This document discusses myths, heroes, archetypes, and approaches to studying mythology. It provides definitions for myth, the mythic hero, and archetype. It describes Jung's concept of the collective unconscious and Campbell's model of the mythic hero's journey, which involves stages of departure, initiation, and return. The document also outlines Freud, Jung, Levi-Strauss and Campbell's contributions to the study of myth and quotes Campbell on the value of studying myths and following one's bliss.

2. Myth Myth is an anonymous story that presents supernatural episodes as a means of interpreting natural events.

3. Myth makes concrete and particular a special perception of human beings or a cosmic view. “Gustave Moreau: Oedipus and the Sphinx (1864).” By Euthman. 26 June2008. Flickr.

4. Myths have a startlingly similar group of motifs, character types, and events. “Luke Skywaler.” Star Wars. George Lucas Films.

5. Hero In mythology and legend, a hero is a person, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods. “Hercules and the Hydra.” Detail. By Guido Reni. Wikimedia Commons.

6. Heroes are constructions; they are not real. “Theosophie & Alchemie.”Detail. By Basilius “Valentinus” & Thölde, Johann.. Wikimedia Commons.

7. All cultures have similar heroes because mythic heroes express deep psychological aspects of human existence. “The Star to the Hero.” By N.K.Rerikha. Wikimedia Commons.

8. Archetype Archetype is a term that applies to an image, a descriptive detail, a plot pattern, or a character type that occurs frequently in culture. Jung suggested they are in the human unconscious. “Generosity (Dana Paramita).” Detail. Larlo. 13 Nov. 2008. Flickr.

9. Archetypes evoke profound emotions because they touch the unconscious memory, are recognizable, and call into play sometimes illogical but strong responses. “Drifting.” Detail. Larlo. 13 Nov. 2008. Flickr.

10. Approaches to Myth Most analyses of myths in the 18th and 19th centuries showed a tendency to reduce myths to some essential core — whether the seasonal cycles of nature, historical circumstances, or ritual. Myth was reduced to these essentials “Infinite Symbol.” By Irarqerich 13 Nov. 2008. Flickr.

11. In the 20th century, investigators began to pay closer attention to the content of the narratives. “Pressure.” By Kevin Dooley. 23 May 2009. Flickr..

12. Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud held that myths —like dreams— condense the material of experience and represent it in symbols. “Sigmund Freud, 1926.” Wikimedia Commons.

13. Freud’s pupil Carl Jung viewed myths not as relics of the infancy of the human race, but as revelations of humanity's tendency to draw on a collective store of what he called archetypes—a set of patterns in the unconscious mind that people in all cultures express through similar images and symbols. “Carl Gustav Jung, 1922.” TherapyNow.

14. Collective Unconscious Jung postulated that humans do not have separate, personal unconscious minds, but rather that humanity shares a collective unconscious.

15. French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss argued that the primary function of myths is to resolve contradictions between such basic sets of opposites as life and death, nature and culture, and self and society. That is, myth-making is a varied and complex human activity. “Claude Levi Strauss.” By Saga Bardon. 19 May 2008. Flickr..

16. Joseph Campbell (1904- 1987) American writer, editor, and teacher, and most foremost world-renowned interpreter of mythology. theorized that all myths and epics are linked in that they are cultural manifestations . . . “Joseph Campbell, 1985.” Wikimedia Commons.

17. . . . of the universal need of the human psyche to explain social, cosmological, and spiritual realities. “Joseph Campbell, 1985.” Wikimedia Commons.

18. Campbell’s book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949), became a classic. From his study of myths he asserted that there is a single pattern of heroic journey and that all cultures share this essential pattern in their various heroic myths. Cassler, Mary Ann. “ “Hero Mosaic.” Cover Art The Hero with a Thousand Faces. 1949. New York: New World Library, 2008.

19. He outlined the basic conditions, stages, and results of the archetypal hero's journey – the Hero Myth.

22. Departure The Call to Adventure Refusal of the Call Supernatural Aid The Crossing of the Threshold The Belly of the Whale 1977. Lucasfilm.

23. Initiation The Road of Trials The Meeting with the Goddess Woman as the Temptress Atonement with the Father Apotheosis The Ultimate Boon—Elixir 1977. Lucasfilm. 1977. Lucasfilm.

24. Return Refusal of the Return The Magic Flight Rescue from Without The Crossing of the Threshold Freedom to Live --Mastery 1977. Lucasfilm.

25. Campbell on Myth “The myth lets you know where you are. It knows what the patterns of life have been through centuries and what position you now are entering or holding.” “The Path Towards the Rainbow.” By Sky#Walker. 23 June. 2008. Flickr.

26. Campbell on Mythic Hero “All the life-potentialities are there [in the unconscious]; for such golden seeds do not die. If only a portion of that lost totality could be dredged up into the light of day, we should experience a marvelous expansion of our powers, a vivid renewal of life. We should tower in nature. Moreover, if we could dredge up something forgotten not only by ourselves but by our whole generation or our entire civilization, we should become indeed the boon-bringer, the cultural hero of the day-- a personage of not only local but also world historical moment.” “April Sunrise 2.” By Shoebappa. 11 Aug. 2008. Flickr.

27. Campbell on Following Bliss “We are having experiences all the time which may on occasion render some sense of this, a little intuition of where your bliss is. Grab it. No one can tell you what it is going to be. You have to learn to recognize your own depth. All the time. It is miraculous. . . . If you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. . . . Follow your bliss.” “Open Road.” By Stuck in Customs. 19 Nov. 2007. Flickr.

28. Can you define & explain? myth mythic hero archetype collective unconscious mythic hero journey “Open Road.” By Stuck in Customs. 19 Nov. 2007. Flickr.

29. What did these guys contribute to the study of myth? Freud Jung Strauss Campbell “Open Road.” By Stuck in Customs. 19 Nov. 2007. Flickr.

30. Do you recall? Three main stages of the mythic hero journey At least two sub stages in each Give an example from an epic narrative “Open Road.” By Stuck in Customs. 19 Nov. 2007. Flickr.

31. Quotable Campbell List at least three reasons why we should care about (or three things we gain by) studying the mythic hero journey, according to Campbell. “Open Road.” By Stuck in Customs. 19 Nov. 2007. Flickr.

32. Charles Youngs, 2009 Some rights reserved. Most images used by Creative Commons or Wikimedia Commons licensing. Otherwise copyrighted material used here as “fair use” for limited distribution , for education, and noncommercial purpose only.