Compare And Contrast Thomas Be

The archetypal hero journey, Joseph Campbell states, is a typical series of heroic actions. Four stages form the hero journey: departure, trials, epiphany, and return (the stages do not necessarily occur consecutive with the listing). Death and resurrection of lifestyle and beliefs, spiritual journey, and finally rebirth form hero journey’s motif. An archetypal hero pattern is the transformation of the character’s conscience through trials and revelations. Lust, fear, and social duties tend to be the main trials heroes face. Campbell defines a hero as a character who overcomes his trials and gives his life to something superior to himself--committed extraordinary deeds. There are two types of heroes. The physical hero gives himself to rescue someone’s physical life or well-being; the spiritual hero returns to enlighten his people and, therefore, spare them misfortune or disastrous situations. Such characters enable the author to aid the reader in perceiving the positive aspects of negative situations and vice versa. Joseph Campbell’s hero journey outline provides an understanding for the paths heroes take pertaining to their specific circumstances.

Two characters that follow the hero journey are Job of the wisdom books of the Old Testament and Murder in the Cathedral’s Thomas Becket. Job is a fortunate and distinctively devout man. Satan wants to prove to God Job’s faith will falter if his blessings are obliterated. Satan creates an agonizing event sequence Job must suffer through. Job’s children, livestock, land, and health are taken away from him, and his comforters--three friends and a wife--believe Job deserves the turmoil and tell him he must repent his sins to regain his splendor. Becoming frustrated with the increasing agony he must endure, Job questions God’s actions but retains his faith. Thomas Becket’s story begins when King Henry II has trouble prosecuting church clergy under England’s law since the church they should try clergymen. Believing Becket will be a government ally, Henry appoints Becket (then King Henry’s chancellor) Archbishop. Becket finds the church has the right to try its, and holds God’s will above the king’s. Murder in the Cathedral begins with Becket, the current Archb...

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...el assured his people will not be completely sorrowful when they lose their Archbishop. After speaking with his congregation, Becket is prepared for his death. Both Job and Becket return to their people in prayer.

Joseph Campbell’s hero journey interpretation outlines the sequences of Job’s and Thomas Becket’s heroic circumstances. Each character progresses through the hero journey stages even though they do not necessarily follow the pattern. Job and Becket have similarities in their journeys: both experience a lifestyle alteration, are met with four advisors, and return to their people prayerful and matured; but the processes the characters journey through are distinctly different. Both Becket and Job fit Campbell’s hero definition: one who overcomes his trials and gives himself to a superior being. Both

Job and Becket overcome their trials and give themselves to God. The two characters are categorized as spiritual heroes because they return sharing their spiritual findings with others. Job and Thomas Becket are spiritual heroes who successfully fulfill every phase of the hero journey Joseph Campbell outlines.