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A Hero's Journey

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A Hero’s Journey: Hamlet and Simba What images come to mind as you reflect on your childhood? Playgrounds, blackboards, and soccer balls may be among the warmest of memories. Yet for many mermaids swim their thoughts, princesses get swept of their feet, and lions roar to their loyal place in the animal kingdom. There is no doubt that today’s entertainment has most of its touch using classical influences. Walt Disney has produced animated films that have captured the heart and imagination of audiences of all ages around the world through the magic of storytelling and imagery. Many of us appreciate the imagination and magic that Disney puts into its animations with out knowing they are based off of classical and traditional storylines …show more content…

The final point on the Hero’s Journey is return. This is when the hero acquires his ultimate goal, and returns back to the original departure point and his life prior to that. In Hamlet, the return is marked by Prince Hamlet’s maturation, his Godliness and the changes in his overall behavior after he has reached what he called his ultimate goal. “The Hero’s Journey” is a pattern of narrative identified by the American scholar Joseph Campbell that appears in drama, storytelling, myth, religious ritual, and psychological development. It 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. The hero’s journey is divided into three sections departure, initiation, and return. The three sections are then divided into subsections that give a little more in detail journey that the so-called “hero” takes in the storyline. Hamlet and Simba are the main characters in the two storylines that take on the role of the hero. Throughout the early acts of the play, Hamlet acts foolishly and is very immature. He talks to himself and even argues with himself. He is a prince who is supposed to be superior and demand a high-level of respect, someone who should be acting very mature. As he continues through the hero’s journey, his perspective and inner goals for the Ultimate boon, as Campbell calls it, develops his maturity and he becomes more prince-like.

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