Resource Key
LEVEL 1
brief, basic information laid out in an easy-to-read format. May use informal language. (Includes most news articles)
LEVEL 2
provides additional background information and further reading. Introduces some subject-specific language.
LEVEL 3
lengthy, detailed information. Frequently uses technical/subject-specific language. (Includes most analytical articles)
Databases
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowScholarly resources on JSTOR include Archival and Current Journals, Books, and Primary Sources.
Introduction
Joseph Campbell was a curious mythologist. In the field of comparative mythology, most scholars invested their time exploring how one culture’s myths are different than another.
Instead of focusing on the many differences between cultural myths and religious stories, however, Campbell looked for the similarities. And his studies resulted in what’s called the monomyth.
The monomyth is a universal story structure. It’s a kind of story template that takes a character through a sequence of stages.
The main character in the monomyth is the hero. The hero isn’t a person, but an archetype—a set of universal images combined with specific patterns of behavior. Think of a protagonist from your favorite film. He or she represents the hero. The storyline of the film enacted the hero’s journey. The Hero archetype resides in the psyche of every individual, which is one of the primary reasons we love hearing and watching stories.
Campbell began identifying the patterns of this monomyth. Over and over again, he was amazed to find this structure in the cultures he studied. He saw the same sequence in many religions including the stories of Gautama Buddha, Moses, and Jesus Christ.
Campbell outlined the stages of the monomyth in his classic book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Jeffrey, S. (n.d.) How to Use the Hero’s Journey for Personal Development. Retrieved from https://scottjeffrey.com/heros-journey-steps/
Hero's Journey Step by Step
Aslan, Marco. (2018, August 1). Hero's Journey Step by Step. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uV_sqcbyIw
Joseph Campbell and the Myth of the Hero Journey
Academy of Ideas. (2016, June 16). Joseph Campbell and the Myth of the Hero's Journey. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4288NRq1vVc
The Hero's Journey
RAW Spirituality. (2017, August 16). The hero’s journey: Joseph Campbell [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNPcefZKmZ0
Glossary
- Antogonist A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary. ‘he turned to confront his antagonist’
- Atypical Not representative of a type, group, or class. ‘a sample of people who are rather atypical of the target audience’ ‘there were somewhat atypical results in May and November’
- Essential Absolutely necessary; extremely important. with infinitive ‘it is essential to keep up-to-date records’ ‘fibre is an essential ingredient of our diet’
- Fairy tale A children's story about magical and imaginary beings and lands; a fairy story.
- Fantasy A genre of imaginative fiction involving magic and adventure, especially in a setting other than the real world.
- Fictional Relating to or occurring in fiction; invented for the purposes of fiction.
- Hero A person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. ‘a war hero’
- Legend A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated. ‘the legend of King Arthur’
- Myth A traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events. ‘ancient Celtic myths’
- Protagonist The leading character or one of the major characters in a play, film, novel, etc. ‘the novel's main protagonist is an American intelligence officer’ ‘the hard-boiled protagonist of the movie Blade Runner’
- Quintessential Representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class. ‘he was the quintessential tough guy—strong, silent, and self-contained’
- Stereotype A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. ‘the stereotype of the woman as the carer’ ‘sexual and racial stereotypes’
- Villain (in a film, novel, or play) a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot. ‘a pantomime villain’ ‘I have played more good guys than villains’
The Hero's Journey and the Monomyth: Crash Course World Mythology #25
CrashCourse. (2017, September 2). The hero’s journey and the monomyth: crash course world mythology #25 [Video file]. Retrieved fromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XevCvCLdKCU
Odysseus
CrashCourse. (2017, February 27). A long and difficult journey, or The Odyssey: crash course literature 201 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=MS4jk5kavy4
TED Talk Heroic Journey
Tedx. (2018, April 2). Developing the heroic journey mindset [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=QJiTZyvrcAA
A Host of Heroes TED Talk
Ted- Ed. (2013, April 29). A host of heroes – April Gudenrath [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=_p9Q8Dj3X2c