Hercules : The Archetypes Of A Hero's Journey

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All heroes within a story technically undergo a type of journey, be it spiritual, mental, or physical. The breakdown of this journey was first introduced and analyzed by Joseph Campbell. The concept of the hero’s journey is used to describe the adventures of someone who accomplishes great tasks within the plot of the story (Hero’s Journey). Raja Vikram is the hero within the traditional Indian folktale Raja Vikram and the Princess of China, and his story could be considered a hero’s journey. A majority of hero’s journeys follow a specific archetype, but some also deviate from that structured idea and put the hero on a journey through a different path. I agree that he undergoes a hero’s journey, however I feel that his journey is somewhat…show more content…
Another argument that can be brought up is what actually defines a hero. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a hero is “a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability” (Merriam-Webster). I feel that this is a good definition that encompasses both raja vikram and hercules. Some might argue that because vikram often has other people save him throughout the story, he is not a hero. Vikram is still very endowed with great abilities, as evidenced by his heroics with his song later in the story. This use of these abilities is strictly to help others, and none of it is done for personal gain, and acting for the benefit of society rather than yourself is another trait that many, including myself, apply to heroes. Hercules also fits this description of a hero. Hercules is of divine descent and has incredibly great strength. Although he occasionally acts selfishly, a large majority of what he does in the film is designed to help benefit others. These two heroes share many traits in common that lead to being heroes, and they fit the definition that I think best exemplifies a hero.
Disney’s Hercules and Raja Vikram and the Princess of China both start by deviating from the normal format for a journey. In both we are introduced to a character who is far beyond ordinary. Readers can often
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