The Hero's Journey and the Monomyth: Crash Course World Mythology #25

Summary

In this episode of Crash Course Mythology, Mike Rugnetta explores the concept of heroes across different cultures, focusing on Joseph Campbell's theory of the hero's journey, also known as the monomyth. The video breaks down the three stages of this journey—departure, initiation, and return—highlighting how these patterns appear in various myths. Rugnetta also discusses Campbell's influence and critiques, including his narrow views on gender. The episode ends with an Australian myth about seven sisters, offering an alternative perspective on heroism.

Takeaways

• 🏆 Heroes are central to mythological stories across different cultures and eras, often embodying various qualities like bravery, wisdom, and perseverance.
• 🔍 Joseph Campbell's theory of the monomyth, or the hero's journey, is a framework that outlines a common structure in hero myths across cultures, despite its controversial aspects.
• 🚶‍♂️ The hero's journey involves three main parts: departure, initiation, and return, each with specific stages that a hero typically undergoes.
• ✉️ The hero's journey usually begins with a 'call to adventure,' where the hero is invited to leave the ordinary world and embark on a quest.
• 💪 Trials and challenges are a crucial part of the hero's journey, representing the hero's growth and transformation as they prove their worthiness.
• ⚔️ The hero often encounters a 'meeting with the goddess' or faces a 'woman as temptress,' which tests their maturity and resolve.
• 👨‍👦 Confrontation with a father figure is a common element in the hero's journey, symbolizing psychological growth and enlightenment.
• 🏠 The return phase of the hero's journey is as important as the quest itself, focusing on the hero's reintegration into society with newfound knowledge or power.
• 🌟 Not all hero stories fit neatly into Campbell's framework; for example, the story of the Seven Sisters from Aboriginal mythology shows alternative forms of heroism.
• 🧠 Campbell's theory invites us to explore the psychological significance of hero myths and how they reflect universal human experiences.

Q & A

Who is Joseph Campbell, and why is he significant in the study of mythology?

Joseph Campbell was a scholar of mythology who developed the theory of the monomyth, also known as the hero's journey. His work is influential in understanding the common patterns in hero myths across different cultures.

What is the hero's journey according to Joseph Campbell?

The hero's journey, or monomyth, is a narrative structure identified by Joseph Campbell that outlines a series of stages a hero typically goes through, including separation, initiation, and return.

How does Campbell's theory of the hero's journey relate to psychological development?

Campbell's theory suggests that the hero's journey symbolizes the psychological journey humans undergo to develop as individuals, find their place in society, and seek wisdom.

What are the three main parts of the hero's journey in Campbell's theory?

The three main parts of the hero's journey are: Departure, where the hero separates from the ordinary world; Initiation, where the hero undergoes trials and gains knowledge; and Return, where the hero reintegrates into society.

Why is Campbell's work considered divisive despite its influence?

Campbell's work is divisive because of his narrow view of gender roles, his troubling ideas about culture, and his dude-centric perspective, which has led to criticisms of his approach.

What are the typical challenges or trials a hero faces in the initiation stage of the hero's journey?

During the initiation stage, the hero often faces a series of trials that test their worthiness. These trials can include physical challenges, confrontations with adversaries, and psychological struggles.

How does Campbell incorporate Freudian and Jungian psychology into his theory?

Campbell's theory incorporates elements of Freudian and Jungian psychology, such as the emphasis on the mother figure, the father-son relationship, and the idea that myths are manifestations of universal subconscious forces.

Can the hero's journey structure be applied to all stories?

Not all stories fit perfectly into the hero's journey structure, but many heroic narratives share similar elements. Campbell's framework is a useful tool for recognizing patterns in various stories, even if they don't follow the structure exactly.

How does the story of the Seven Sisters from Aboriginal mythology relate to Campbell's hero's journey?

The story of the Seven Sisters follows a similar pattern to the hero's journey, with the sisters receiving a call, undergoing trials, and ultimately gaining enlightenment. However, it also highlights cultural differences and alternative forms of heroism.

What is the significance of the hero's return in the hero's journey?

The hero's return is significant because it represents the hero's reintegration into society with newfound wisdom or power. This stage is as challenging as the journey itself, as the hero must navigate returning to ordinary life after a transformative experience.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to Mythological Heroes

Mike Rugnetta introduces the topic of heroes in mythology, noting their prevalence across cultures and times. He mentions the difficulty in defining what makes a hero and introduces Joseph Campbell's 'monomyth' or 'hero's journey' as a framework for understanding these characters. Rugnetta acknowledges Campbell's limitations, particularly his gender bias, and hints at exploring stories of heroines later. The video sets the stage for a deeper dive into the hero's journey, its significance, and its psychological implications.

05:02

📚 The Hero's Journey: Departure and Initiation

This section delves into the first two parts of Campbell's 'hero's journey,' focusing on the departure and initiation stages. The departure involves the hero leaving their familiar world and encountering the unknown, often after receiving a 'call to adventure' and overcoming a threshold guardian. The initiation phase is marked by various trials that test the hero's worthiness and maturity, including encounters with powerful figures and the achievement of enlightenment or 'apotheosis.' The summary highlights the psychological aspects of these stages, suggesting that the hero's journey is a metaphor for personal growth and self-discovery.

10:03

🌟 The Hero's Journey: Return and Transformation

The final part of the hero's journey is explored here, emphasizing the hero's return to society and the challenges that come with reintegration. The return may involve reluctance, the use of magic, or a symbolic crossing back into the ordinary world. The hero's newfound wisdom and power are often tested upon their return, leading to a resolution that allows them to live out their life in peace. This part of the journey is contrasted with contemporary storytelling, where the climax often occurs at the point of victory rather than the subsequent return and integration.

🌌 Alternative Perspectives on the Hero's Journey

The narrative shifts to an Australian Aboriginal tale of seven teenage girls who undergo a series of trials to conquer hunger, pain, and fear, ultimately achieving enlightenment and becoming celestial bodies known as the Seven Sisters or Pleiades. This story serves as an alternative to Campbell's monomyth, illustrating a collective heroism rather than an individual journey. It challenges Campbell's framework by presenting a different structure and文化内涵, while still echoing the themes of departure, trials, and transformation. The story invites viewers to consider the broader implications of the hero's journey and its relevance to personal growth and societal roles.

Keywords

💡Hero

A hero is traditionally defined as a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character. In the context of the video, the term is used to describe central figures in mythological stories who often undertake a journey of self-discovery and transformation. The script explores the concept of heroes through the lens of Joseph Campbell's monomyth, emphasizing their role as universal symbols of personal growth and societal integration.

💡Monomyth

The monomyth, also known as the hero's journey, is a narrative template identified by Joseph Campbell that appears in many mythologies. It consists of a series of stages that the hero goes through, such as the call to adventure, trials, and eventual return. The video uses the monomyth to analyze the commonalities among various hero stories and to discuss the psychological and cultural significance of these narratives.

💡Joseph Campbell

Joseph Campbell was an American mythologist who developed the theory of the monomyth. The script references Campbell's influential work to provide a framework for understanding the structure and significance of hero stories. Campbell's theories are foundational to the video's exploration of the hero's journey and its impact on our understanding of personal and collective narratives.

💡Hero's Journey

The hero's journey is a term coined by Campbell to describe the common narrative structure found in myths from different cultures. The script outlines the three parts and 17 sub-parts of this journey, illustrating how it is a metaphor for the personal development and psychological transformation that individuals undergo. The hero's journey is central to the video's theme of self-discovery and societal reintegration.

💡Call to Adventure

The call to adventure is the first stage in the hero's journey, where the hero is presented with a challenge or quest that sets them on their path. In the script, this concept is exemplified by the moment when the hero receives the call of destiny, often refusing it initially but eventually accepting it, leading to a departure from their familiar world.

💡Threshold Guardian

A threshold guardian is a figure or obstacle that the hero must overcome to cross the threshold into the unknown. The script mentions this concept when discussing the hero's journey, indicating that after the hero sets out, they must confront a guardian at the edge of the unknown zone, symbolizing the first major challenge of their adventure.

💡Trials

Trials are the challenges or tasks that the hero must face and overcome during their journey. The script describes these as part of the hero's path to demonstrate their worthiness and to achieve psychological growth. Examples from the script include Hercules' twelve trials and the Aboriginal girls' tests of hunger, pain, and fear.

💡Apotheosis

Apotheosis refers to the process of a hero becoming a god or achieving a state of enlightenment. In the script, this concept is discussed as a pivotal moment in the hero's journey where they confront their father figure or a monster, leading to a profound transformation that often results in them becoming a deity or gaining divine attributes.

💡Return

The return is the final stage of the hero's journey, where the hero reintegrates into society after their transformative experience. The script emphasizes that this stage can be as challenging as the journey itself, as the hero must navigate the process of coming back home with newfound wisdom and power, often symbolized by a significant object or realization.

💡Seven Sisters

The Seven Sisters, also known as the Pleiades, is a star cluster that is also the subject of a mythological story discussed in the script. This tale of seven Aboriginal girls who undergo trials to conquer hunger, pain, and fear, and are then taken into the heavens by the Great Spirit, serves as an alternative narrative to Campbell's monomyth, illustrating the diversity of hero stories across cultures.

💡Personal Growth

Personal growth is a central theme in the video, referring to the development and transformation that heroes undergo during their journey. The script uses the monomyth to explore how heroes, through their trials and experiences, evolve and gain wisdom, which is reflective of the human desire for self-improvement and understanding one's place in the universe.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of heroes in mythology and their universal presence across cultures

Discussion on the difficulty in defining what makes a hero

Introduction of Joseph Campbell's monomyth theory of the hero's journey

Campbell's identification of recurring events in myths from various cultures

The hero's journey as a roadmap for understanding mythological narratives

Campbell's divisiveness due to his cultural and gender perspectives

The significance of the hero's journey in understanding human development and societal roles

Influence of psychological theories on Campbell's model, particularly Jung's emphasis on the mother figure

Campbell's claim that myths are manifestations of universal cosmic forces

The three-part structure of the hero's journey with 17 sub-parts

Description of the departure phase of the hero's journey, including the call to adventure and the threshold guardian

The trials and initiation phase where the hero transforms and faces psychological challenges

The importance of the apotheosis phase where the hero achieves enlightenment

The return and reintegration phase, emphasizing the hero's acceptance and peace upon returning home

The story of the Seven Sisters from Australian Aboriginal mythology as an alternative to Campbell's formula

The Seven Sisters' trials of hunger, pain, and fear, and their significance in personal growth

The Seven Sisters' selflessness and their call for the younger generation to undergo similar trials

Reflection on the applicability of Campbell's framework to contemporary stories and personal experiences

Encouragement to measure well-known mythological heroes against Campbell's framework for deeper understanding

Production credits and acknowledgment of the support from patrons and sponsors

Transcripts

hi I'm Mike Rugnetta this is crash

course mythology and today we're gonna

talk about the people at the center of

many mythological stories heroes there

are so many to choose from

heroes appear in the stories of just

about every culture and in just about

every age everyone has heroes tow you're

my hero

who's yours oh that's a good choice

heroes are so ubiquitous it can be hard

to say what even makes them a hero do

they fight villains are they a role

model or as a hero just a synonym for

protagonist to answer will examine

Joseph Campbell's influential theory the

monomyth of the hero's journey but first

one bit of housekeeping throughout this

episode I'm gonna be saying hero with a

vaguely masculine sense and this isn't

because there aren't stories about

heroines but because in English that's

the implication that word tends to have

and furthermore Campbell himself had a

rather dude centric view of the world

you'll see what I mean but don't worry

eventually we're gonna get to a story

about seven awesome sisters who have

something to say about all of this

alright housekeeping complete on what

the hero show

[Music]

you may remember Joseph Campbell from

our theories of myth episode Campbell

identified a series of events that

appear in multiple stories from numerous

cultures

he developed a sort of roadmap for

spotting these recurring main beats and

named the whole structure the hero's

journey sometimes called the monomyth

the journey aspect is really crucial

though for Campbell that's exactly what

a hero does they journey away from

safety and toward adventure before

coming home again it's hard to describe

just how influential Campbell's theory

has become but in spite or perhaps

because of that Campbell is also pretty

divisive he had some troubling ideas

about culture and a very narrow view of

gender including the roles of women

still his theory persists as a useful

starting point for talking about the

significance of mythological heroes in

particular Campbell believes that heroes

tell us something about ourselves

contemporary mythology scholars Ava

theory and Margaret Divini described his

view like this we are all heroes

struggling to accomplish our adventure

as human beings we engage in a series of

struggles to develop as individuals and

to find our place in society beyond that

we long for wisdom we want to understand

the universe and the significance of our

role in it in addition to many myths

Campbell drew on a number of recent for

him psychological theories especially

those of Sigmund Freud otto Runk and

Carl Jung Campbell borrowed from each

and developed a model that emphasizes

the importance of the mother figure

which was vital to Jung while also

stressing the father-son relationship in

a sense his framework allows us to read

individual heroes as symbolic of the

psychological journey that we all go

through Campbell even claims that myths

aren't really written by their authors

instead their manifestations of

universal cosmic forces that shape the

human subconsciousness how young again

because hero myths originate in the

psyche Campbell believes that they're

universal to all humans and follow

similar if not identical patterns this

idea that all hero myths

share a common pattern or structure is

what inspires the name monomyth

myth aka the hero's journey has three

parts and 17 sub parts so strap in as I

take you through how this structure

works and sometimes doesn't and just to

be clear Campbell isn't saying that

every story has all 17 sub parts just

that most heroic stories have some of

the parts all right off to the races

part 1 a hero separates himself from the

world or retreats to the realm of the

unconscious there are five possible

elements to this departure quests can

start for a lot of different reasons for

siddhartha gautama who eventually

becomes the buddha the hero's journey

begins because he's bored but far more

often the journey begins when the hero

receives the call of Destiny frequently

the hero refuses the call but once the

hero finally decides to listen they

often get help preparing for their quest

from a protective figure or a

supernatural guy when they're finally

ready the hero sets out and reaches the

gates of an unknown zone where they must

confront the threshold guardian after

crossing heroes almost always end up

clobbered sometimes near-death like

Hercules rescues Hasani from a sea

monster by diving into its throat and

cutting his way out of the monsters

belly yeah sometimes that belly of the

whale part is pretty literal part 2

contains the trials and victories of

initiation since having responded to the

call the hero starts changing into the

person they're destined to become part 2

of the hero's journey has six possible

elements this part of the hero's journey

is the exciting part it consists of

several tasks the hero must overcome to

demonstrate their worthiness sometimes

it's a laundry list like Hercules is

twelve trials and sometimes it's one

extended challenge like maybe you got to

take a magic ring to a volcano no big

deal right no big deal just a just a

ring just a volcano for Campbell the

most important thing is the trial or

trials represent psychological danger

along the road of trials our hero might

come across a lady sometimes this is a

powerful lady a goddess even who gives

the hero a chance to show his maturity

through soulful communion if you're

picking up what I'm putting down other

times our hero resists the intimate

arms of such a lady which then casts her

as an adversary so that's another trial

the hero must overcome these days we may

take the meeting with the goddess and

the woman as temptress with less

stereotypically heteronormative grains

of mythological salt and because

Campbell worked with Freudian psychology

no journey would be complete without a

confrontation with your father or father

figure

often a priest or sacred individual who

tests the hero and approves of their

newfound psychological maturity the

father might also take the form of a

monster who as any good Freudian will

tell you is clearly a symbol for your

father personally I don't know if I

would get the message

my dad's a pretty non monstrous guy he's

retired he makes bird houses they are

monstrous birdhouses though by

confronting their father figure the hero

achieves enlightenment this is called

apotheosis which sometimes results in

the human hero becoming a literal God

which is what apotheosis literally means

tons of Heroes are also half God already

anyway finally having achieved

enlightened status the hero takes

possession of an object which symbolizes

their apotheosis they must return to

whence they came with part 3 is the

return and reintegration to society with

six final elements this part of the

hero's journey is pretty different from

contemporary story tone today defeating

the monster or recovering the Grail or

getting the girl are usually the end of

the story but for mythological heroes

returning home and finding acceptance

after their great enlightenment is just

as challenging sometimes the enlightened

hero is less than eager to get back to

business as usual even an eager hero

might be forced to flee perhaps with the

help of magical creatures or a nifty

flying carpet the hero might be rescued

from their epic journey by a friend or a

colleague there may be a symbolic

crossing back into the everyday world as

is common in stories where the hero

journeys to the underworld sometimes we

learn that the hero's newfound power

allows them to traverse between the

everyday world and the land of adventure

in any case the hero will end up back

where they started with the mythological

equivalent of living happily ever after

the hero is at peace free to live out

their life hopefully campbell's heroic

scenes

already reminded you of hero stories

that you're familiar with Odysseus

Beowulf Luke Skywalker men in black this

is perhaps the point of learning

Campbell's theory it isn't a road map to

every hero ever but a useful tool for

recognizing and comparing stories to

illustrate this we're gonna head to

Australia where an unlikely story can

help us see heroism in action but also

demonstrate some alternatives to

Campbell's formula in this story the

hero isn't a lone half-god dude but a

group of seven teenage Aboriginal girls

according to the tale as the seven girls

reach adolescence they realize they must

shed their childhood by gaining control

over three things hunger pain and fear

they go to their elders and explain that

they're ready to do whatever it takes

the elders agree to help but they warn

them the tests will be severe first to

conquer their hunger the girls spend

three years isolated from their brothers

and sisters each day they receive only

two small meals one at sunrise and

another at sunset and at the end of the

third year the elders take them on a

week-long journey into the wilderness

traveling through the heat of the day

but the girls don't falter no matter how

hungry or how hot and when the week is

over the elders tell them to keep

walking for three more days with no food

at all on the third day the elders

produce a roasted kangaroo and a flint

knife they tell the girls to cut off

whatever they need standing in the heat

under the gaze of the elders each girl

takes the knife and cuts exactly the

same meagerly sized portion as their

meals of the last three years after

resisting the temptation to eat an

entire kangaroo the elders are pleased

and hunger conquered but if you thought

three years one week in three days of

semi-starvation was bad you don't know

kiss from kangaroo me brace yourself

we're headed to the supple the next

trial is pain so the elders break out

each girl's front teeth

no reaction then the elders cut each of

the girl's breasts with a flint knife no

reaction they rub wood ashes into the

wounds the girls hold strong finally the

elders devise the most

test yeah piercing the girls noses and

forcing them to sleep on an anthill by

the following morning with all seven

girls still standing pain is conquered

the only trial left is fear the elders

tell the girls a series of horrible

stories they talk about fearsome spirits

and ghosts and then say that their

campsite that night as the girls try to

sleep the elders creep around making

scary noises but no matter how

monstrously the elders yell show no

signs of fear the elders declare the

girls have conquered fear and send word

to the adjoining tribes calling for

celebrations in their honor but just

when it looks like they'll get a chance

to relax one of the girls steps forward

and speaks to the other children of the

tribe we have passed through the testing

that our elders prescribed and we have

endured much pain now it is the desire

of the Great Spirit that you should go

through the same course of testing

happiness comes through thinking of

others and of forgetting the self it is

necessary to vanquish self will you not

go and do as we have done the Great

Spirit is so pleased at this that he

takes the girls into the heavens without

death where they become a symbol to

their people the Seven Sisters or

Pleiades thanks thought-bubble so

clearly this story doesn't map perfectly

unto Campbell's monomyth structure but

you can see the patterns the Seven

Sisters receive a call to leave their

home they cross a threshold and live in

the wilderness far from their peers they

go through a long road of trials where

they atone to the elders they receive

enlightenment return home to further

drama and are made literal celestial

bodies what's more we can use these

scenes to ask questions about human

psychology Campbell's framework prompts

us to ask what might these trials

symbolize how might we see our own

growth as individuals in this particular

tale of struggle what is it like

returning to a familiar environment

after a massive personal change over the

next few weeks we're gonna measure a few

of the most well known mythological

heroes against Campbell's framework it

won't always be tidy but with practice

you'll be able to identify these

structures in more and more play

not just contemporary media either you

might even see these patterns in your

own life after all

Campbell thought that we can all be

heroes even if it's just for one day

thanks for watching we'll see you next

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