The Hero´s Journey

Who is the Hero?

As we discussed, heroes display certain qualities:

• Courage• Bravery• Self-Sacrifice• Moral excellence

• A hero without these qualities is called an “Anti-Hero”

The Hero Across Cultures

• Joseph Campbell was an American scholar who studied all kinds of myths.

• He concluded that the Hero story appears in numerous cultures throughout history, and that they share common elements.

• Examples: Oedipus, Theseus, Hercules (Greek); Romulus (Roman); Beowulf, Robin Hood (English); Susanoo (Japanese); Gilgamesh (Sumerian 1800 BCE); Jesus (Christianity)

Note: Not every Hero story uses the same elements, some may use a few, others may use many, sometimes the order is different. But in general, they follow a pattern.

Stages of the Hero’s Journey

Ordinary World

Extraordinary World

1. The Hero in his natural Environment

2. Call to Action

3. Refusal of the Call

4. The Mentor

5. Entering the new world

6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies

7. Approach

8. Major Trial, Death/Rebirth

9. Transformation

10. Reward and new Role

11. The Return

12. Restoring Order

13. New Place, old world