According to Joseph Campbell, a scholar of mythology, the following list identifies some of the characteristics of a hero. Campbell believes that the characteristics of a hero have their roots in most myths.  A hero gives his or her life to something bigger than him/herself, to some higher end. A hero performs a courageous act, either physical or spiritual. A hero is usually someone from whom something has been taken or who feels there's something lacking in the normal experience available, or permitted, to members of his society. A hero embarks on a series of adventures to recover what is lost or to discover some life-giving information. The hero usually moves out of the known, conventional safety of his/her own life to undertake the journey. The hero undergoes trials and tests to see if he or she has the courage, the knowledge and the capacity to survive. A hero has to achieve something. A hero's journey usually consists of a departure, a fulfillment, and a return. Source: Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth (1988, New York: Doubleday) Choose a heroic figure you read about in your assigned reading for the week. Examples might be: Theseus, Oedipus, Calaf in Turandot , King Arthur, Siddhartha, Moses, Mohammed, cowboy hero, Frodo. Or, choose a heroic figure from a book, a film, or a comic/cartoon series with which you are familiar. Write a 1-2 page essay explaining how your hero exemplifies two of Campbell’s characteristics of a hero. Offer specific details, examples, and explanations for each feature. .

1. According to Joseph Campbell, a scholar of mythology, the
following list identifies some of the characteristics of a hero.
Campbell believes that the characteristics of a hero have their
roots in most myths.
A hero gives his or her life to something bigger than
him/herself, to some higher end.
A hero performs a courageous act, either physical or spiritual.
A hero is usually someone from whom something has been
taken or who feels there's something lacking in the normal
experience available, or permitted, to members of his society.
A hero embarks on a series of adventures to recover what is lost
or to discover some life-giving information.
The hero usually moves out of the known, conventional safety
of his/her own life to undertake the journey.
The hero undergoes trials and tests to see if he or she has the
courage, the knowledge and the capacity to survive.
A hero has to achieve something.
A hero's journey usually consists of a departure, a fulfillment,
and a return.
Source:
Joseph Campbell's
The Power of Myth
(1988, New York: Doubleday)
Choose a heroic figure you read about in your assigned reading
for the week. Examples might be: Theseus, Oedipus, Calaf in
Turandot
, King Arthur, Siddhartha, Moses, Mohammed, cowboy hero,
Frodo.
Or, choose a heroic figure from a book, a film, or a
comic/cartoon series with which you are familiar.
Write a 1-2 page essay explaining how your hero exemplifies
two of Campbell’s characteristics of a hero. Offer specific
details, examples, and explanations for each feature.