Ignore the link in the title. It does nothing and I cant fix it. This link however, will take you to a page on the stages of the Hero Cycle as described by Campbell. As you watch the video its relevance to all mythology should become plain. This is a way to interpret some of the great hero stories as well the great myths that we have already read. In addition Campbell's Hero Journey has a direct connection to the lives of "ordinary" folks like us and gives us a way to translate the important experiences in our lives to a spiritual plane the way myth does.
During the course of the video he mentions George Lucas and the Star Wars series of films. Campbell was actually an advisor to George Lucas on those films and that is probably the reason why they came out so good. The focus on the hero myth also brings the cosmological scale of mythology down to the personal scale. I believe it was Campbell who said that "myths allow us to live a good life in any time". This is shown to be true in Star Wars as well as Arthurian Legend and even farther back into what we have already read. Tommorrow i will discuss the Stages of the Hero Journey (from website) in more detail.
Finally, I would like you all to begin sending me ideas you have for the final project. Please send me at least one idea in the next few days. Also remember that the second part of your American Gods essay is due this weekend. Enjoy the film.
I found this movie to be very interesting. I liked how Campbell explained the hero theory and could relate it to all people not just heroes. He spoke about not only Jesus being a hero but the fact that in some ways even a child's growth from conception to birth is an act of heroism. I never would have thought about birth being heroic but it really is.We can see heroes also in teens that give up their childhood to become adults. That hit home to me because I have a teenager. I guess I never saw the idea that in essence a part of him is dying to be born into adulthood. Campbell was a wonderful man who I would have loved to hear speak. He really made me connect to what a true hero means. We can all be true heroes if we just seek out the hero within us.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting that Campbell used examples such as Sherlock Holmes and Star wars while talking about and explaining the stages of the Hero Cycle. By doing so, it makes it a lot easier to understand all aspects of mythology, and put what you are learning into perspective. The way Campbell described everything throughout the reading was very clear and easy to understand, which made it easy to learn.
ReplyDeleteI found this video to be a lot more interesting than others, also because of the references to modern concepts that most are familiar with today, it made it alot easier to understand and follow along.
ReplyDeleteI think that the way Campbell described the hero cycle, I found it to be true that we all have a little "hero" in us all.