the quest of the epic hero. monomyth monomyth – “the one story” the heroic quest story has...
TRANSCRIPT
Monomyth• Monomyth – “the one story”
• The heroic quest story has remarkably the same structure from culture to culture
• The hero will wear the particular “costume” of his or her culture, but is really the same hero underneath, facing the same kinds of challenges
Ordinary World
UnknownAlternative World
(Initial Refusal of the Call)
Call to Adventur
e
Meeting with the Mentor Inner Wisdom and
Courage Supernatural Aid
Crossing the Threshold
Challenges
Temptations
Enemies
Friends
Allies
Helpers
Death
New Life
Return with the Elixir
The Road Back to the Ordinary World
Resurrection
*The Reward*
TheAbyss
Transformation
The Hero’s Quest
Empire Strikes Back – descent into the abyss
Return of the Jedi – transformation & resurrection of
hero
A New Hope – call to adventure and crossing the threshold of a new world.
Mythic Hero• A mythic hero can be male or female• A mythic hero usually has a remarkable birth or childhood• A mythic hero is often the son or daughter of a God and a
human being• A mythic hero possesses qualities of both mortals and
immortals• A mythic hero often shows early signs of being special,
possessing either superhuman strength or supernatural powers
• A mythic hero often triumphs over cosmic forces and bring about revival of their society or the entire world
Folktale Hero• A folktale hero is an
ordinary person
• A folktale hero is often underprivileged in some way
• A folktale hero may not have superhuman abilities, although he or she may be extraordinary in other ways (ex: exceptionally kind, clever, or resourceful)
Mythic & Folktale Heroes
• Both are called to participate in an adventure or face a series of tests or challenges
• The hero might attempt to refuse to face these challenges, but will eventually be forced to assume their heroic role
The Heroic Quest• Quest – a journey taken in search of something of
value or importance– A quest is a journey taken in search of:
• a person• an abstract concept• a concret object
– A character flaw may arise and cause problems (pride, impatience)
– A quest must take the hero to a place or to face a situation that no ordinary human being would dare enter