The Hero with a Thousand Faces

culture we are used to the stereotypical, sympathetic hero; the Batmans and Supermans who lose their parents in tragic circumstances and devote their lives to vanquishing evil. That however, is not the way heroes have always been portrayed. When we look at The Epic of Gilgamesh we see the archetype of every hero since, however, we are not overcome with a desire to see Gilgamesh succeed. On the hand, if we fast forward two thousand years and look at a hero from Africa named Sundiata who is very similar to

Beowulf as an Epic Hero Throughout history there have been many examples of the epic hero. From the earliest Greek mythology to the modern superhero, this motif has been recycled countless times. There are many interchangeable qualities that define an epic hero, such as bravery, honor, and strength as well as more literary aspects such as accomplishing impossible feats, escaping from an abysmal situations and needing atonement. One of the first written accounts of such a character is Beowulf

Razia Jan: A Modern-Day Heroine Today, people view heroes as those who give to others. However, the true definition of a hero is someone who not only gives but does it at the risk of themselves. A real hero is someone who fits into Joseph Campbell or Dr. Alex Lickerman’s ideals. One person that can be described as a modern-day heroine is Razia Jan. Razia Jan is an Afghanistan born woman who is known for her heroism. She moved to the United States in 1970 and since then has continued to help others

Throughout time the word hero changes throughout the world. A great hero in ancient times may not be perceived as one in modern day due to different views in today’s culture. Not only are they different from each other, many often reflect on the same plot points as ancient hero stories. One example of similarities between an ancient hero and a modern hero is Theseus and Forrest Gump. Both of these stories, as well as many other stories, have plots that follow the timeline of a hero. However, there are

through their development. The hero’s journey has evolved with literature over time, and remains the basis for character development today. So why are there so many stories of the hero in mythology? Campbell answers this question in his interview with Bill Moyers by saying, “Because that’s what’s worth writing about…. A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself” (The Power of Myth 151). MAGICAL GUIDES Both Gilgamesh and Harry have multiple guides that come

Bigger, Brave, and Beloved Heroes Joseph Campbell, the author of A Hero With a Thousand Faces said, “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself”. All throughout history, humans have given his or her life for a bigger purpose, and our society has improved dramatically because of their efforts. The epic poem The Odyssey by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald tells the tale of the hero, Odysseus. Odysseus is the king of Ithaca and helps the Greeks win the

Tragic hero In the movie The Dark Knight, there two heroes, Batman and Harvey Dent, sometimes know as Gotham's white knight. As the movie progresses, Harvey Dent is more of a hero then Batman because of the criminals he arrested. The Joker comes along and wants to control all of Gotham but first he must kill Batman in order to accomplish that. The Joker threatened to kill everybody until Batman reveals who he really is. Later on in the movie, Batman has to choose how to save, Rachel, Bruce Wayne’s

epic hero. Epic heroes, characteristically, are of noble birth. They embark upon momentous adventures and encounter many dangerous obstacles. Beowulf is a classic and incredibly old example of an epic hero; however, modern day stories are also infused with tenets of epic heroism. A modern hero who shares the qualities of Beowulf and characteristics typical of an epic hero is the character Eowyn from J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings book series. She is a prime example of a modern epic hero whose

of the one character that helps the hero throughout the story that helps the hero through tests whether mental or physical. Or perhaps the ending, where the hero returns significantly transformed after their journey. Then like in multiple stories, chances are you have come across the “Monomyth” theory by Joseph Campbell. The Monomyth theory can be seen in hundreds of thousands of story plots, thus the title of Joseph Campbell’s book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The Monomyth theory applies to many

experience and acquiring a form of narration (Rose, “A Handbook Of Greek Mythology” 10). This form of narration is The Hero’s Journey. This is a journey with no equivalent in the physical world, yet it hits us hard because it is a journey we must all face – From nothing to nothing. So is the order of the