The Hero CycleThe Hero Cycle

It’s epic!It’s epic!

Call to AdventureCall to Adventure

► The hero is called to The hero is called to adventure by some adventure by some external event or external event or messenger.messenger.

► The hero may The hero may accept the call accept the call willingly or willingly or reluctantlyreluctantly

Supernatural Aid/AmuletSupernatural Aid/Amulet

►During the early During the early stages of the stages of the journey, the hero journey, the hero will often receive will often receive aid from a aid from a protective figure. protective figure.

► The helper gives the The helper gives the hero a protective hero a protective object or weapon object or weapon for the journey.for the journey.

►Helpers take all Helpers take all sorts of forms:sorts of forms: Wizard,Wizard, Old man,Old man, Dwarf,Dwarf, Crone,Crone, Fairy godmotherFairy godmother Etc.Etc.

Crossing the ThresholdCrossing the Threshold► The threshold of The threshold of

adventureadventure► The hero must go The hero must go

through an ordeal through an ordeal to go from the real to go from the real word to the world word to the world of adventureof adventure

► Contrast of familiar Contrast of familiar (light) and (light) and unfamiliar (dark)unfamiliar (dark)

► Commitment to Commitment to journey!journey!

Hero’s ReconciliationHero’s Reconciliation

► The hero MUST The hero MUST confront deathconfront death Confronts personal Confronts personal

weaknessweakness

► Fear, loneliness, Fear, loneliness, despair count as a type despair count as a type of deathof death

► Hero is led to Hero is led to enlightenment or enlightenment or maturitymaturity

► Change Change

Road of TrialsRoad of Trials

► The hero must meet The hero must meet and overcome and overcome overwhelming obstaclesoverwhelming obstacles Often violent encounters Often violent encounters

with monsters, sorcerers, with monsters, sorcerers, warriors, or forces of warriors, or forces of naturenature

► Sometimes secretly Sometimes secretly advised by advice, advised by advice, amulets, and secret amulets, and secret agents of the agents of the supernatural helpersupernatural helper

Final Battle/TransformationFinal Battle/Transformation

►While the goal is While the goal is sometimes tangible, sometimes tangible, the success or the success or achievement is achievement is more spiritualmore spiritual

►Maturity/growth is Maturity/growth is more important more important than object of the than object of the goalgoal

Return/ElixirReturn/Elixir

► The changed hero The changed hero crosses back to the crosses back to the everyday world from everyday world from the world of the world of adventureadventure

► The object, The object, knowledge, or knowledge, or blessing that the hero blessing that the hero acquired in/during the acquired in/during the adventure is not used adventure is not used everyday.everyday.

MythologyMythology

OdysseyOdyssey Background Background informationinformation

What are myths?What are myths?► A story based on tradition or legendA story based on tradition or legend

Generally has a deep symbolic meaningGenerally has a deep symbolic meaning

► ““Conveys a truth” to those who tell and hearConveys a truth” to those who tell and hear Doesn’t necessarily record a true eventDoesn’t necessarily record a true event

►Often used to explain universal and local Often used to explain universal and local beginnings and involve supernatural beingsbeginnings and involve supernatural beings

► The great power of the meaning of these The great power of the meaning of these stories, to the culture in which they stories, to the culture in which they developed, is a major reason why they survive developed, is a major reason why they survive as long as they do (1000s of years!)as long as they do (1000s of years!)

6 Categories of Myth6 Categories of Myth

1.1. CreationCreation2.2. Human PsychologyHuman Psychology3.3. Science/NatureScience/Nature4.4. HistoryHistory5.5. Cultural Cultural

Values/RitualsValues/Rituals6.6. Concepts/PhilosophyConcepts/Philosophy

► Myth comes from the Myth comes from the Greek word muthos Greek word muthos meaning “anything meaning “anything uttered by word of uttered by word of mouth.” The word itself mouth.” The word itself explains to you how explains to you how most ideas, stories and most ideas, stories and news were transmitted news were transmitted by humans for a long by humans for a long time, orally. Mythology time, orally. Mythology is seen as fiction, but is seen as fiction, but fiction with a particular fiction with a particular purpose... what is that purpose... what is that purpose? purpose?

What is an epic poem?What is an epic poem?

► A long narrative A long narrative poem that:poem that: Is complex,Is complex, Revolves around Revolves around

several main several main characters,characters,

Spans several years,Spans several years, Cannot be told in Cannot be told in

one sittingone sitting

Can you think of examples?Can you think of examples?

► Lord of the RingsLord of the Rings► Star WarsStar Wars► ????

Eight Key Traits of an Epic Eight Key Traits of an Epic PoemPoem

1.1. Heroic FigureHeroic Figure• A very human heroic A very human heroic

figure who performs figure who performs heroic deeds. heroic deeds.

• Imposing statureImposing stature• Of national or Of national or

international international importanceimportance

• Of great historical or Of great historical or legendary legendary significancesignificance

2. Setting:2. Setting: Vast in scopeVast in scope Covering nations, Covering nations,

the world, or the the world, or the universeuniverse

3. The action:3. The action: Consists of deeds of Consists of deeds of

great valor or great valor or requiring requiring superhuman superhuman strengthstrength

Eight Key Traits (cont)Eight Key Traits (cont)

4. The poet’s role:4. The poet’s role: Recounting the deeds of Recounting the deeds of

the hero with objectivitythe hero with objectivity

5. Themes:5. Themes: Universal (timeless and Universal (timeless and

across all cultures)across all cultures)

► Themes in Themes in OdysseyOdyssey Hospitality Hospitality LoyaltyLoyalty Importance of lineageImportance of lineage Pride and honorPride and honor Resisting temptation Resisting temptation

/self-discipline/self-discipline Importance of leadershipImportance of leadership JusticeJustice RevengeRevenge Fate Fate ReconciliationReconciliation

Eight Key Traits (cont)Eight Key Traits (cont)

6. Epithet:6. Epithet: An adjective or An adjective or

adjective phrase adjective phrase used to point out a used to point out a characteristic of a characteristic of a person or thingperson or thing►““Grey-eyed” AthenaGrey-eyed” Athena►““All-seeing” ZeusAll-seeing” Zeus►““rosy-fingered” dawnrosy-fingered” dawn

7. Simile7. Simile Epic poems use long Epic poems use long

similes where the similes where the image becomes an image becomes an object of art in its object of art in its own right as well as own right as well as serving to clarify the serving to clarify the subjectsubject

Eight Key Traits (cont)Eight Key Traits (cont)

8. 8. In media res:In media res: ““in the midst of in the midst of

things.”things.” Literary techniqueLiterary technique

►Opens the story in the Opens the story in the middle of the action middle of the action and then supplies and then supplies information about the information about the beginning of the beginning of the action through action through flashbacks and other flashbacks and other devices of expositiondevices of exposition

Let’s look at the categories of Let’s look at the categories of myth!myth!

►Read each myth and designate which Read each myth and designate which category you think is the category you think is the main main purpose of each myth. Supply purpose of each myth. Supply oneone quote quote from each myth as evidence to from each myth as evidence to support your claim. Which category do support your claim. Which category do you think goes with which myth and you think goes with which myth and why? In addition you will designate a why? In addition you will designate a secondary, and if necessary, tertiary secondary, and if necessary, tertiary purpose for the myths.purpose for the myths.