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The story telling phenomenon of the hero’s journey can be found in almost every culture. Even in today’s literature poets, authors and philosophers rely on the hero’s journey to guide them through the creative process. The twelve steps of the hero’s journey can be found not only in western culture in stories like Orpheus, but also in eastern cultures with the story of the Buddha. Even in today’s modern culture we see examples of the hero’s journey manifest itself in stories like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K Rowling. By examining the similarities and differences of the twelve steps found in Harry Potter, Orpheus, and the Buddha we are able to see how the hero’s journey develops and transcends time and culture.
The very first
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step in the hero’s journey just might be the most crucial when it comes to the reader being able to connect with the hero. By introducing the hero to the reader in his ordinary world or “status quo” the author is revealing more humanistic attributes that some readers may see in themselves. Authors also use tragedy as a way for readers to empathize and grow closer to the hero’s emotions. In the case of Harry Potter, we learn that Harry was orphaned as a small infant and sent to live with his nasty Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and their impish son Dudley (Rowling; 1997, 15). However mysterious circumstances surround Harrys orphanage as Dumbledore claims “you know who” was the cause of it all. This is our first introduction to Lord Voldemort the true villain of this tale (Rowling; 1997, 12). Flash forward ten years and we learn harry is now living in a small cupboard underneath his Aunt and Uncles staircase (Rowling; 1997, 19). To make matters worse, we learn more about how Harry is being abused by his caregivers “they spoke about him as if he were not there or rather as though he was something very nasty that couldn’t understand them, like a slug” (Rowling; 1997, 22). The author describes Harry as being “small and skinny” with “wobbly knees” (Rowling; 1997, 20). Many men might relate to Harry because they too were small boys who possibly experienced isolation and bullying (Rowling; 1997, 30). In both stories of Harry Potter and the Buddha we learn a little bit about the hero’s childhood and everyday interactions. While like in Orpheus’s story it is much more common for the plot to skip over the hero’s childhood and begin narration once they have reached adulthood or adolescence. Harry’s introduction is far more relatable to its twenty first century audience, our introduction to Orpheus or the Buddha which lets us know both of these heroes had a much more luxuries upbringing. Born to Thrace a king and a muse named Calliope Orpheus was certainly no “ordinary” child of his time (More; 1922, 59). Buddha’s story starts out very similarly to Orpheus’s, Buddha was the son of a warrior king named Suddhodana and Queen Maya. Buddha was a born of immaculate conception when a god who “assuming the form of a huge white elephant like Himâlaya, armed with six tusks, with his face perfumed with flowering inchor” impregnated the queen Maya (Cowell, 173). Both Harry and the Buddha were prophesized as babies that they would grow up to do great things for both of their worlds (Cowell, 175). Unfortunately, for both Harry and Buddha the father figures in their lives attempted to stop the boys from beginning their adventure. The statues que for both the Buddha and Orpheus are living lavish lives with their loved ones. While Orpheus and the Buddha had a far superior childhood to Harry’s, eventually all of our hero must face a tragedy of great proportions. For Orpheus, tragedy does not strike him until his status quo falls apart when Eurydice dies from a serpent’s bite to her “soft ankle” (More;1922, 59). The archetype of the snake can also be found in the story of Harry Potter and the Buddha. For Harry, the snake appears at the zoo when the Boa constrictor escapes his cage and scares Dudley and his friend (Rowling; 1997, 28) Lord Voldemort the villain in Harrys story is also described as a snake as having “glaring red eyes, and slits for nostrils like a snake” (Rowling; 1997, 293). In the legend of the Buddha the snake Kala appears when Buddha is meditating in the forest and informs him to continue seeking “perfect knowledge” (Cowell, 188). While the snake represented an evil entity in Orpheus’s story, the snakes that were in the story of Harry Potter and the Buddha helped them in some way. For Harry, the next couple of steps in his journey happen within a couple pages of each other. This second stage of the hero’s journey is when the hero is called to action by a mysterious occurrence. The hero must either accept this new adventure or deny it and go into the third stage of the refusal of the call. In the story of Orpheus’s and Eurydice, Orpheus experiences his call to action when Eurydice is bitten by the serpent (More, 59). For young Harry, he is called to action by a letter, but before he has the chance to read it is snatched away by Uncle Vernon (Rowling; 1997, 34). Normally it is the hero himself, who is refusing the call, but in the case of Harry Potter it is Uncle Vernon who is refusing his call. In an effort to maintain the status quo Uncle Vernon steps in and refuses to give the letters to Harry a total of eight times. For a while Harry seems as though he has become defeated and he will never be able to read his letter. Thankfully for Harry the call to action becomes so undeniable it’s literally knocking down the doors to get to him (Hagrid being the one that eventually beats the door down) (Rowling; 1997, 37). The Buddha experiences his call to action and his departure when he ventures out to see the forest that has “tender green grass and ponds filled with lotus flowers” (Cowell, 182). Just like Harry the Buddha does not directly refuse the call himself; instead it is the Buddha’s father Suddhodana who attempts to shield Buddha from witnessing the sick, the poor, and the elderly on his way to the forest (Cowell, 176). Moving right along Harry enters into his next stage in which he finally meets his mentor. Rubeus Hagrid helps Harry in many ways throughout his journey by helping him realize his true potential and being a sort of a moral compass. Hagrid takes Harry under his wing and tells Harry he is a famous wizard, this is when we first get a glimpse of what Harrys true destiny will be (Rowling; 1997, 50). Hagrid points out to Harry that all of the strange events that had happened in his life, such as his hair growing back rapidly fast, or making the glass disappear came from the magic of being a wizard (Rowling; 1997, 58). The Buddha receives assistance from the gods who create a sick man, an old man, and a dead man for the Buddha to stumble upon. The Buddha also receives assistance from his Charioteer who explains to the Buddha what old age, dieses, death is (Cowell, 183-186). Unlike Harry and the Buddha, Orpheus was a gifted songwriter and poet who did not have any direct assistance. However, it was a lyre given to him by the god Apollo that helped Orpheus win over Pluto and Persephone (More; 1922, 59). Orpheus’s departure to the underworld is driven solely by his sadness and desire to see Eurydice and return to his original life (More; 1922, 59). Orpheus enters his departure when he decides to “descended by the Taenarian gates down to the gloomy Styx” (More;1922, 59). For Hagrid and Harry, they reach the hero’s departure when they traveled to Diagon Alley to prepare for Harry’s upcoming school year’s (Rowling; 1997, 61). It is in Diagon Alley that Hagrid helps Harry acquire his magic wand and his pet owl Hedwig. It is also at this stage in the journey where Harry is introduced to the Villain Professor Quirrell/Voldemort (Rowling; 1997, 82). Harry faces departure at Kings Cross station in London when he crosses over from his world into the wizarding one. (Rowling; 1997, 91). Harry has officially left his ordinary life with the Dursleys and has made his way to Hogwarts where a real adventure awaits. At Hogwarts, Harry is introduced to many allies, villains, and monsters.
His two greatest allies turn out to be Hermione and Ron both of which accompany Harry on his quest for the Sorcerer’s stone. Draco while not necessarily an enemy, definitely causes some major trouble for Harry and his friends throughout the story. Harry and his friends are able to defeat a troll thanks to Ron’s quick thinking and Hermione finally lies to a teacher to save her friends (Rowling; 1997, 176-179). Other monsters include Fluffy, the three-headed dog and Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback (Rowling; 1997, …show more content…
228). Harry begins his trials when he and his friends must lull Fluffy the three-headed dog to sleep to get past the trapdoor.
Orpheus also encounters a similar character in his journey a Three-headed dog named Cerberus, who guards the underworld (Rowling; 1997, 275). The three friends in harry potter must face challenges in four other rooms where Hermione and Ron both use their talents of logic, potions, spells and chess to help Harry reach his final ordeal (Rowling; 1997, 275-281). The idea of dissension into dark, unfamiliar territory is present in both stories of Orpheus and Harry Potter. While Orpheus travels to the underworld Harry must travel through a series of dark, damp chambers that in a way represent the underworld of Hogwarts (More; 1922, 59). Orpheus begins his trial when He passes by “glimmering Phantoms and ghosts escaped from sepulchers.” Orpheus is eventually able to win over the hearts of Persephone and Pluto. Pluto agrees to give Eurydice back to Orpheus only if he is able to not look back at her while ascending to the mortal world (More;1922, 60). The Buddha experiences his first trials on his way to the forest where the gods have created a sick man, an old man, and a dying man for him to stumble upon (Cowell, 183-186). Orpheus experiences a crisis when he selfishly looks back at Eurydice, only to watch her fall to her death by his own doing (More; 1922). Unlike Harry and Buddha Orpheus fails his trials and has his treasure taken back from him because he
failed to trust his head over his heart (More; 1922, 60). Orpheus is forced to accept his resolution of eternal loneliness as he wandered the earth “the only friendship he enjoyed was given to the young men of Thrace” (More; 1922, 60). The Buddha enters the approach stage of his journey when he leaves his palace to meditate and self-mutilate in the forest for six years (Cowell, 187). Harry enters his final ordeal alone when he crosses through the black fires to find Professor Quirrell waiting for him (Rowling; 1997, 288). We learn that Quirrell is working for Voldemort and that he is trying to use the Stone to bring him back to life (Rowling; 1997,294). Harry is able to defeat Quirrell in the end and retrieves the Sorcerer’s Stone from the Mirror of Erised and which lands him in the ninth step of the hero’s journey in seizing the sword (Rowling; 1997,295) Buddha is forced to undergo a crisis when Mara, the enemy of the good law tries to steer Buddha away from higher knowledge (Cowell, 189). Mara tries to tempt the Buddha with his three sons Confusion, Gaiety, and pride, and also with his three daughters Lust, Delight, and thirst (Cowell, 189). However, Maras children do not disturb the Buddha, furious with this discovery Mara called upon monsters with faces of “boars and fishes that had protuberant bellies, with knees swollen like pots” to terrify the Buddha while he meditated (Cowell,190). The gods assist the Buddha once again when they tell Mara he will be unsuccessful in trying to shake the young sage’s concentration (Cowell, 191). Buddha’s treasure and resolution happen at the same time when Mara is defeated and Buddha gains the highest form of knowledge (Cowell, 192). Buddha’s treasure could also be considered the four noble truths: “suffering exists T
The structure of stories, on which Campbell’s Hero’s Journey and Booker’s Seven Basic Plots elaborated, is actually only a portion of the field of study it is under. Comparative mythology not only studies the structure of hero stories, but also origins, themes, and characteristics of myths from various religions and cultures. They study the language, psychology, history, and anthropology in order to identify a common theme or beginning point. Even without delving into religion, many common elements have come to light. For instance, many cultures have tales of people with strange supernatural abilities, others speak of similar creatures that reside in water, air or land, while still others extol the importance of talisman and religious symbols. Despite cultures existing on different ends of the earth and having little contact for much of their existence, they share these common
This paper examines the argument and theory proposed by Richard H. Tyre of the six basic movements of a plot in a hero story. Although Tyre’s theory does seem too narrow focused, fixed and direct to fit with the plot structure of all hero stories, he makes a great point and provides adequate evidence to support his statement.
Tens of thousands of stories fit into the hero’s journey archetype created by Christopher Volger. Out of these, a large number of them are stories with remakes that share notable resemblances in their heroes’ journeys. However, none of these quite match those very strong similarities found between Homer’s The Odyssey and Joel Coens’s O Brother, Where Art Thou? These stories share crucial components of the hero’s journey whether it be “crossing the first threshold,” where the main characters of both stories begin their long adventure that transforms them into heroes; “the supreme ordeal,” where the main characters are both deprived of the opportunity to get home sooner; or “return with elixir,” where Odysseus and Ulysses both return to their homes alive the comfort of their wives. In their major plot points, the novel The Odyssey and the motion picture O Brother convey obvious similarities in key elements of their heroes’ journeys such as “crossing the first threshold,” “the supreme ordeal,” and “return with elixir.”
Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, conveys, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom”. In other words, Aristotle states that the gaining of self-knowledge provides an individual with the ability to know one’s personal gifts and accountabilities. To start one’s adult life a person must pursue the journey of self-discovery to learn in depth about their skills and weaknesses. Individuals must find themselves through the limitations and ordeals that they face during their voyage for self-awareness. For example, in Tim O’Brien’s short story, “On the Rainy River”, the narrator shares his story about self-discovery. O’Brien looks back into his past, to the time when he was called to serve in the Vietnam War. O’Brien’s initial
mythic story of the questing hero is a metaphor of the inward journey to self-knowledge, that
The human need to be relatable is unquenchable. We love to be able to see parts of ourselves in others, and to be able to feel like our idols are not untouchable. The Hero’s Journey format is one that can be found in almost any story, even in real life. Overall, it is the perfect recipe for keeping readers engrossed. Another place the journey has shown up is in Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and Odyssey by Homer. These two stories—one a biography, the other, an epic poem—are so effective in their storytelling, it is easy to see how authors today continue to use the same method to make stories that grab the readers’ attention. What makes them most alike, however, is the emotions and thoughts they have the power to provoke.
During the course of this World Literature class, several stories have been covered that accurately describe Joseph Campbell's mono-myth, or basic pattern found in narratives from every corner of the world. The Hero's Journey in it's entirety has seventeen stages or steps, but if boiled down can be described in three; the departure, the initiation, and the return (Monomyth Cycle). Each stage has several steps, but the cycle describes the hero starting in his initial state, encountering something to change him, and this his return as a changed person. To further explain this concept, there are a few stories covered in this class that can be used.
For centuries, authors have been writing stories about man's journey of self-discovery. Spanning almost three-thousand years, the Epic of Gilgamesh, Homer's Odyssey, and Dante's Inferno are three stories where a journey of self-discovery is central to the plot. The main characters, Gilgamesh, Telemachus, and Dante, respectively, find themselves making a journey that ultimately changes them for the better. The journeys may not be exactly the same, but they do share a common chain of events. Character deficiencies and external events force these three characters to embark on a journey that may be physical, metaphorical, or both. As their journeys progress, each man is forced to overcome certain obstacles and hardships. At the end of the journey, each man has been changed, both mentally and spiritually. These timeless tales relate a message that readers throughout the ages can understand and relate to.
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
The Beowulf and Dante 's Inferno are both epic poems which are still widely read, and in both works, the protagonist experiences a journey. In most ways, however, these two poems and these two journeys are nothing alike. These to text are based on a hero’s journey but they have a couple of things that aren’t the same. A hero’s journey describes the typical adventure of the archetype known as The Hero, the person who goes out and achieves great deeds on behalf of the group, tribe, or civilization. Both Poems are very alike but there is things in their journey that set them apart.
In every culture, there are stories that get past down from generation to generation (Campbell 1). Tales of knights who slay dragons and princesses who kissed frogs are a part of every culture. All over the world, stories share comment characteristic. Joseph Campbell introduces a theory based on this idea called the monomyth, the idea that stories all share the same narrative pattern, in the book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Overall, this theory shows the same narrative pattern in stories throughout the world, which symbolically reveals all humans must tackle difficulties and overcome them many times throughout life (5). Specifically, Campbell’s hero’s journey is comprised of six steps, which, collectively
Myths have been a great example of the hero’s journey. Many heroes have journeys and trials to face throughout their life. Most of their journeys start out with their origin and end with the return. However, the hero’s role remains identical to every other hero. Most heroes like Gilgamesh has heroic traits because of the stages in the hero's journey. Gilgamesh is a man who can turn into a hero by changing himself, even when he has unusual circumstances surrounding his birth. Gilgamesh is viewed as a hero due to the stages of the hero's journey.
According to Webster’s dictionary a definition for a hero is “a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent” (Dictionary). The thing with heroes is that they are not all mythological or legendary figures; in fact, heroes can be almost anyone that hold our admiration towards them for whatever reason. Any person can be deemed a hero from the random person seen walking across the street to one of your relative, so eloquently it is there journey that person goes through that makes them become the hero. In Joseph Campbell’s book Hero with a Thousand Faces to be a hero you have to follow along the steps that Joseph Campbell created called Mystic Hero’s Journey. From the start of the first stage where the call to adventure begins it all,
In movies, novels, and life, people are named as heroes. The heroes we establish and the heroes we recognize, however, may not meet the criteria for a mythic hero. A mythic hero ventures forth on his journey, and comes forth from the hero’s path to greatness. Joseph Campbell, a mythologist who studied many of the great human myths and religious tales, realized, in studying these myths and tales, that there were certain steps that every hero went through. Campbell called this “The Hero’s Journey”; it is based on Carl Jung's idea that all human beings have an archetype. After Campbell studied a lot of the great myths and realized this pattern, he published his findings in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Ever since then, authors have used “The Hero’s Journey” as an outline to tell their stories. “It is important to note that not all of these individual steps are present in every hero’s tale, nor is it important that they be in this exact order” (Vogler 20). The Hero with a Thousand Faces gives a sense of significance as it looks into the inner mind and soul. The author, Joseph Campbell, performs two extraordinary accomplishments: compelling his readers that myth and dream, those are the most effective and everlasting forces in life and a unification of mythology and psychoanalysis with a gripping narrative. One well-known example of “The Hero’s Journey” from popular culture is the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling. In the novel, Harry Potter, the main character, is the chosen one and “The Hero’s Journey” applies to his life from the moment he is attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as a baby.
Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi” shows all three of the main elements of a hero’s journey: the departure, initiation and the return, helping the story to greatly resemble Joseph Campbell’s structure of a hero’s journey. Through the trials Pi has to face, he proves himself to be a true hero. He proves himself, not just while trapped on the lifeboat with Richard Parker, but also before the sinking of the Tsimtsum. His achievement to fulfill the heroic characteristics of Campbell’s model are evident as he goes though the three stages.