The Hero’s Journey

The Makings of a Hero

Humans need heroes to show pathways to success

The Big Idea

Joseph Campbell proposed

that almost all ancient myths contained common elements and archetypes. He felt the most evident example of that was the “Journey of the Hero,” the path or process of becoming a hero that most legends have as a formula.

Joseph Campbell (1904 – 1987)

Traces the story of the hero’s

journey through virtually all the mythologies in the world, revealing one archetypal hero in them all, called the monomyth.

The Hero with a Thousand Faces

Human beings all want and

need the same things, and our heroic stories reflect this need.

Campbell’s conclusion:

Departure Initiation Return

The Hero’s Journey: Three Main Stages

1. The Call to Adventure2. The Refusal of the Call3. Supernatural Aid4. The Crossing of the First Threshold5. The Belly of the Whale

Departure – 5 parts:

An unexpected world is revealed, drawing the

hero in. The world may be revealed accidentally,

through mistake, or even through something eye-catching.

A messenger appears, calling the hero to adventure

The force to attend becomes so strong that the summons cannot be denied.

The hero seems to outgrow the old life; the time for moving on is at hand

Departure: The call to adventure 

The hero tries to ignore the call and

pursues other interests. By refusing the call, the hero makes the

adventure seem negative. Life begins to feel meaningless. Ultimately, the hero goes forth

willingly on the adventure.

Departure: The Refusal of the Call

The hero encounters a figure who provides the

adventurer with protective amulets against evil fairy lore = a little fellow of the wood, an old

crone, some wizard, hermit, shepherd, or smith who appears to supply the amulets and advice the hero will require

higher mythologies = great figure, a teacher, a ferryman, a conductor of souls to the underworld

Each supernatural event represents the protecting power of destiny – reassurance that all will be OK in the end.

Departure: Supernatural Aid

The hero crosses a threshold (figurative

doorway) into the unknown, darkness, and danger.

The regions of the unknown (woods, desert, jungle, deep sea, alien land, etc.) are filled with deceitful and dangerous presences not experienced in the normal world.

The crossing of the threshold is the first step toward self-understanding, yet the action is tremendously risky – often life or death.

Departure: The Crossing of the First

Threshold

Some time after crossing the threshold, the

hero, instead of conquering or giving in, is swallowed by evil/the enemy and may even die.

The passing of the threshold is a possible life sacrifice, making the hero a new person.

After shedding fear of sacrifice, the hero is free to pass back and forth across the horizons of the world, traveling in and out of space and/or time.

Departure: The Belly of the Whale

1. The Road of Trials2. The Ultimate Boon3. Atonement with the Father4. Apotheosis

Stage 2: Initiation – 4 Parts

The hero moves through a landscape in which

places and life forms are strange and unknown. The hero must survive a series of increasingly

difficult tasks. The hero is assisted by the advice, amulets

(good luck tokens), and secret agents of the supernatural helper.

A chance is provided for the hero to purify the self and think about salvation. The hero must be willing to put aside pride, virtue, beauty, and/or life.

Initiation: The Road of Trials

The final heroic task is usually

accomplished with great ease, signifying the hero as a superior man – a born king.

The ultimate boon is the ultimate treasure won by the hero.

The boon can only be received by the hero after all personal limitations are gone.

Initiation: The Ultimate Boon

The hero must reconcile with a “father”

figure who has been an opposing figure. The father can be a figure whom the hero

has loved or even hated.   This coming together after complete self-

sacrifice is called atonement = “at onement”.

Initiation: Atonement with the

Father

The hero transcends to a place of bliss. In a more ordinary sense, it is a period of

rest and fulfillment before the hero begins the return.

Initiation: Apotheosis

1. The Magic Flight2. Rescue from Without3. The Crossing of the Return Threshold4. Master of the Two Worlds5. Freedom to Live

Return (May include one or more)

The Return: The adventurer must return with the life-

changing trophy (boon). Refusal of the Return: The hero might not want to share

the boon. The Magic Flight: Sometimes the hero must escape with

the boon, if it is something that the gods have been jealously guarding.

Rescue from Without: The hero is aided on the journey home by supernatural forces.

The Crossing of the Return Threshold: The hero brings the prize and stories of wisdom from the journey back home.

Master of Two Worlds: The hero is able to live in the material and spiritual worlds.

Freedom to Live: The hero does not fear death, but lives in the moment.

Stage three: The Return