Monomyth

The monomyth (monomyth, in English) is a unique omito, also

known as travel, better, due to its connotations,
hero's 1 journey it is a term coined by the anthropologist
y
mythologistAmericanJoseph Campbellto define the model
basic of many storiesepicfrom all over the world. Thisbosstan
widely distributed is described by Campbell in his well-known
work The Hero with a Thousand Faces(1949). 2 Great admirer of
novelistJames Joyce, Campbell borrowed the term
"monomyth" from Joyce's novel Finnegans Wake .3 4
Related to the monomyth is the classical term of
catabasisthe descent of the heroUlysses, Orpheus, Eneas...) to
underworldor thehells(see below: 'Others')
formulations) 5 Chart describing the journey of
hero.
Campbell argues that theheroesof numerousmythsof times and
disparate regions share structures y developments
fundamentals, which are summarized inThe hero of a thousand faces:

The hero embarks on an adventure from his everyday world to regions of wonders.
supernatural; the hero stumbles upon fabulous forces and ultimately achieves a victory
decisive; the hero returns from this mysterious adventure with the power to grant favors to his
similar. 6

And Campbell adds:

Whether the hero be ridiculous or sublime, Whether the hero is ridiculous or sublime, Greek or
Greek or barbarian, gentile or Jew, his barbarian, gentle or Jew, his adventure varies
The journey varies little in essential plan. little regarding the essential plan.
7

Campbell and other scholars, such asErich Neumann, they describe the stories ofGautama Buddha, Moses
yChristin terms of 'monomyth', and Campbell argues that many classic myths of great variety
culturesthey follow this basic pattern.

Summary
In the monomyth, theherohe/she breaks away from his/her ordinary world, and receives some kind of call to penetrate into
another unknown, populated with powers and strange events. The hero who accepts the call to
Entering this strange world must face various tasks and challenges, whether alone or with help.
In the more developed narrative versions, the hero must survive a serious problem, often with
help. If the hero survives, they receive a great gift, donation, or blessing. Then, the hero must decide if
return to the ordinary world with the acquired gift. If the hero decides to return, he or she often faces
to challenges on the way back. If the hero returns successfully, the blessing or gift can be used to improve
the world. The stories ofOsiris, Prometheus, MosesoGautama Buddha, for example, they closely comply
this model. 2
Campbell describes seventeen stages or steps along this journey.
although there are very fewmythswho turn seventeen. A few
many of the stages add up, and others only a few; some myths
they can focus on just one of the stages, while in
others are faced in a different order. The
Seventeen stages can be organized in various ways. It is common
the division into three sections: "Exit" (sometimes called
"separation"), "Initiation" and "Return". "The Departure" deals with the
the hero's adventure before completing the mission, the 'Initiation' is
it deals with the various adventures of the hero along the way, and the
"Return" is about the hero's return with the knowledge and the
skills acquired during the trip. 8

The seventeen stages of the monomyth

Moses with the tablets of the Law
The Exit forRembrandt. Moses, in its facet
heroic liberator of his people,
it is associated with the monomyth from the
The call of adventure religious point of view.

The hero departs from a mundane situation of normality in which

Suddenly, information arrives that acts in his mind like a call to the unknown.

[...] a forest, a hidden kingdom, beneath the waves or in the celestial heights, a secret island,
high peak of a mountain, or a state of deep sleep, but it is always a place full of beings
strangely fluid and polymorphic, unimaginable torments, superhuman feats, impossible delight. The
the hero can set out of his own accord to undertake the adventure, just likeTheseuswhen he/she arrived at the
city of his father,Athensand heard the horrible story of theMinotaur, or it can be pushed or sent to the
foreigner by a benign or malignant agent, likeOdysseuswhich was driven through the Mediterranean by
the winds of the angry godPoseidonThe adventure may begin due to a simple mistake... or even more,
one can find oneself simply walking when, casually, a singular phenomenon occurs that passes by the
place catches the attention of his wandering eye, drawing him away from the paths frequented by him
man. Examples from all corners of the world could be multiplied. to infinity ».9

The rejection of the call

Often, when the call comes, the future hero initially refuses to pay attention to it. This can
whether due to their sense of duty or obligation, fear, insecurity, a feeling of weakness, or
any of the possible reasons that act to keep the person in their normal circumstances.

Campbell: "The refusal of the call turns the adventure into its opposite. Ambushed in boredom,
in routine work or 'culture', the subject renounces the value of meaningful and positive action and ends up
turned into a victim to be rescued. His flourishing world becomes a dry wasteland and his life seems without
sense, despite that, like the kingMinos, they can manage to build, through their titanic effort, a
great fame or an entire empire. But any dwelling he builds will be a house of death, a labyrinth of
cyclopean walls to hide from hisMinotaurThe only option left for him is to create more and more.
problems with himself, awaiting the gradual approach of his dissolution. 10

The supernatural assistance

Once the hero has committed to the quest,
consciously or unconsciously, a guide or helper appears
magical, or revealed among known people. Often,
this supernatural mentor will present the hero one or several
talismansthe artifacts that will help him later in the
search.

Campbell: "For those who have not rejected the call, the
the first encounter in their heroic voyage is a figure of
protection (often an oldwitchor an elderly man who
offers the adventurer someamuletagainst the negative forces
what he is about to face. What this figure represents is the
benign, protector power of fate. Fantasy is like the
comfort and the promise that the peace of Paradise, which was known
in the mother's womb, it is going to be preserved, that supports you in the
present and will support you in the future as in the past (it isomega
and alsoalpha) that despite how omnipotent they may be
seem the dangerous powers that guard the threshold of the
the initiation of life, the protective power is always present
AccordingtoJoseph Campbell, the classic myth
within the same or just around the circumstances
unknowns of the world. You just have to know and trust, and ofPrometheusprovide a good example of the
structure of the monomyth.
the eternal guardians will appear. The hero finds all the
forces of the unconscious on your side, responding to your call
and continuing with bravery by their side as the
events unfold. Mother Nature herself supports the great task. And to the extent that the
the hero's conduct coincides with what his society requires, he seems to ride on the back of the powerful
rhythm of history. 11

The crossing of the first threshold

This is the point where the person actually enters the field of adventure, leaving behind the
known borders of their world and venturing into unknown and dangerous territory where there is no
they know no rules or limitations.

Campbell: "With those beneficial forces to guide and help him, the hero advances in his adventure until
he arrives at the "guardian of the threshold" at the entrance to the area of magnified power. He guards the connections to
world in four directions - also up and down - representing the limits of the current sphere of
hero, a vital horizon. Beyond these limits lies darkness, the unknown, danger,
just as beyond parental supervision the child is in danger, and beyond the protection of the
society threatens the members of the tribe. The normal person feels more than satisfied, and even
proud to remain within the indicated limits, and common sense gives her all the
reasons to fear taking the first step into the unexplored. Adventure always consists of everything and everywhere.
in taking that step beyond the veil of the known, towards the unknown; the powers that are glimpsed in the
Borders are dangerous, dealing with them is risky, and yet, for anyone with capability and courage
sufficient the danger fades away. 12

The belly of the whale

The belly of the whale represents the final separation of the self from the known world by the hero. To
to participate in this stage, the person shows willingness to submit to ametamorphosis.
Campbell: "The idea that crossing the magical threshold is a transition to a sphere of rebirth
is symbolized in all cultures by the belly of the whale. The hero, instead of conquering or
to reconcile with the force of the threshold, is swallowed by the unknown and seems to have died. This reason
popular emphasizes the idea that crossing the threshold is a form of self-annihilation. Instead of
advance outward, beyond the confines of the visible world, the hero goes inward, in order to be reborn
Somehow. The disappearance corresponds to the entrance of the faithful into the temple, where it is revived by the
memory of who and what it is, that is to say, dust and ashes only possibly immortal. The inner temple, the
belly of the whale, and the heavenly land beyond, above and below the confines of the world,
they are one and the same thing. That is why the access and entrances to the temples are flanked and defended
forgargoylescolossal: dragons, lions, killer demons with drawn swords, dwarfs
resentful, winged bulls. The faithful at the moment of entering the temple suffers ametamorphosisOnce in
within it, it can be said that it has died in time and returned to the Universal Matrix, the Navel of
World, the Earthly Paradise. Allegorically, in this way, the entrance to the temple and the immersion of the hero into
through the jaws of the whale are identical adventures, denoting, in symbolic language, the act
central to life and the renewed life. 13

The Initiation

The different tests

Here it is about the tests, feats, or difficult tasks that a person must undergo when starting the
transformation. Often, the person fails in one or more of these tests, which usually appear in groups
of three.

Campbell: "Having crossed the threshold, the hero moves into a dreamlike landscape, filled with shapes.
curiously fluid ambiguities, in which one must survive a succession of difficulties. This is a phase
crucial to the myth and the adventure. There is a vast literature in all cultures about trials and
miraculous ordeals. The hero is secretly supported by advice, amulets, and other hidden agents that
they provide a supernatural aid that was presented to him before his entry into this region. Or it may be that
here discover for the first time that there is a benevolent power everywhere willing to support you in your
superhuman journey. The original departure to the testing ground represents only the beginning of the
path of initiation conquests; they are moments of enlightenment. Now there is no other remedy but
kill dragons and overcome surprising obstacles, one, and another, and another time. In this intermission, there will be a multitude
of preliminary victories, irreproducible ecstasies and momentary glimpses of the promised land ».14

The encounter with the goddess

This is the moment when the person experiences a love that has the power and importance of it.
almighty, the ungraspable, the unconditional love that a fortunate child can experience for their
mother. This is a very important step in the process and is often represented by the person who
find that other one for whom he or she experiences a more authentic love.

Campbell: "The last adventure, when all barriers have been overcome and the ogres have been defeated,
it is commonly represented as a mystical marriage of the triumphant hero with the Goddess Queen of the World.
This is the climax in thenadir, in thezenith, or at the extreme edge of the earth, at the central point
of the cosmos, in thetabernaclefrom the temple, or within the darkness of the deepest chamber of the heart.
The encounter with the goddess (who is embodied in every woman) is the final test of the hero's talent to succeed.
the gift of love (the donation is thelove of fate[destined love]), which is life itself enjoyed as the
I enclose in theeternityAnd when the adventurer, in this context, is not a young man, but a lady, she is the
who, due to her qualities, beauty or aspirations, has become suitable to become the consort of
an immortal. Then the celestial husband descends to her and leads her to the bed, either willingly or by force. And
if she rejects him, it means the veil has fallen from her eyes, and if she has sought him, her desire finds the
peace.15

The woman as temptress

In this step, the hero faces temptations, often of a physical or pleasurable nature, that can
take him or her (the temptation does not necessarily have to be represented by a woman) to abandon or
to stray from his mission. The woman is a metaphor for the physical or material temptations of life, as
A hero or knight is often tempted by lust on his spiritual path.

Campbell: "The crux of this curious difficulty lies in the fact that our conscious point of view
What life should be rarely corresponds to what it really is. Generally, we refuse to...
admitting within ourselves, or within our friends, that energetic, self-protective fever,
shameless, carnivorous, lascivious in what consists the very nature of the organic cell. By the
on the contrary, we tend to disguise, cover up, and reinterpret while we imagine that every fly in the honey or
Hair in the soup is the fault of some uninvited guest that is not us. But when suddenly we
we are forced to convince ourselves that everything we think and do is
necessarily contaminated by the smell of meat, so it is not surprising that one experiences a moment of
repulsion: life, the acts of life, the organs of life, woman in particular, as a great symbol of
life that is, becomes intolerable for the pure, most pure soul. He who seeks life beyond the
life must seek beyond (the woman), overcome the temptations of her call, and rise in the ether
impeccable of the Beyond. 16

The reconciliation with the father

At this stage, the person must confront and be initiated before that which holds the highest power in their
life. In many myths and stories, it is the father, or a paternal figure, who holds the power over life and the
death. This is the central point of the journey. All the previous steps have led to this place, and all the
Those who follow will distance themselves from him. Although this step is more frequently symbolized by the
encounter with a masculine entity, it does not have to be a man, but just someone or something with a great
power.

Campbell: "The atonement consists of little more than the abandonment of that self-generated double monster: the
dragon thought of as Godsuperegoand the dragon thought of as sin (theidrepressed). But this
requires a relinquishment of attachment to theego, which is tricky. One must beironin which the father is
merciful, and at the same time we must trust in mercy. With this, the center of faith is transferred outside
of the tight scaly ring of the tormenting god, and theogresterrible things dissolve. It is in this hard
test in which the hero can obtain hope and security from the female support figure, for whose
magic (amulets or intercession power) is protected for all terrifying initiation experiences
in which one suffers the parental crushing of one's own ego. But if it is impossible to trust in the terrible face of the
Father, then one's faith must be centered elsewhere (the Spider Woman, the Blessed Virgin), and
strengthened by this trust, one is able to overcome the crisis - only to find, in the end, that the father
and the mother reflects one in the other, and they are, in essence, the same. The problem of the hero arriving at
to know the father consists of opening the eyes of his soul beyond terror, until the point of maturing to
understand how the insane and repugnant tragedies of this vast and ruthless cosmos are seen
perfectly justified by the majesty of Being. The hero transcends life from this peculiar point.
blind and for a moment rises to a vision of the source. He contemplates the face of his father, he understands—and
thus both have been expiated .17

The apotheosis

When someone suffers a physical death, or dies to themselves to live in the spirit, he or she moves
beyond pairs of opposites, moving to a state of divine knowledge, to love, compassion,
happiness. A more mundane way of viewing this step is that it is a period of rest, peace and
fullness prior to the beginning of the hero's return.

Campbell: "Those who know, not only that the Eternal is within them, but that what they are
truly, and all things, is the Eternal, dwell in the forests of satisfied desire, drink the potion of
immortality and they hear everywhere the unheard music of eternal harmony. 18

The final gift

The blessing or ultimate gift is the achievement of the objective of the mission. It is that which is achieved in the pursuit of.
the person made an effort. All the previous steps serve to prepare and purify the person for this step, as
that in many myths the gift is something transcendent, like the elixir of life itself, or a plant that
provides immortality, or theHoly Grail.

Campbell: "The gods and goddesses must then be understood as

ways of realization and custodians of the elixir of the Imperishable Being
but they themselves do not suppose, in their primordial state, the Object
Definitely, because what the hero seeks through his relationship with
it is not, ultimately, to themselves, but to their grace, it is
to say, the power of the substance that feeds them. This substance-
miraculous energy, by itself, is the Imperishable; the names and the
forms of the deities that personify it everywhere, it
They dispense and represent, they are very diverse. This is the energy
miraculous rays ofZeus, Ywithand theBuddhaSupreme, the
rain fertilityViracocha, the virtue announced by the
bell that resonated in the Mass of Consecration, and the light of the
the ultimate illumination of the saint and the wise. Their guardians dare to
release it only for those who truly deserve it. 19

The Return
Apu Qun Tiqsi Wiraqucha, or
ViracochaAndean god, one of the
The refusal to return many that Campbell associates with the
monomyth
After finding happiness and enlightenment in the other
world, the hero refuses to return to the ordinary world to grant the gift
acquired from its peers.

Campbell: "When the heroic quest has been fulfilled, through the possession of the source, or by means
from the grace of some masculine or feminine personification, human or animal, the adventurer must still
return with their vital transmutation trophy. The complete journey, the monomyth norm, requires that the
hero begins the work of transporting therunasof wisdom, theGolden Fleece, or onSleeping Beauty,
back to the realm of humanity, where the acquired gift can result in renewal of the
community, the nation, the planet, or the Ten Thousand Worlds. But this responsibility is often not
assume. EvenGautama Buddha, after their triumph, they doubted that the message of fulfillment could be
communication to others, and other saints have died immersed in supreme ecstasy. Numerous are indeed
the legendary heroes who have established their residence forever on the blessed island of the Goddess
immutable of the Immortal Being.20

The magic flight

Sometimes, the hero must escape with the gift, if it is something that the gods have guarded jealously.
The return can be just as adventurous and dangerous as the journey was.

Campbell: "If the hero, after his feat, receives the blessing of the goddess or god and is then tasked
explicitly return to the world with a bit of elixir for the restoration of society, the final stage of its
adventure occurs with the support of all the powers of its supernatural protector. But if the trophy has
achieved with the opposition of his mentor or if the desire to return to the hero's world does not have the approval
well of gods or demons, then the last stage of the mythological round becomes a lively,
funny menudo, chase. This flight can get complicated by wonderful obstacles or maneuvers.
evasive. 21

The rescue from abroad

Just as the hero may need guides and assistants to embark on the quest, many times he or
she must have powerful guides and saviors to lead him back to everyday life,
especially if the person has been hurt or weakened by the experience.

Campbell: "The hero may need to be brought back from his supernatural adventure with assistance.
external. That is to say, it is possible that the World will seek it. Due to the happiness attained in the dwelling
deep, it is not easy to abandon this in favor of the free dissemination of the new state. "Who, once
"discarded the world," we read, "can it wish to return again? Rather, it should stay there." And,
however, insofar as one is alive, life is called Society, which feels jealous of those who
Aside from her, he will go to knock on the door. If the hero [...] does not show willingness, the disruptor will suffer.
an ugly commotion; but, on the other hand, if the summoned one only delays, subsumed in bliss
from the state of perfection (which resembles death), a determined rescue will take place, and the adventurer
will eventually be reintegrated. 22

The crossing of the return threshold

The sense of return is the preservation of the wisdom acquired in the search, the incorporation of said
wisdom in a human life, and then find a way to share it with the rest of the world.

Campbell: "The returning hero, to complete his adventure, must survive the impact of the world."
Many failures attest to the difficulties of crossing this threshold of positive life. The first problem
for the hero who returns, after a visionary experience of a fulfilled soul, is to accept
as real as the joys and the transient sorrows, the noisy banalities and obscenities of life. Why
what to re-enter the real world, why try to make men credible, not even interesting,
and women who are consumed by their passions, the experience of transcendental bliss? Likewise
that dreams experienced as transcendent during the night may seem simply silly to
the daylight, so the poet and the prophet may feel themselves being foolish before a jury of eyes
sober. The easiest thing is to entrust the whole community to the devil and retreat back to the dwelling in the
celestial rock, close the door, and do it without losing a moment. But if any spiritualobstetricianhas spun the
shimenawa[protective cord of theShintoismin retirement, then the work of representing eternity in the
time, and perceiving time in eternity, cannot be avoided. And the hero returns to the common world and
everyday, which one must accept as real. 23

The master of the two worlds

This step is often represented by a transcendent hero such asJesusoGautama BuddhaFor a hero
human, it can mean achieving a balance between the material and the spiritual. The hero has arrived at
to feel comfortable and competent both in the inner world and in the outer world.

Campbell: "The freedom to go back and forth across the division of the world, from the perspective of
a spectrum that crossed from the causal depth to the other side, and back —without contaminating the
principles of one side with those of the other, but allowing the mind to perceive one by virtue of the other
—, that is the talent of the master. The Cosmic Dancer warnsNietzsche, does not rest heavily on a
only place, but cheerful, light, spins and jumps from one position to another. It is possible to express oneself from a single
point at every moment, but that does not invalidate the ideas at other points. The individual, through
conscientious psychological disciplines, completely renounces all attachment to their personal limitations,
idiosyncrasies, hopes and fears, no longer resists self-annihilation, which is a prerequisite to
renaissance in the pursuit of truth, and this is how it finally attains maturity, through great self-
expiation. His personal ambitions have completely dissolved, he no longer tries to live, but to relax.
voluntarily before what may happen in it, becoming, in one word, an entity
unknown. 24

The freedom to live

Dominion leads to freedom from the fear of death, which in turn is the freedom to live. This refers to
Sometimes it's like living in the moment, without anticipating the future or lamenting the past.

Campbell: "The hero is the champion of the things that come, not of those that have already come, because he is."
Before Abraham was, I am. Do not confuse the apparent immutability in time with the
permanence of theBe, nor is he afraid of the next moment (or of "something else"), like the destruction of that
permanent through becoming. "Nothing maintains its own form; Nature, the greatest renovator, always
creates forms from other forms. It ensures that nothing perishes in the entire universe, it only varies and renews its
"form." Thus, it allows for moments to succeed one another. 25

Other formulations
The structure for the monomyth proposed by Campbell has been expanded and modified since its conception.
Many modern characterizations add new stages (such as the miraculous birth of the hero) or
combine or suppress others. For example, the American Phil Cousineau, in his book The Hero's Journey
[The hero's journey], divides it into the following eight steps:

The call of adventure

2. The testing cycle
3. The search for a mission
4. The Encounter with the Goddess
5. The gift
The Magic Flight
 7. The threshold of return
8. The master of the two worlds. 26

Another formulation, also of eight steps, was offered by David Adams Leeming in his book Mythology:
The Voyage of the Hero [Mythology: the hero's journey]:

1. The conception and miraculous birth

The initiation of the hero-child
3. The distancing from family or community for meditation and preparation
4. The tests and the search
5. The death
6. The descent into hell
7. The resurrection and the rebirth
8. The ascension, the apotheosis, and the expiation. 5

The hero's journey

The expression "the hero's journey", which describes the monomyth, first entered the discourse.
popular through two documentaries. The first, aired in 1987, The Hero's Journey: The World of
Joseph CampbellThe hero's journey. The world of Joseph Campbell), was accompanied by a book
explanatory in 1990, The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work(The hero's journey.
Joseph Campbell in his life and workwas edited by Phil Cousineau and Stuart Brown. The second
the documentary was a series of in-depth interviews with Campbell, conducted by Bill Moyersthey were
issued in 1988, and similarly, an explanatory book was also published: The Power of MythThe power of
mythIt also referred to the phrase in the title of a popular text for screenwriters, released in the
1990s: The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For WritersThe Writer's Journey: Mythical Structure
for writers ), of Christopher Vogler .27 Whenever they use the expression in their works, Cousineau,
Moyers and Vogler attribute it to the model of The Hero's [Link] Campbell.

Influence of the monomyth

The monomyth has influenced numerous artists, musicians, poets, and filmmakers, includingGeorge Lucas, and to
sometimes it is also mentioned aboutBob DylanAlthough written before the formulation of the hero's journey by
Campbell, the novel ofJ. R. R. TolkienThe Lord of the Ringsit can be considered an example
contemporary of the monomyth. This 28 has also often been mentioned as a clear influence on the

movie The Matrix , of the Wachowski sisters .29

George Lucas and The Star Wars

In addition to the extensive conversation between Campbell and Bill Moyers broadcast in 1988 by thePBSThe Power
of Myth (documentary filmed at the 'Skywalker Ranch', owned by Lucas, in California), about the influence of
Campbell in the series ofStar Wars, Lucas himself granted an extensive interview about
this theme for the biography Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind
(Larsen and Larsen, 2002, pp. 541-543). In this interview, Lucas states that in the early 1970s,
after finishing his first movie,American Graffiti, "it occurred to me that it really didn't represent
the modern use of mythology [...] so I started to research on my own in depth about the
fairy tales, folklore and mythology, and I started reading the books ofJoeI had not heard about it before.
these books. [...] It was very unsettling because in the reading of The Hero with a Thousand Faces I began to realize
tell that in my first project ofThe Star WarsI was adhering to classic reasons” (p.
541).

Twelve years after the making of The Power of Myth, Moyers and Lucas met again for the
1999 interview Mythology of Star Wars with George Lucas & Bill Moyers, to discuss in more depth the
impact of Campbell's work on Lucas's films. In addition, the 30 National Air and Space Museum
from theSmithsonian Institutionsponsored an exhibition in the 1990s called Star Wars: The
Magic of Myth [Star Wars: The Magic of Myth], which recreated the ways in which the work of
Campbell influenced this film series. 31 In 1997, a supplementary guide was published with the
same title.

Chris Vogler, The Writer's Journey and Hollywood movies

Christopher Vogler, Hollywood film producer and writer, created amemorandumbusiness of seven
A Practical Guide to The Hero With a Thousand Faces
32 based on Campbell's work. Vogler's memorandum later became
the thousand faces],
the aforementioned book from the late 1990s,The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers.

The Men's Movement

The poet Robert Bly, Michael J. Meade, and others involved in that movement have applied and
expanded the concepts of the hero's journey and the monomyth as a metaphor for spiritual growth and
personal psychological, especially in the field ofmythopoeticsof the so-called 'Men's Movement'
Men's Movement 33 34

Characteristics of this movement include the tendency to recount fairy tales and participate in their
exegesisas an instrument for inner search. Using frequent references toarchetypes
extracted from theanalytical psychologyofJung, the movement focuses on issues ofgender role, identity of
genreand the search for well-being from the perspective of alternative medicine, focused on man
modern. 34Its defenders often participate in musical narratives, and these acts are considered a
modern extension of theshamanism, which was popularized by Michael Harner around the
same time.

Among the most famous advocates of this movement is the poet Robert Bly, whose book Iron John:
A Book About Men was a bestseller; the book is an exegesis of thetaleIron John
Iron) of the Grimm Brothers .33

The movement of menmythopoeticgave rise to a variety of workshops and working groups,

directed by authors such as Bly and Robert L. Moore. 34 From this movement, studies have emerged.
serious academics, including the creation of various journals and non-profit organizations, such as the
ManKind Project. 33

Critiques
Some scholars have questioned the very validity of the monomyth, its utility as a tool for
critical research, epic interpretation, as well as critiqued its male bias. According to Lesley
Northup, the theory is not properly supported by the study of the mainstream of mythology, which tends
currently viewing any too general or universal interpretation with distrust. 35 Donald J.
Cosentino comments: "It is just as important to emphasize the differences as well as the similarities, to avoid
36 rejects the idea itself
the creation of a Campbell's soup of myths without any local flavor. Marta Weigle
of a "monomyth" in which women appear only in exceptional cases and, when they do, as
indistinguishable from men. 37

Others have found Campbell's categories excessively vague as to convey any meaning, and without
sufficient foundation in academic research. Muriel Crespi, for example, wrote in response to the
filmed presentation of Campbell's model, characterizing it as "[...] barely satisfactory from
the perspective of social science. Campbell's ethnocentrism raises objections, and its analytical level is
so abstract and lacking ethnographic context that this myth loses the very meanings that are supposed
38
incorporated into the "hero". Sacred Narrative: Readings in the Theory of Myth
readings on the theory of myth] (1984), the editorAlan Dundesrejects Campbell's work, labeling it as
my vulgarizer: "Like most universalists, he is satisfied to simply affirm the
universality without bothering to document it. [...] If Campbell's generalizations about the myth do not
they have checked, why should students consider their work? 39

The novelistDavid BrinHe has also criticized the monomyth, arguing that it is anti-popular and that it was
used by kings and priests to justify thetyrannyBrin also noted that the existence of a
the monomyth can reflect historical similarities between cultures, but not a 'human perception'
deep. It points out that, until relatively recently, narrators depended on theoligarchieshow
means of living, and that thearistocracyonly recently lost the power to punish irreverence. Once
that these historical factors disappeared, the emergedscience fictionin an epic way, and Brin sees it as the
antithesis of Campbell's monomyth. 40

Although the novelDune, fromFrank Herbertapparently follows the scheme of the monomyth, its plot is
ingenious, in fact, to subvert and adopt a critical stance on it; the author stated in 1979: "The
The underlying sense of the Dune trilogy is: Beware of heroes. It is much better to trust in oneself.
judgment and in one's own mistakes.41 Herbert wrote later, in 1985: "Dune was directed against this
the idea of the infallible leader, since my view of history holds that the mistakes made by a leader (or
committed in its name) are amplified proportionally to the number of supporters who back it without
question it. 42

In the same vein, Americans John Shelton Lawrence, a philosopher, and the scholar of religion
Robert Jewett has written about an 'American monomyth' in his books The American Monomyth, The
Myth of the American Superhero: Captain America and the Crusade Against Evil: The Dilemma of
Zealous Nationalism [The American Monomyth, The Myth of the American Superhero, and Captain America]
the crusade against evil: the dilemma of jealous nationalism]. These authors present their works as
American reaction to the Campbellian monomyth. The argument of The American Monomyth is: 'A
a community living in a harmonious paradise is threatened by evil; normal institutions do not
they can deal with this threat; an altruistic superhero emerges, renouncing temptations, to bring to
the redemptive task is completed; helped by fate, his decisive victory restores the community to its state
paradisiacal; the superhero departs into the darkness. 43
Other scholars have expressed their disagreement with the concept of the monomyth due to its excessive
simplification of different cultures. According to Robert Ellwood, 'the tendency to think in terms of
Generalizations about people, races [...] undoubtedly represent the deepest error of thought.
mythological.44

See also
The sectionMonomythof the article dedicated to Joseph Campbell.

Bibliography

The hero of a thousand faces

Editions in English
Campbell, Joseph (2008).The Hero with a Thousand FacesNo text provided for translation.
withthousand0000camp_x3m0)Novato, California: New World Library.ISBN978-1-57731-593-3.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Meridian Book. The World Publishing Company. L.C.C.C.N. 56-6574.
Campbell, Joseph (1949).The Hero with a Thousand Faces([Link]
withthousand0000camp). Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Editions in Spanish
Campbell, Joseph (2020).The Hero of a Thousand FacesNo translatable text provided.
The hero of a thousand facesNew revised and improved translation by
Carlos Jiménez Arribas, with an extensive iconographic contribution including unpublished images
provided by theJoseph Campbell Foundation, as well as a complete bibliography
updated. Villaür:Atalanta Editions. ISBN978-84-122130-0-3.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
expanded, rustic, translation Luisa Josefina Hernández. Madrid:Culture Fund
Economic. ISBN9786071620132.

General bibliography
Joyce, James(1939)Finnegans WakeNew York: Viking Press.
MacKey-Kallis, Susan (2001). The hero and the perennial journey home in American film.
University of Pennsylvania Press.ISBN0-8122-1768-3.
Northup, Lesley (32.1(2006) pp. 5-10). "Myth-Placed Priorities: Religion and the Study of
Myth. Religious Studies Review.
Vogler, Christopher(1998).The writer's journey: mythic structure for writers.
rg/details/writersjourneymy00vogl. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions. Version in
Vogler, Christopher (2020).The writer's journey. The mythical structures for
writers, screenwriters, playwrights and novelistsThird expanded and revised edition
hardcover and cardboard. Ma Non Troppo [Link] 9788412136654/ 9788412231120.
by Franz, Marie-Louise (2021). Steven Buser and Leonard Cruz, ed. Collected Works of
Marie-Louise von Franz. Volume 2: Archetypal Symbols in Fairytales. The Hero's Journey
 (in English). Translation by Roy Freeman and Anthony Woolfson. Foundation for Jungian
Psychology & Chiron Publications.ISBN978-1-63051-951-3.
Voytilla, Stuart and Vogler, Christopher (1999).Myth & the Movies: Discovering the myth
structure of 50 unforgettable filmsThe provided text is a URL and cannot be translated..
Studio City, CA.: Michael Wiese Productions.ISBN0-941188-66-3.
This Hero Within Each of Us. The Power of Myths.
Book in French about Campbell's monomyth, Albin Michel.ISBN978-2226221476.

Books based on interviews with Campbell

Cousineau, Phil, ed. (1990).The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on his Life and Work.
New York: presented by Stuart L. Brown, executive editor. Harper and Row.
Bill Moyersby Betty Sue Flowers, eds. (1988). The Power of Myth. Spanish version:
Campbell, Joseph (2016).The Power of Myth. Interview with Bill MoyersTranslationCésar
Aira. Paperback. 300 pages, Essay Collection. Madrid: Editorial Capitán Swing.ISBN978-84-
944445-9-3.

DVD/Discography
Joseph Campbell and the power of myth1988
The Hero's Journey: The World of Joseph Campbell(1987)

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Thousand Faces. Princeton:Princeton 17. Campbell, 1970, pp. 130-147.
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#v=onepage&q=tendency&f=false

External links
Monomyth Website, ORIAS, UC Berkeley ([Link]
p://[Link]/hero/
The Monomyth Cycle
rs/mudjs1/[Link]
 Examples of Each Stage of a Hero's Journey
The provided text is a URL and does not contain translatable [Link] Star Wars and The Matrix
Hero's Journey
what_is_mythology.html
The Hero's Journey Defined. Anthony Ubelhor for ENG 104: FairyTathe, Myths, and Other
Archetypal Stories
The provided text does not contain translatable content.
CAMPBELLJoseph: The Hero with a Thousand FacesThe hero of a thousand faces), 1949.
Spanish translation ofLuisa Josefina Hernández. Economic Culture Fund. 1969.
2nd ed., from 1972.

Reproduction, infacsimileelectronic, in thesite ([Link]

Archive.
Prologue: The monomyth
e/n9).

Obtained fromUnable to access URLs. Please provide the text for translation.»