A Practical Guide to The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell

by Christopher Vogler

1985

Mythographer Joseph Campbell wrote what many consider to be the most influential book of the 20 th century, The Hero With a Thousand Faces. What he outlines in this book is that in his study of world myths, they are all basically the same story retold in infinite ariation. !e disco ered that all story"telling, consciously or not, follows the ancient patterns of myth, and that all stories, from the crudest #okes to the highest flights of literature, can be understood in terms of the $hero myth.% Campbell was a student of the &wiss psychologist Carl Jung, and the ideas in his book are often described as Jungian. 'he book is based on Jung(s idea of the $archetypes,% constantly repeating characters that occur in the dreams of all people and the myths of all cultures. Jung belie es that these archetypes are reflections of the human mind that our minds di ide themsel es into these characters to play out the drama of our li es. 'he repeating characters of the hero myth, such as the young hero, the wise old man, the shape"shifting woman, and the shadowy nemesis, are identical with the archetypes of the human mind, as shown in dreams. 'hat(s why myths, and stories constructed on the mythological model, are always psychologically true. &uch stories are true models of the workings of the human mind, true maps of the psyche. 'hey are psychologically alid and realistic e en when they portray fantastic, impossible, unreal e ents. 'his accounts for the uni ersal power of such stories. &tories built on the model of the $hero myth% ha e an appeal that can be felt by e eryone, because they spring from a uni ersal source in the collecti e unconscious, and because they reflect uni ersal concerns. 'hey deal with uni ersal )uestions like $Why was * born+% $What happens when * die+% and $!ow can * o ercome my life problems and be happy+% he !ero "tages ,. !# $%&'(A%) *$%+&, 'he hero is introduced in his ordinary world. Most stories take place in a special world, a world that is new and alien to its hero. *f you(re going to tell a story about a fish out of his customary element, you first ha e to create a contrast by showing him in his mundane, ordinary world. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: -orothy in .ansas The Hobbit: /ilbo /aggins in !obbiton Star Wars0 1uke &kywalker on 'atooine The Lion King: &imba at 2ride 3ock !# CA++ $ A&V#( -%#, 'he hero is presented with a problem, challenge, or ad enture. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 'he tornado The Hobbit: 4andalf the wi5ard arri es Star Wars: 32-2(s cryptic message

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6. %#.-"A+ $. !# /-#" , 'he hero is reluctant at first. 7ften at this point, the hero balks at the threshold of ad enture. Star Wars: 1uke refuses the )uest until he learns his aunt and uncle are dead The Lion King0 &imba refuses to return to 2ride 3ock and accept his destiny Groundhog Day0 89ample of the negati e cycle caused by refusing the call :. 0## '(G !# 0#( $%, 'he hero is encouraged by the wise old man or woman. /y this time, many stories will ha e introduced a Merlin"like character who is the hero(s mentor. 'he mentor can only go so far with the hero. 8 entually the hero must face the unknown by himself. &ometimes the wise old man is re)uired to gi e the hero a swift kick in the pants to get the ad enture going. The Hobbit: 4andalf Star Wars: 7bi"Wan .enobi Cinderella: ;airy 4odmother

<. C%$""'(G !# !%#""!$+& 'he hero passes the first threshold and fully enters the special world of his story for the first time. 'his is the moment at which the story takes off and the ad enture gets going. The Wizard of Oz: -orothy must learn the rules of 75 The atri!: =eo must come to grips with the realities and unrealities of the Matri9 >. #" "1 A++'#"1 A(& #(#0'#" 'he hero encounters tests and helpers. 'he hero is forced to make allies and enemies in the special world, and to pass certain tests and challenges that are part of his training. Lord of the "ings: &amwise 4amgee The Wizard of Oz: 'he 'in Woodsman, &carecrow, and Cowardly 1ion !# '((#%0$" CAV#2 !# APP%$AC!, 'he hero reaches the innermost ca e. 'he hero comes at last to a dangerous place, often deep underground, where the ob#ect of his )uest is hidden @!oly 4railA !# "-P%#0# $%&#A+, 'he hero endures the supreme ordeal. 'his is the moment at which the hero touches bottom. !e faces the possibility of death, brought to brink in a fight with a mythical beast. @8.'.A 'his is a critical moment in any story, an ordeal in which the hero appears to die and is born again. *t(s a ma#or source of the magic of th e hero myth. What happens is that the audience has been led to identify with the hero. We are encouraged to e9perience the brink"of" death feeling with the hero. We are temporarily depressed, then we are re i ed by the hero(s return from death. Cou(re ne er more ali e than when you think you(re going to die. Star Wars: /lowing up the -eath &tar D. Lord of the "ings: Mount -oom The Wizard of Oz: -efeating the Wicked Witch

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!# !#%$ "#'3#" !# "*$%&, !a ing sur i ed death, beaten the dragon, slain the Minotaur, the hero 4o5 ta6es possessio4 o7 the treasure he8s come see6i4g . &ometimes the $sword% is knowledge and e9perience that leads to greater understanding and a reconciliation with hostile forces. he hero may also be reco4ciled 5ith a 5oma4. Women in these stories @or men if the hero is femaleA tend to be $shape"shifters.% 'hey appear to change in form or age, reflecting the confusing and constantly changing aspects of the opposite se9 as seen from the hero(s point of iew.

,0. !# %$A& 9AC:, 'he hero(s not out of the woods yet. &ome of the best chase scenes come at this point, as the hero is pursued by the engeful forces from whom he has stolen the eli9ir or the treasure @*ndiana JonesA ,,. !# %#"-%%#C '$(, 'he hero emerges from the special world, transformed by his e9perience. ,2. %# -%( *' ! !# #+';#%, 'he hero comes back to his ordinary world, but his ad enture would be meaningless unless he brought back the eli9ir, or treasure, or some lesson from the special world. &ometimes it(s #ust knowledge or e9perience, but unless he comes back with something, he(s doomed to repeat the ad enture until he does. 'he order of the hero(s stages here is only one of many ariations. 'he stages can be deleted, added to, and drastically reshuffled without losing their power. 'he alues of the myth are what are important. 'he images young heroes, old mentors, magic swords are #ust symbols, and can be changed infinitely to suit the story at hand. 'he myth is infinitely fle9ible, capable of endless ariation without sacrificing any of its magic. "ummary, 'he hero(s #ourney, once more0 'he hero is introduced in his 73-*=E3C W731-

where he recei es the CE11 '7 E-F8='G38. !e is 381GC'E=' at first to 8='83 '!8 G=.=7W= where he e entually encounters '8&'&, E11*8& and 8=8M*8&. !e reaches the *==83M7&' CEF8 where he endures the &G238M8 73-8E1. !e &8*H8& '!8 &W73- or the treasure and is pursued on the 37E- /EC. to his world. !e is 38&G338C'8- and transformed by his e9perience. !e 38'G3=& to his ordinary world with a treasure, boon, or 81*I*3 to benefit his world.