);
UNRECOGNIZED ARRIVAL: Hero unrecognized, arrives home or in another country;
UNFOUNDED CLAIMS: False hero (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_hero) presents unfounded claims;
DIFFICULT TASK: Difficult task proposed to the hero (trial by ordeal, riddles, test of strength/endurance, other tasks);
SOLUTION: Task is resolved;
RECOGNITION: Hero is recognized (by mark, brand, or thing given to him/her);
EXPOSURE: False hero or villain is exposed;
TRANSFIGURATION: Hero is given a new appearance (is made whole, handsome, new garments etc.);
PUNISHMENT: Villain is punished;
WEDDING: Hero marries and ascends the throne (is rewarded/promoted).

Occasionally, some of these functions are inverted, as when the hero receives something whilst still at home, the function of a donor occurring early. More often, a function is negated twice, so that it must be repeated three (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_three_%28writing%29) times in Western cultures.[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Propp#cite_note-5)
Characters
Main article: Actant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actant)
He also concluded that all the characters could be resolved into 7 broad character (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictional_character) functions in the 100 tales he analyzed:


The villain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villain) — struggles against the hero.
The dispatcher (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dispatcher_%28fairy_tale%29&action=edit&redlink=1) — character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.
The (magical) helper — helps the hero in their quest.
The princess or prize and her father — the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain.
The donor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donor_%28fairy_tale%29) — prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
The hero (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero) or victim/seeker hero — reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
The false hero (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_hero) — takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess.[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Propp#cite_note-6)

These roles could sometimes be distributed among various characters, as the hero kills the villain dragon, and the dragon's sisters take on the villainous role of chasing him. Conversely, one character could engage in acts as more than one role, as a father could send his son on the quest and give him a sword, acting as both dispatcher and donor

[sirdipswitch]

Excellent video Bill, Thank you for posting it. Just watched it and find that it discribes my journey as I've outlined on my thread. Now I'm gonna go there and boost your thread some more. It's just as Lucidity stated; "This thread deserves more eyes."

All here would do well if they would just watch the first 31/2 minutes of it as you suggested.:wizard:

¤=[Post Update]=¤

31/2 (three and a half) 3 and a 1/2,

[Guish]

-------

Dear Friends,

This is thought-provoking and inspiring, and it may not have been posted here before.

The Hero's Journey is a deep archetypal human pattern that appears to cross and unite all cultures, great myths, and even the storyline of many Hollywood movies.

In the briefest summary, it's about how an 'ordinary' person (like Frodo in Lord of the Rings, Tony Stark in Iron Man, or Neo in The Matrix!) can be 'called' to embark on a heroic, challenging and transforming journey, encountering many barriers, problems, and also unexpected support — along the way. Joseph Campbell argues that this applies to every one of us, in our lives, in one way or another.

Note: Just the first three and a half minutes of the video are inspiring, moving, special to us all, and VERY highly recommended. This very wonderful beginning contains a very simple and extremely profound message for every one of us.

Enjoy. :)

http://avalonlibrary.net/The_Hero's_Journey_(Joseph_Campbell).mp4
Source: http://avalonlibrary.net/The_Hero's_Journey_(Joseph_Campbell).mp4 (http://avalonlibrary.net/The_Hero's_Journey_(Joseph_Campbell).mp4/QUOTE])

Spot on Bill. Once someone experiences a moment of bliss, the journey back to the self begins as one experienced truth and one wants to know more. It's a natural urge, an instinctive one, I'd say.

[Guish]

One of the most inspiring movies ever made.

BMD496MBzrw

[Meggings]

There is a place of "ARCHETYPES and SYMBOLS" where the power is such that I stood in my spiritual body, buffeted by the winds and almost deafening roar of power. I beheld before my gaze the archetypes placed upon pedestals as far as my eye could see. As I stood there, understanding this place, my glance fell upon "A Representative of the Christ" who stood off to one side, ready to assist should I ask, for the power of this place was AWE-filled. I nodded acknowledgement to the Christ, and then spoke thus: "Although I am not afraid, yet my body is shaken by these energies. I Will to go lower."

And I did. I went to a place where for days and nights on end I viewed slow-moving streams of akasha in which were recorded all the art and art motifs on earth. I moved along it as I wist, and every now and then I came to something my interest went to. As I focused my attention on whatever it happened to be, the akashic record would move forward, towards me, and then it would "come to life". This river of akashic images was in time ordered arrangement, and I followed it several centuries into our future. I saw that much of the art in the future will be light, sculptures of light, moving shapes and colours.

I came to understand that archetypes and symbols are energies which guide us on earth (I would say in this quadrant of the universe, but that is perhaps grandiose and beyond my limited understanding of this personal experience). I came to understand that archetypes and symbols are fashioned and put in place, have power, and guide civilizations. I came to realize another part of my multi-dimensional being has had a hand in doing that work.

(I edited for typing errors, and since I'm back here, I understand this place as positioned in high sixth dimension, before the seventh where mankind becomes a unified social/memory complex - forgive me if I get the term wrong, but we become a collective soul at that level. I have visited collective souls in other dimensional travels.)

[Bill Ryan]

:bump:

I had a conversation with a friend about this this morning, and remembered how inspiring this video is... especially the very beautiful story told in the first few minutes of the documentary, that applies to every one of us. :sun:

[AlaBil]

Bill...Thanks for giving this a bump. I don't know how I missed this the first time by in February.

There is absolutely so much here at Avalon. Kudos to you Bill and all the mods for the effort you all make to keep this place around and functioning!!!

[Limor Wolf]

I have not seen the movie just yet, even though I have been on Bill's thread before. But I am thankful, there was something that made me stop and reflect. What is really the Hero's journey.. Is hearoism a conept to be followed or perheps it is an un-planned act of the moment, a following of the order of the heart.. which one of these? or could it be both?

History shows that many times those who we later related as 'heroe's' didn't even know they were.. they simply acted by the spur of the moment and followed the whim of their heart, so, can heroism be determind and decide upon before? quite curious to know what Avalonians think

:flower:
Limor

[Daughter of Time]

Thank you so much for posting this, Bill.

During the course of studies which lead to my current profession, there was a list of hundreds of books which were mandatory. The list included a minimum of three of Joseph Campbell's books.

I chose THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES, THE POWER OF MYTH, and MYTHS TO LIVE BY. THE HERO'S JOURNEY had not been published yet at the time.

On my very long "to read" list are all of Joseph Campbell's books. Heaven knows if I'll ever get to read them! Today, I will be able to scratch one title off my list, as I will be watching the video now.

Love and blessings,

Daughter of Time

[SeymourVandal]

Hi Bill! I'm not really an angry game animal, but it will soon be clear why I chose this writing perspective. Thanks for having me as a member. I keep the guiding principles of Project Avalon close to my heart. Having said that, please consider a new perspective on the 'archetypical' story of separation and elevation that we call hero worship.

Your invocation of the Matrix as an analogy was serendipitous because the word Neo is merely a rearrangement of the letters in the word 'one'. In the beginning of this movie while he's training in martial arts, his observer states quite clearly "he's a machine". At another point in the movie he's referred to by someone exclaiming 'Jesus Christ!'. Believe it or not - there is nothing healthy nor useful to be learned from the symbology of 'The Matrix' nor any story of its kind.

Morpheus drew us in not with the phrase "a splinter in your mind" but with the phrase "when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes". The truth is, the whole of mythology actually supports these forces. Whatever survives to us from the past is available to be seen only because 'they' want us to see it. All these stories are really black magic designed to separate us from each other while separating us from 'the Light'.

I know it sounds metaphorical but for seven hours of Matrix movies, the Sun was only glimpsed for a moment, then 'she' dies by bleeding, and as a finale, mankind remains stuck in the same condition we were in when the movie began - in the dark, kept as food for the Machine. That is, unless 'I' get to be one of the lucky ones - one of Neo's 'chosen' few.

The real black magic in movies and myths lies in how the characters treat each other in general. The special, powerful or chosen people are always held in higher regard than everybody else. Every viewer or reader wants to consider themselves special too - so we reflexively identify with the hero, and not with all those who fall by the wayside in the quest to support his or her claim or whatever.

Believe it or not, stories like these are all tools of the elite. They have unhealthy effects upon our minds. Everybody's special. Period. The only movie I've seen that clearly makes this point is the critical moment of 'Jupiter Rising' when 'she' says to (God) "I defy you - go ahead and do whatever you want to me and mine - it's the whole of humanity that matters."

[SeymourVandal]

Respectfully, Jesus' only unique contribution to the pre-existing myth of his time was 'Turn the other cheek', and that philosophy merely perpetuates the victim-oppressor situation. Jesus' myth also enforced the acceptance of suffering and gave birth to 'elevation through suffering' - another insidious curse upon our minds. I know it's obscure, and I'm working on that, but these two intellectual devices act upon us constantly, and it's important that we recognize them for what they are.

Since you mentioned StarTrek, I'll ask you to consider 'the Machine' as the 'chosen one', rather than a person. The Machine is represented by the Enterprise and the whole purpose of Scotty's character was to drive that point home with dialogue. Sacrificing life in the interest of a Machine is even worse than submitting to a person(hero), yet it's very much a part of our reality thanks to our collective myth-makers.

[Zampano]

Here we go again...Full Movie

Unfortunately the Video originally posted got removed

http://avalonlibrary.net/The_Hero's_Journey_(Joseph_Campbell).mp4
Source: http://avalonlibrary.net/The_Hero's_Journey_(Joseph_Campbell).mp4

Its still a fascinating topic to me...the circle in human endeavour

The Heroes Journey explained starts at 28:40

[conk]

My journey into the mysteries of all things began with Bill Moyers and Mr. Campbell. A great interview on public television that drew me to Campbell's books and lectures. Some of my favorite books are huge coffee table tomes about Campbell, full of gorgeous illustrations and grand narratives. Something new comes through with each reading. He was such a sweet man.

Thanks!

[Bill Ryan]

:bump: :bump: :bump:

[Anka]

The translation as an event in my country, of two of Joseph Campbell's essential books is, without a  doubt, an extremely important event that should not be overlooked by
 those who still love stories, as I am one of them.

I have The Hero with a Thousand Faces translated into my language
(Eroul cu o mie de fete) and The hero's journey(Calatoria eroului).

Through these books, considered by many to be fundamental to the study of 
mythology, Campbell develops his theory that the mysterious energy of the world's
 stories is found in the souls of people, regardless of their race, their culture, their 
social or intellectual status. People who find heroic themes resonant in their own lives,  in their goals, in their dreams, are led to one psychic essence: that the spiritual and
 creative life of the individual influences the outside world just as the myth world
 influences the individual.

Campbell does not seek the truth of the various myths, but their common sense 
together, he gives justice to all the interpretations and uses of the mythological,
 gathering common elementary ideas of all people which is quite inspiring.
The myths are thus somehow reintegrated into an individual self-search map.
  The hero of this journey is in all it's fullness a form of common thinking in society, especially when we say that the hero of this journey can be in any of us.

The hero leaves the known world,goes through trials and obstacles, 
reaches revelation in death and rebirth, obtains the Elixir of Life and finally 
returns home.
My vocation to write has become an occupation in a process, in which I have 
the necessary maturity and the favorable context to declare that sometimes, I have
 the compass to guide me correctly and beautifully to live my life fully, in the vision of an ocean  without shores of my own existence with all the others.:bearhug:

My moment of peace in which I write poems is my call to write, to which I dedicate
 body and soul, it is the passing of a threshold, in which the start has already been
 given and the journey begins.
"The Crossing of The Return Threshold", "Master of Two Worlds", "Freedom to Live"
 are the greatest adventures for me, the metaphor of my free spirit in my journey
 of simply "being" and I wish I could give this to everyone.:flower: