Campbell tells us that the heroes journey can be described as “a hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from his mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man”. If we link this idea of the hero’s journey and compare it to the life a Bruce Wayne in the film trilogy we discover that throughout the three films, there is quite distinct cycle that the batman follows.
“He is the hero that Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now.” Police commissioner Gordon.
First is the call to adventure this is when the hero first gets the call to embark on an adventure. But even before Bruce
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Wayne becomes the batman he is called to the life of crime fighting while he is confined to a Chinese prison. A man named Raz al goul comes to visited and tells Bruce to climb a large mountain with a blue flower that he most pick, there he will be trained in the art of crime fighting by the league of shadows. He then betrays the league and burns there home down for refusing to become an executioner, this is shown throughout the trilogy as the batman does not use guns and he does not kill. Batman’s first real call to adventure is when he realizes how far his great city of Gotham has slipped under the control of the major crime lords. The city is corrupt and rotten with crime. He then takes a stand and creates the batman. The next part about the hero’s journey is the where our hero receives supernatural aid. As we know the batman does not have and actual superpowers but I would like to argue that he receives his so called powers through the never ending stream of wealth. His money and family name gets him in touch with Lucius fox, a board member at Wayne enterprises. Luscious is head of RnD for military prototypes. Bruce uses him to get the bat suit and all the other high tech combat gear. His suit and money is his powers. This is the stage of the journey where batman enters the unknown. He is pulled over the know realm and into the unknown realm by threshold guardians as Campbell calls them. Batman I believe is almost pulled dover the thresh hold by Rachel Daws. She is the one who shows him how bad it has gotten in Gotham and urges him to stay and do something about it. I don’t think she envisioned him running around at night fighting bad guys but rather using his money and influence to help the people. The other guardian is Raz al Goul, this is before Bruce burned down his home, Raz al Goul is the one who taught Bruce to fight against corruption and crime and told him that he will eventually return to Gotham and free it from crime. But as we see later in the film they have a disagreement and the correct method to free Gotham. In the next stage batman will face many challenges and temptations.
This make up the bulk of the first two films. He is confronted with the challenges that the mob brings with their money and corruption, then he is faced with the joker and his evil methods and ruthless way of dealing with things. Then he is faced by his ultimate opponent, Bain. Bain takes over Gotham and forces it into a new order of chaos. Throughout all the trails he has a helper and a mentor to help quite him through the storms past and to come. The first of which is batman’s helper Lucius Fox, he provides batman with all the gear and gadgets. Next and more importantly I think is batman’s and Bruce Wayne’s mentor, Alfred. Alfred has been the butler at Wayne manor since before Bruce was born. But he is so much more than just a butler. He is the one who is always there to stich Bruce up when he comes home, Alfred has always told Bruce what he thinks is right and always been true to Bruce and the city of Gotham. Alfred mentors Bruce the whole way through the trilogy and at the end is one who tells him that enough is enough and that if he carries on with the life he is living it won’t end well. Alfred is also the one who envisioned a life for Bruce outside Gotham and outside the …show more content…
Batman. The ultimate low of the hero’s journey is the abyss. This is where death and rebirth takes place. It is where Bruce Wayne has a revelation about the batman and Gotham. Bane was batman’s greats enemy and bane actually defeated batman first. He defeated him and threw him into a pit, a prison on the less know side of the world, where men are thrown to live and to die. There are no guards, no order just yourself and your will to clime or your acceptance of permanent incarceration. Bane uses the pit to brake Batman both physically and mentally. And in a way he succeeds as Bruce losses the will to live anymore. “When Gotham is ashes, then you have my permission to die” Bane And so according to the hero’s journey this is where batman ‘dies’. When Bruce’s back gets fixed by the old doctor he learns the story of the boy who was born and raised in hell on earth and how climbed out to freedom, as we learn later this boy is bane. Bruce then realizes that he has the strength to make the climb and that he is not afraid of death but rather of losing Gotham and his parents legacy. He trains hard in his cell to make the climb but he fails twice both times but he was caught by the rope. Bruce’s mentally believes that he can climb out and save his city and on his third attempt he refuses the rope and makes the leap to freedom. The climb symbolizes the rebirth of batman with a new fire in his soul. Due to the events in the pit Bruce is transformed from a state of defeat and helplessness into a new warrior with the sole belief that he will defeat his enemy’s. He the returns to Gotham with his rekindled fire to take on Bane. Batman can be called a sinner in many senses.
As he thinks he is above the law but the truth is that the law needs him. In the heroes journey one must atone as it is part of the cycle. For batman his atonement is closely linked with his time in the pit. You could really only say that he atones in the last film for the actions across the trilogy. Batman atones for all his sins in the pit where after he rises above them, he leaves it all behind in the pit. In the pit he learns from the prison doctor and his friend about the power of fear and that is what the bat symbol was, it was just another symbol of fear. Or it’s a symbol of hope but it depends on what side you are on, if you are loyal to Banes cause then it is fear and Bane is your symbol of
hope. Next we venture back into the known realm. In at this stage it marks the return of our hero. This is a very obvious point to make that batman returns from the lesser known side of the world where he was incarcerated in the pit by Bane. He makes his return just in time to put to Bane’s dictatorship over Gotham. This stage is also known as the gift of the goddess. The gift of the goddess is what you leave behind after you are gone, it’s your legacy left behind. After batman carries the bomb put over the bay to save the city and fake his death he uses that as a chance to escape his life in Gotham as the bat. But he leaves a safe Gotham free of crime and corruption. These two goals where only achieved in the last film, so the legacy he builds up throughout the trilogy is finally complete in the last film. The hero’s journey takes place a few times during the film trilogy but after the last film there is no more hero as Bruce Wayne hangs up the dark cape and deep voice for a family life. “it’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me” Bruce Wayne
At first thought you may think it’s hard to consider Batman as being a Christ-like figure. In The Dark Knight Returns the character Batman expresses a large amount of violence and an unforgiving personality which is unusual for a superhero. Batman encounters many hard and crucial decisions that he must make throughout. For instance, the encounter
The first stage of the hero’s journey is the departure. This stage begins when a herald gives the hero the call to adventure. The herald in this story is the Big Lebowski who as a bitter, crippled old man fits the description of the herald having a loathsome, underestimated appearance. The call to adventure comes when he offers the Dude $20,000 to make the drop off of Bun...
Therefore, is a misunderstood outcast, rather than valued, kingly hero. However If batman isn't a hero because of the damage he does, then none of the superheroes are heroes. Superman does damage to buildings roads people, even he could be considered an anti hero by these terms. Batman's motivation is revenge but the fact is he isn't going after black people or something. He saw what happened to him and he was motivated to stop it from happening
(200)This mythic study will define the first ten stages of the hero’s journey as defined by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Campbell defines the various stages of the hero’s journey within the context of a universal mythic "cycle” found in world ligature. These similar events define the universal stages of the hero’s journey in (1) the call to adventure, (2) refusal of the call, (3) supernatural aid, (4) the first threshold, (5) challenges, (6)revelation (7) abyss (rebirth), (8) transformation, (9) atonement, and (10) the return in the gift of the goddess. These ten stages define the cycle of the heroic journey, which
But I do know one thing, Batman was there for us when we needed him the most. He separated us from our darkest nightmares every night. He guarded our houses and protected our families, our friends, and our children. Batman stood up for what he believed, he always had us, the people of Gotham in his best interest. What more could we have asked Batman to do? I could stand up here and say "I never knew the man," but that might not be the truth. During my life, I have known many men, many men who are full of strength, courage, and virtue. Any of these men could have been the Batman and I would have never been aware. However good men still walk among us today, even without Batman. These good men and women are my hope, my consolation for
The Hero’s Journey is an ancient archetype that we find throughout our modern life and also, in the world of literature.Whether metaphorical or real, the journey that a character goes on shows not only the incredible transformation of the hero but it also gives them their life meaning. It is the ultimate human experience and it reflects on every aspect of life. Take Logan, also known as Wolverine, from the X-Men movie as an example. His adventure starts with “The Call,” which is the first step of the Hero’s Journey. This step happens due to the realization of imbalance and injustice that the character has in their life. Logan steps into the first stage of the pattern but is hesitant to start his adventure because he does not know what and
In origin, a hero is an archetype character that refers to protectors, warriors, or god-like man who protects humanity. For instance, Hercules was a hero in Greek mythology. In modern culture, heroism is recognized as an extremely popular trait that a character can possess. In this case, Bat Man, also referred to as The Dark Knight, is indisputably idealized as a hero. Unlike most superheros in comicbooks culture, Bat Man is a simple human being with absolutely no superpowers. Regardless of that, he as a simple human being still exhibits the courage, intelligence, talent and the necessary skills in fighting crime and defeating potentially hazardous villains seeking to either rule the world or cause destruction. In detail, Bat Man’s real name is Bruce Wayne. Bruce was 10 years old when his parents were murdered which fundamentally change his perception about the world. After his parents’ death, Bruce inherited a multibillion dollar company that his father created before his birth, which explains why he has the most advanced technology to help him fight crime. While growing up, Bruce trained himself to fight and had been working out. One night, he came to the conclusion that Gotham city is falling into the hands of criminals. For that reason, he convinced himself that it should be his obligation to prevent it, although he needed a hero identity to hide his real identity
Batman was created after Detective Comics (D.C.) wanted a new super hero to follow-up after Superman. In May of 1933, Bob Kane and Bill Finger created Batman. Bob was born on October 24, 1915 and died November 3, 1998. Bill was born February 8, 1914 and died January 1974. Bill always loved comics as a child and still when he went to high school at DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx New York. He and Bob went to the same high school but never socialized because they were in different classes. Bob meet Bill when Bill was working as a shoe salesman. They worked on many comics together for kids comic books and local newspapers. When they found out that Detective Comics (D.C.) wanted a new super hero they went to work. One day Bob came to Bill with a character, Batman. Bill liked the idea but said it looked too much like Superman. The original illustration had a Robin style mask and red outfit. So Bob took a Webster’s Dictionary and found a picture of a bat. He added bat ears to the mask, giving the full mask a more mysterious look. He changed the colors to black and yellow and added a cape that was cut like bat wings. When writing the comics Bill made Batman’s personality a...
He is told that Bane will allow him to heal and live in the pit, which is essentially a prison, as Bane destroys Gotham, so Bruce can see the extent of his defeat over television. This is Bruce’s lowest point in the story, but he is given a beacon of hope by some of the other inmates in the pit. He learns of a boy that once made the climb out of the pit by making a jump that to every other man has been impossible. This jump gives Bruce a purpose. He recovers from his injury and trains his body to make the jump. News reports of the situation in Gotham motivate Bruce to try to return to Gotham before Bane destroys his city. The jump provides an opportunity to make the metaphorical rebirth my tarot reading had alluded to. According to The Wild Wood Tarot, the Eight of Vessels represents an opportunity for “looking at the past, acknowledging [a hero’s] mistakes and learning from them, [to] grow and attain new wisdom”(137). This is exactly what Bruce does. During the time in the pit he stops doubting himself and improves his physique, so he is both mentally and physically prepared for the jump. When he is ready he makes he leap out of the pit and returns to Gotham to attempt to save his city from the nuclear explosive Bane is threatening to
Joseph Campbell describes the hero's journey as taking place in a cycle that consists of three most important phases, which are the following: Departure, which is where the hero leaves his/her comfortable and familiar world and endeavors into the unknown; Initiation, where the hero is tried with a series of tests, which he/she must prove their character; and Return, where the hero brings the benefit of his quest bac...
Joseph Campbell defines a hero as “someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself ” (Moyers 1). The Hero’s Journey consists of three major parts: the separation, the initiation and the return. Throughout a character’s journey, they must complete a physical or spiritual deed. A physical deed involves performing a daunting and courageous act that preserves the well-being of another person. A spiritual deed calls for action that improves another individual’s state of mind. While fulfilling their journey, a hero must undergo a psychological change that involves experiencing a transformation from immaturity into independence and sophistication.Campbell states that these events are what ultimately guides a hero into completing
The Dark Knight Rises can be seen as portraying Batman as more of an ubermensch rather than a Jesus-like figure. Connecting Batman as an ubermensch conveys his superiority to a level of where he is above human but not at the state of being a Jesus-like figure. The film can be interpreted as alluding to the idea that we do not need a savior because we can have someone within humanity adapt that particular role. Even though Batman can be seen as a savior that does not necessarily make him a Jesus-like figure due to the luxuries that Batman had. His company is what allowed him to become who he is. If it weren 't for his money he probably would not be who he is now. Batman was not chosen from above to be the messiah of Gotham as opposed to Jesus who was chosen from above to be the people’s messiah. Batman at the same time carried human-like characteristics that allowed him to connect more to the people of Gotham which demonstrates that we can have a Jesus-like figure come from within humanity. A claim that can be assumed is that humanity does not necessarily need Jesus because a human, someone like Batman can take on that same role. The film also can be interpreted as trying to portray Jesus through Batman. Batman’s presence is reassuring to the people of Gotham because
The Hero’s Journey is a pattern of narrative that appears in novels, storytelling, myth, and religious ritual. It was first identified by the American scholar Joseph Campbell in his book A Hero with Thousand Faces. Campbell also discussed this pattern in his interview to Bill Moyers which was later published as a book The Power of Myths. This pattern describes the typical adventure of the archetype known as The Hero, the person who goes out and achieves great deeds. Campbell detailed many stages in the Hero’s Journey, but he also summarized the pattern in three fundamental phases: Separation, Ordeal, and Return that all heroes, in spite of their sex, age, culture, or religion, have to overcome in order to reach the goal. Alice in Wonderland, written by Lewis Carroll, provides a good example of the Hero's Journey. This story describes the adventures of Alice, a young English girl, in Wonderland. Although she lacks some of the stages identified by Campbell, she still possesses many of them that are necessary for a Hero to be considered a Hero.
The plot of Batman Begins mainly focuses on the origins and psychology behind Batman, and how he copes with the struggles he faces. One major thing that changed the course of the story, was the death of the Thomas and Martha Wayne. It formed an emotion change in the story that effects Bruce Wayne and all of Gotham to arise the struggles and problems that will be faced in the rest of the movie. Another key point in the story was the seven-year disappearance of Bruce Wayne. When in the Chinese prison it would also discipline him, which was something that he hadn’t had much of before. The meeting of Ras Al Ghul and his further training were also key experiences to develop Bruce Wayne into Batman. These were the some of the building blocks in the plot. The plot of The Dark Knight was very different to Batman Begins. The main plot is that Batman has limits and Gotham needed a different hero, whereas, in Batman Begins, Batman was the hero and didn’t think he had any limits. The foundation of the Dark Knight was more of what had happened in the few absent years between the two movies, and not what would happen. The
For Batman, he is a famous person with high social class. His image is a successful businessman and on the other hand he is a hero to save the city. He is very strong and well body shape. When he catches the thief, he acts independently. He will not ask for help and refuse the others involve although he gets hurt. He is very clever and very calm. He will first plan before he takes action.