The Hero’s JourneyThe Hero’s Journey

Notable literary archetypes Notable literary archetypes within within The Epic of GilgameshThe Epic of Gilgamesh and the epic poem; and the epic poem; BeowulfBeowulf

The Call to AdventureThe Call to Adventure

• The call to adventure is the point in a The call to adventure is the point in a person's life when they are first given person's life when they are first given notice that everything is going to notice that everything is going to change, whether they know it or not. change, whether they know it or not.

The ThresholdThe Threshold

• This is the point where the person This is the point where the person actually crosses into the field of actually crosses into the field of adventure, leaving the known limits adventure, leaving the known limits of his or her world and venturing into of his or her world and venturing into an unknown and dangerous realm an unknown and dangerous realm where the rules and limits are not where the rules and limits are not known. known.

The DescentThe Descent

• The protagonist is tested and found The protagonist is tested and found vulnerable, but the outcome reveals a vulnerable, but the outcome reveals a part of him/her that s/he did not know part of him/her that s/he did not know existed. The assistance given the existed. The assistance given the protagonist begins to come into play in protagonist begins to come into play in the story, and s/he is not expected to the story, and s/he is not expected to face the trials alone (sometimes called face the trials alone (sometimes called “The trail of trials”)“The trail of trials”)

The InitiationThe Initiation

• A normal occurrence motivates the A normal occurrence motivates the protagonist to acknowledge an protagonist to acknowledge an unknown aspect of his/her world, feel unknown aspect of his/her world, feel a restlessness with the constraints of a restlessness with the constraints of his/her life, or find a new world that his/her life, or find a new world that s/he was not aware existed. s/he was not aware existed.

The AbyssThe Abyss

• Near the middle of the story, the Near the middle of the story, the hero enters a central space in the hero enters a central space in the Special World and confronts death or Special World and confronts death or faces his or her greatest fear.  Out of faces his or her greatest fear.  Out of the moment of death comes a new the moment of death comes a new life.  life. 

The TransformationThe Transformation

• At the climax, the hero is severely At the climax, the hero is severely tested once more on the threshold of tested once more on the threshold of home.  He or she is purified by a last home.  He or she is purified by a last sacrifice, another moment of death and sacrifice, another moment of death and rebirth, but on a higher and more rebirth, but on a higher and more complete level.  By the hero’s action, complete level.  By the hero’s action, the polarities that were in conflict at the the polarities that were in conflict at the beginning are finally resolved beginning are finally resolved (sometimes referred to as “the (sometimes referred to as “the resurrection” or “apotheosis”)resurrection” or “apotheosis”)

The AtonementThe Atonement

• A father figure may be portrayed as the vengeful A father figure may be portrayed as the vengeful male threatened by the rise of the hero and so male threatened by the rise of the hero and so establishes a horrifying conflict. The hero seeks establishes a horrifying conflict. The hero seeks atonement or "at-one-ment" with the father. atonement or "at-one-ment" with the father. Despite a wrathful figure, the hero has faith that Despite a wrathful figure, the hero has faith that The Father is merciful and he must rely on that The Father is merciful and he must rely on that mercy. In turn, The Father has a change of heart mercy. In turn, The Father has a change of heart and the fearful image dissolves. The hero is and the fearful image dissolves. The hero is released from the situation through released from the situation through reconciliationreconciliation, , forgivenessforgiveness and and mercymercy..

GuidesGuides

• The inexperienced protagonist is The inexperienced protagonist is provided a supernatural, guiding, provided a supernatural, guiding, and/or guarding character, or an and/or guarding character, or an instrumental item (sword, instrumental item (sword, encouragement, etc.) to assist encouragement, etc.) to assist his/her step forward into the his/her step forward into the unknown.unknown.

HelpersHelpers

• Oftentimes the ally may be a hero already Oftentimes the ally may be a hero already in their own right, someone who has had in their own right, someone who has had their own hero's journey and is now taking their own hero's journey and is now taking part in the new hero-to-be's journey and in part in the new hero-to-be's journey and in many ways they become greater heroes many ways they become greater heroes for having partaken of the other hero's for having partaken of the other hero's journey. But sometimes, the ally does not journey. But sometimes, the ally does not experience new growth and is simply there experience new growth and is simply there to aid the hero and when their purpose is to aid the hero and when their purpose is complete they step aside for the new hero complete they step aside for the new hero to come into her own.  This person may be to come into her own.  This person may be a mentor or a “sidekick”.a mentor or a “sidekick”.