The Heros Journey - 1704 Words

Christian Lescznske Professor Larkin ELIT2055-B 31 March 2014 The Hero’s Journey: Comparing and Contrasting Heroes Joseph Campbell was an American psychologist and mythological researcher. In his lifelong research, Campbell discovered many common patterns running through hero myths and stories from around the world. Years of research lead Campbell to discover several basic stages that almost every hero-quest goes through (no matter what culture the myth is a part of). He calls this common structure â€Å"the monomyth† (Hero’s Journey). The â€Å"hero’s journey† appears in drama, storytelling, myth, religious ritual, and psychological development. It describes the typical adventure of The Hero, who goes out and achieves great deeds on behalf†¦show more content†¦Along with this new awareness, comes the theme of denial. Gilgamesh doesn’t want to accept the fact that he will die. He denies the truth, because he doesn’t want to think about the truth or deal with the tragedy that has just st ruck him. Due to this, he sets off on a journey to find immortality but is ultimately robbed of it by a serpent. Gilgamesh realizes that immortality is not achievable after his quest for it. He discovers that the quest was pointless, because he will die regardless of the steps to prevent his death, but ultimately ended up learning his biggest lesson from Utnapishtim, the man who become immortal. He learns to appreciate life every day and that humans are meant to die. The last stage in the hero’s journey is the return. Gilgamesh returns to Uruk with this information and begins to appreciate life and his kingdom. Overall, this experience changed Gilgamesh for the better. Throughout the story you can see how the character transformed and how his journey bettered him in the end by making him a better human and king, and making him learn to appreciate life everyday up until its very end. Unlike The Epic of Gilgamesh, Oedipus: The King is different because Oedipus is not your t raditional epic hero. In fact, he is the opposite, a tragic hero. By definition, a tragic hero is a character who is unavoidably doomed. That hero’s fate has already been decidedShow MoreRelatedA Heros Journey3224 Words   |  13 PagesA Hero’s Journey: Hamlet and Simba What images come to mind as you reflect on your childhood? Playgrounds, blackboards, and soccer balls may be among the warmest of memories. Yet for many mermaids swim their thoughts, princesses get swept of their feet, and lions roar to their loyal place in the animal kingdom. There is no doubt that today’s entertainment has most of its touch using classical influences. Walt Disney has produced animated films that have captured the heart and imagination of audiencesRead MoreA Heros Journey with Odysseus1192 Words   |  5 Pages A Hero’s Journey with Odysseus Of all literature works read thus far, the Odyssey full fills the hero’s journey in all aspects of the story. Throughout this story there are vivid examples of how the hero’s journey is outlined. From the beginning of â€Å"the hero’s journey†, which is the call to adventure Odysseus will begin his journey when he makes the choice of going into battle in the Trojan War. There will also be specific events in this epic story to display â€Å"the hero’s journey† even furtherRead More The Hero’s Journey Essay1012 Words   |  5 PagesThe Hero’s Journey Watching a film, one can easily recognize plot, theme, characterization, etc., but not many realize what basic principle lies behind nearly every story conceived: the hero’s journey. This concept allows for a comprehensive, logical flow throughout a movie. Once the hero’s journey is thoroughly understood, anyone can pick out the elements in nearly every piece. The hero’s journey follows a simple outline. First the hero in question must have a disadvantaged childhood. NextRead MoreHeros Journey Analysis989 Words   |  4 Pageswhat exactly is ‘the Hero’s Journey’? Well, the answer lies in Joseph Campbell’s book â€Å"The Hero with A Thousand Faces.† Back in the early 20th century, Campbell studied myths from all over the world and he started noticing something similar in all the stories. He noticed that heroes and heroines from every time period were taking more or less the same journey. This became known as ‘the Heroà ¢â‚¬â„¢s Journey’ or the Monomyth. This principle archetype follows a person who goes on a journey, endeavours new challengesRead MoreOdysseus, a Heros Journey913 Words   |  4 PagesThe Hero’s Journey:       The Odyssey by Homer is the story of Odysseus, a very brave, strong and smart Greek mythic hero who embarks on an epic journey.   His journey fulfills all the requisites of a Hero’s Journey.   Odysseus’ Journey takes him through various mental stages which will be outlined in bold.    Odysseus’ ordinary world is that of the island of Ithaca where he lives with his beloved wife.   When he was looking for a bride, Odysseus visited Sparta where he met Menelaus who was to wedRead MoreThe Journey Of Beowulf : The Heros Journey1944 Words   |  8 Pagesguys†? A Hero’s Journey is the form Joseph Campbell created from his book The Hero With A Thousand Faces it is a more detailed transformation or inner journey of a character throughout a story. A hero in an epic which is a long, narrative poem from ancient oral telling. In the epic â€Å"Beowulf†, Beowulf is the epic hero. He performed many heroic deeds during his life including the killing of Grendel and his mother, he did what many were not willing to take on. Beowulf takes on a Hero’s Journey by havingRead MoreBeowulf As A Heros Journey1624 Words   |  7 PagesFor Beowulf to retain its relevance after a journey from single surviving manuscript to famous epic poem, one can assume its star role is filled by a character extraordinary. The poem’s hero, Beowulf, strikingly resembles many renown principal characters. It would be an uphill battle arguing against him joining the likes of Hercules, Jesus Christ, and many more in their ÃÅ"bermensch status. Based on his words and actions, it is painstakingly clear that Beowulf is an archetypal hero; someone who sharesRead MoreHeros Journey Archetype1451 Words   |  6 Pages The archetype of the Hero’s Journey holds a prevalent pattern in the works of â€Å"Initiation† by Sylvia Plath, â€Å"A P† by John Updike, and â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker. These works all follow the 17 stages of Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth which are separated in three stages; separation, initiation, and return. The main characters have different characterizations; however, they all follow the basic structure of the Hero’s journey archetype. There are many similarities and differences bet ween the stagesRead MoreThe Stages of Heros Journey1184 Words   |  5 PagesHeros Journey Introduction Heros journey is the transition that a normal man goes through to become a hero. There is a set pattern of events that take place and thus this journey forms the basic template for all the stories and folktales that have been narrated since the beginning of times. From the very fundamental bed time stories to the traditional and popular tales, heros journey is the path that has been observed to be followed by the narrator of the story. In the book called The Hero withRead MoreA Heros Journey: the Incredibles1770 Words   |  8 PagesHero’s Journey: The Incredibles The Hero’s Journey is an important concept, it is the template upon which a vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbuster are based upon. Being able to analyze, understand and deconstruct the different capacities undertaken by the Hero is essential. The Hero’s Journey is a cycle made of super structures/steps which consists of both linkages and connections. It is composed of a beginning and an end, which ultimately are the same. This full cycle is