Hero's Journey Research Articles

Exploring Mythic Archetypes and Cultural Identity in the Plays of Girish Karnad

Girish Karnad, a visionary playwright and cultural icon, intricately weaves mythic archetypes into his theatrical narratives, reflecting the profound relationship between mythology, cultural identity, and contemporary human experiences. This study endeavors to delve into the plays of Girish Karnad, unveiling the archetype-driven structures that shape his theatrical works. By analyzing these archetypal narratives, the research aims to illuminate the deeper cultural and psychological implications they hold. The study commences by introducing the concept of mythic archetypes and their role in literature and theatre. It then focuses on a selection of Girish Karnad's plays, each drawing from ancient Indian mythology and folklore. By conducting a meticulous analysis of characters, plot structures, symbols, and themes, the study aims to identify recurring archetypes such as the hero's journey, the trickster, and the wise sage. Through the lens of archetype-driven narratives, the research aims to unravel the connection between mythic storytelling and the exploration of cultural identity. Karnad's plays often transcend time and place, tapping into universal human experiences while remaining grounded in their Indian context. By examining how these archetypal narratives resonate with both Indian and global audiences, the study illuminates how mythology serves as a bridge between tradition and modernity.

From Odyssey to Oedipus the King—Reflections on the Balance and Disequi Librium between Divine Order and Human Will

The Odyssey and The King of Oedipus are two enduring masterpieces that examine such timeless themes as fate, free will and the role of the gods in human affairs. Although they are both imbued with fatalism, they are represented differently in these two works. The Odyssey presents God as a guiding force, depicting the oracle's predetermination of the protagonist's fate and Odysseus's own review, efforts and contract with God during the hero's journey, reflecting the balance between the divine order and human beings. The King of Oedipus reflects God's control and manipulation of human nature through the oracle, and human's efforts are rendered as useless and futile struggles. God's order and human are presented as a complete imbalance. However, behind the dramatic effects of tragedy, the purpose is not to deny the human will, but to question God through dramatic effects, to improve the attention to human nature and the role of God in human affairs. Therefore, the difference between the two works is not the denial of the value of human nature, but the reflection on the relationship between man and God. This shows that in the context of ancient Greece, people gradually see themselves in the established laws of God and emphasize the will of human beings.

The construction and operation of the Southern Security Forces in the period 1973-1975

The role of the Vietnam Workers’ Party in shaping the organizational structure and operation of the Southern security forces in the period 1972-1975 is a topic of considerably historical and academic significance. The purpose of this article is to elucidate the process of construction, development, and operation of the Southern Security Forces during the struggle to implement the Paris Agreement and for the complete liberation of the South, leading to the reunification of the country (1973-1975) the Party’s leadership. The research results have further clarified the process of strengthening and enhancing the Southern Security Forces, reorganizing the organizational structure, intensifying operations, thwarting espionage and intelligence activities by the United States and the Republic of Vietnam government, contributing to a comparative shift in the balance of forces on the battlefield, ultimately culminating in the victory of the General Offensive and Uprising of Spring 1975. In the endeavor of the nation building and safeguarding, the mission of ensuring national security holds a uniquely critical position and is one of the decisive factors for the political stability and comprehensive development of the nation. The study of the construction and operation of the Southern Security Forces during the period of resistance against the United States, especially in the years 1973-1975, not only revisits an arduous and heroic journey in the history of the Vietnam People's Public Security’s confrontation with epoch-making international significance, but also reignites the people’s pride in the contemporary mission of safeguarding the nation's security.

Amikor (látszólag) semmi sem történik – A fontolgatás mint a változás feltétele

"When (Seemingly) Nothing Happens – Reflection as a Precondition for Change. This is the first of an eight-part series of essays primarily for young adults and those helping them to grow up (parents, teachers, mentors). The entire series deals with the “heroic journey” of growing up, following the monomyth transformation scenario described by Joseph Campbell. This archetypal journey begins with the prelude to change, with the discovery of worlds outside “my world”. Contemplation is part of all our lives, even if we do not foster it so consciously. Whether it takes the form of talking to others, an inner monologue, or a prayer to God, contemplation is important because together with pondering it can be a precursor to life-changing events. Change begins with a sense of lack, of being unsettled, but losing focus is part of the search for a way out. It is usually not easy to remain in a state of cluelessness, of being at a loss, but being out of focus is a chance to deepen our connection to ourselves and to move inner energies that can intuitively help us to find the solution to our questions of life. Keywords: contemplation, change, transformation, reflection, unlearning "

VIDEOGAMES AS A SPACE FOR RECONSTRUCTING MYTHOLOGICAL STRUCTURES

The article is dedicated to the cultural-philosophical study of the video game space as a place for the reconstruction of archaic mythological structures. The study of narrative video games, which emerged in the early 1980s, represents new media that interactively transmit mythological motifs into the gaming experience. To identify and study mythological elements in video games, the methodological basis includes the works of C.G. Jung and C. Kerényi, who developed concepts of archetypes in culture. Also utilized is the concept of the monomyth by J. Campbell, which involves the realization of the hero's journey cycle initially in legends and myths, and later in narrative artistic structures. The novelty of the study is determined by the low level of research into the replication of mythological elements in the environment of new interactive media. Analyzing the universality of myth in gaming realms is part of a comprehensive approach to studying the phenomenon of video games and is an important element of the non-reductionist concept in the field of Game Studies. The relevance of the work lies in the need to comprehend the video game experience as a practice of personal living through history by the player, rather than passive contemplation. The study identified trends in constructing plots in narrative games according to the principles of the monomyth. In narrative games of the late 20th century, we find more primitive expressions of monomyth elements, often associated with technological limitations in construct implementation. Instead, video games of the past two decades reflect the monomyth in its entirety, characterized by complications and repetitions of the hero's journey stages. Equally pronounced are the reconstructions of archetypes and archetypal figures in the video game space. Thus, among the first archetypal figures in the gaming industry are the images of the hero, translated into the player's avatar, the damsel in distress - as a plot-forming element, and the gatekeeper, realized in level bosses. Modern narrative games allow for the differentiation of additional archetypes, such as the mentor, shadow, or ally. The main feature of reconstructing mythological structures in the gaming space is recognized as interactivity and the ability to experience events in a virtual world, which creates a new type of experience for the player in actively realizing universal mythological motifs through playing myths, rather than simply observing them.

THE HEROES’ JOURNEY: AN ARCHETYPAL ANALYSIS OF HANSEL AND GRETEL

There are numerous fairy tales in the European tradition, and especially in the Grimms’ collection, that employ numerous archetypal themes, characters and motifs. This is true of the popular story, Hansel and Gretel. The examination of archetypes can be a laborious task given their rich psychological and cultural significance and their widespread use among seemingly distinct civilizations and genres. Accordingly, this study analyses the use of archetypes in the Grimms’ collection - through the example of Hansel and Gretel - to explore their full significance as these archetypes could potentially be a reason behind the enduring popularity of this story and the collection in general. The methodology of this study is based on the archetypal stages of the hero’s journey or quest as elaborated by Joseph Campbell in his seminal work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. This study has concluded that Hansel and Gretel skilfully employ numerous archetypal elements such as the evil women, order versus chaos, thresholds and helpers, and the trickster and the witch within the archetypal framework of a hero's journey to allow its protagonists to achieve psychological and moral maturity and material rewards. Through its few pages, Hansel and Gretel offers readers rich moral lessons about courage, regression, shrewdness, loyalty, evil, compassion and destiny through the use of the archetypal journey and its various elements.
 Keywords: Archetypes, fairytales, Hansel and Gretel, hero’s journey

Navigating a pathway of professional learning: Travelling the Hero's journey with first year pre-service teachers

Opportunities to investigate the emotionality and sensitivities of teaching are limited in initial teacher education (ITE) programs. Using the hero's journey structure, this paper reports the experiences of sixteen first-year preservice teachers (PSTs) in a 6-week pilot program. Participants volunteered at a community homework club as mentors and tutors of students who had experienced domestic violence. The PSTs' learning path was captured through a range of reflection activities undertaken before, during and after the program. Thematic analysis exposed trust and relationships as important allies on the journey, and reflective practice became an authentic tool to examine an emerging teacher identity.

Justice and the Zulu Heroic Ideals in Mazisi Kunene’s "Emperor Shaka the Great"

The discourse engendered within this scholarly examination was stimulated by Kunene's perspective on the ascendancy of heroism above justice. This paper explores the legendary deeds of Shaka who embodies the archetype of the Zulu epic hero, aiming to define the essence of Zulu heroic ideals. It argues that justice serves as the moral guide, directing the course of Shaka’s heroic endeavours. The study adopts a qualitative research method, since the selected text is narrative data. Theoretical inspiration that illuminates Shaka’s deeds is derived from Joseph Campbell’s theory of the hero’s journey, the mythos of adventure where the hero undertakes a journey to confront a formidable obstacle, wins in that confrontation and returns home with boons. Shaka’s journey from obscurity to legendary status as a warrior and leader reflects many aspects of the hero's journey, making Campbell's theory a relevant and insightful lens through which to examine Shaka’s heroic character. The study reveals that the poem's depth lies in its depiction of Shaka’s commitment to justice through his efforts to establish a more structured and equitable society, his promotion of meritocracy, his military discipline, and his protection of the Zulu people. The study concludes that contrary to the claim of Kunene that heroism is a higher virtue than justice in Zulu society, justice emerges as the quintessential bedrock upon which Zulu heroism is built, as those who act heroically are those who uphold the principles of justice that sustain the harmony and dignity in Zulu society.

Engineering Comedy In The Mekah I'm Coming Film Based On The Structure Of The Hero's Journey

Mekah I'm Coming is a comedy film. This film shows the drama of love and the conflict of hajj travel fraud. The comedy in this film seems exaggerated. The purpose of this study is to describe the journey of Heroism in the development of the main character. It is based on 12 structures of the hero's journey and analyzes the story's comedy techniques. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method. The data collection scheme used in this study is to watch the movie "Mekah I'm Coming". Furthermore, it is studied based on the 12 structures of heroes' journeys. Then determine the humor in the film. The analysis uses Arthur Asa Berger's comedy technique with four basic categories: language, logic, identity, and action. The study results show that the hero's journey contains the story of the main character, Eddy, who directs his adventures in pursuing love. The storytelling of the Mekah I'm Coming film uses comedy techniques in the language category, followed by logic, identity, and action. The comedy technique in this film does not only serve as the packaging of humor. But also as an introduction to character characteristics, building conflicts, and messengers to display social life problems that occur in society.

The Heroic Quest: Shadow-Journeys, Negative Journeys, and the Peril of the Call Unanswered in the Writing of G. Willow Wilson

Abstract Undertaking a close reading of the narrative structures of G. Willow Wilson’s two fantasy novels, Alif the Unseen and The Bird King and her memoir, The Butterfly Mosque, I explore how Wilson exposes the shadow side of the heroic quest structure (in which the quest is not undertaken), especially as it relates to women’s heroic journeys. She does this by portraying unconventional heroines and exploring the negative quest, or the call to adventure unanswered. Wilson highlights the catastrophic consequences of refusing to embark on the heroic journey after the potential hero is summoned by the call to adventure. Wilson also reimagines Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey in order to create a path for alternative heroes and heroines to flourish. She deftly uses narrative structure to situate unconventional heroines within their own contexts, especially with relation to Muslim women (both those who choose to veil and those who do not). Finally, Wilson demonstrates that women can embark on the Hero’s Journey in both its original form and in a remapped version suited to their circumstances.

Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing: Essays by Lauren Hough

Reviewed by: Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing: Essays by Lauren Hough MaxieJane Frazier (bio) leaving isn't the hardest thing: essays Lauren Hough Vintage https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623343/leaving-isnt-the-hardest-thing-by-lauren-hough/ 320 pages; Print, $16.95 I'm better at lying than I am at telling the truth because the lies don't make me nervous. —Lauren Hough Identifying Lauren Hough's memoir, Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing, as a heroic journey to self-discovery is a hopeful thing to do. Hough doesn't leave much room for "magical thinking" in this account of her life after growing up in a cult, but she perseveres through hardship, bringing readers along for the journey. Early on, she establishes the way she sought out belonging in different communities after leaving her bizarre upbringing, and she comes to know that she's seeking something more like belonging within herself than in groups without. Figuring out who she is, staying with herself, it turns out, is the hardest part. Early in the memoir, before we understand that Hough was part of the infamous Children of God cult for most of her childhood, she describes why she joined the Air Force: "I'd wear the same uniform as everyone else. They'd have to accept me because I was one of them. I'd find what every book I read, every movie I watched, told me: I'd find friends and maybe even a sort of family." She's seeking the kind of belonging so many young adults need as they leave high school and move into adulthood, and we come to know that it's even more important because she's been performing an unfamiliar American identity, almost a caricature of what it means to be American, and she thinks joining the Air Force will "seal the deal." But Hough has left one institution for another, and it doesn't take her long to recognize that she doesn't belong in the Air Force either. She describes the hate attacks she faced in a [End Page 23] year-2000 "Don't ask, don't tell" Air Force that help push her toward a community defined by sexual orientation. When she finally leaves the Air Force by admitting she is gay, she identifies the problem with signing up in the first place: "All I'd done was join another cult." She moves away from institutions and cults by finding a new plan for her life. Hough weaves the influences of her cult background into her response to adult experiences where she's constantly balancing her reaction to events with some concept she has fabricated of what she thinks of as "normal." Vividly evoking the social fabric of the early 2000s with references to music, clubs, and a form of Washington, DC, where wealthy gay people ooze positivity, she once again feels like a misfit with the group of people where she thought she'd finally belong. She unfolds her growing awareness that rejecting the Children of God as a lifestyle didn't banish its impact on the rest of her life. The controlling idea of the memoir stems from her abuse at the hands of cult members: "One thing I learned late in life is there are people who are shocked when bad things happen to them," and she isn't one of those people. Hough reinforces this tough persona with "Most of the time, I figure it's better to know the universe doesn't pay out favors for magical thinking." She makes it clear from the beginning of the book that she is an unyielding pessimist. Hough gives us entry to myriad worlds that privileged people might choose to ignore or about whose existence they might literally be ignorant. She pulls back the curtain on Children of God, renamed The Family, as well as the increased rate of military homosexual discharge during "Don't ask, don't tell," but she also shows the insecurity of people without deep family resources to bolster their success or even their survival. Hough rides the razor's edge of homelessness, the modern-day equivalent of tenement living, and...

Videogames as an ‘Unheroic’ Medium: The Child Hero's Journey

In this article, I examine two contemporary videogames that engage critically and imaginatively with conventional definitions of heroism. In Röki (Polygon Treehouse) and Knights and Bikes (Foam Sword Games), the child-avatars loosen the connection between maturity and self-reliance by framing interdependence as both an inevitable and a desirable condition of human society. Furthermore, by emphasizing children's supposed malleability, these games insist on the relationality of identities: they suggest that one's identity depends on the interactions one has with individuals and institutions. I suggest that by centering cooperation, these games destabilize myths of independence and autonomy that surround the lone hero of hyper-individualism and thereby challenge assumptions about the kinds of heroism videogames can portray.

Gameful Design of an Application for Patients in Rehabilitation

The design process of any interactive application is an important part of its lifecycle, since it largely defines its structure, means of interaction with the users and its actual content. In the case of applications related to medical uses and self-help, it is even more important, given the aims of the application, the diversity of target users and the urgent need for increased retention. In this article, we present a gameful design process for a mobile application targeted toward patients in rehabilitation, implementing concepts related to increasing user rapport and motivation through gamification, and means to offer guidance and personalized services to improve user experience. Both gamification and personalization build on narrative concepts, by putting patients in the place of a “hero”, offering them the opportunity to overcome “challenges” and receive a clear view of their progress (a.k.a. a “hero's journey”), both in terms of physical and mental condition. Finally, we discuss measurable indicators used to evaluate the application in terms of the progress that patients showed, their motivation and interest, and degree of adherence to the exercise plans.

SHIVA, THE REAL HERO IN AMISH TRIPATHI'S THE SECRET OF THE NAGAS

Amish Tripathi turned to be a prolic writer from being a banker. He imbibes the mythological stories that are evergreen and transforms it with modernity to suit the contemporary times without blemishing their uniqueness and greatness. His family background being bibliophiles enabled him to become more knowledgeable about myth and other aspects related to it. In his work The Shiva Trilogy, he focuses on drawing the attention of the people towards current barriers that affect the society. The mythical characters and their endeavors serve to be a source for interpretation from social, political, ecological, and many more aspects. The Protagonist in the three novels is an archetypal hero who can be emulated to become a better human. Monomyth acts as an archetypal narrative that showcases the Hero's journey from his initial attempts and struggles to nal success. Shiva an embodiment of strength, erce nature, dancer and protector is projected with humane tendency, gets elevated to the position of Hero by his actions and noble thoughts. The mythological god is brought down to the level of a human being to illuminate the idea, that man can raise to the higher level of life if he realizes his mistakes, self worth and duty to society , and involve in meaningful endeavours. Nature being destroyed does avenge upon the humans and this truth is palpable through his work.

Gadgeteering for Pain Relief: The 2021 John W. Severinghaus Lecture on Translational Science.

In this first memorial lecture after John Severinghaus's death in 2021, the author traces his journey as a physician-scientist, using the framework of the hero's journey as described by the author Joseph Campbell 40 to 50 yr ago, and parallels that journey to his own. The author discusses how each were gadgeteers: Severinghaus in a creative engineering way, while the author's approach was asking simple questions translating basic research in pain from animals to humans. The classic hero's journey of departure to achieve a goal, then trials, transformation, and finally, returning with benefits to the individual and others is translated to the common physician-scientist career with motivations progressing from "I will show" to "I wonder if" to "I wonder why." Critical to this journey is self-questioning, openness to new ideas, and realizing that progress occurs through failure as much as success.

Borders of Masculinity: The Hero's Journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown into one of the most popular entertainment franchises since its debut film in 2008. Even with competition rising in the superhero film industry, the MCU continues to stand out due to its unique and intricate depiction of the hero’s journey. The three foundational heroes of the MCU (Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor) illustrate how toxic expressions of masculinity create borders to their emotional development and character growth, borders that they must overcome along the hero’s journey. In his first film, Iron Man, Tony Stark begins to reevaluate the path that his father laid out for him when he undergoes a major moral transformation that makes him realize the violent impact of weapons manufacturing at Stark Industries. By becoming Iron Man, Tony makes a commitment to bettering himself and serving as a protector, but his insecurities continue to manifest into his public image as hero until his final appearance in Avengers: Endgame. Captain America, though not the most obvious depiction of toxic masculinity, struggles with the same identity issues as Tony Stark. From his first film, Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve Rodgers battles with insecurities that stem from always having been the “little guy.” Steve constantly starts fights that he cannot win to stand up for others, and repeatedly enlists to the WWII draft despite being rejected due to poor health every time. His desperation to fulfill the hero role separates him from his only love, Peggy Carter, by an uncrossable border, time, until he gives these toxic traits up to return to her in Avengers: Endgame. Thor also struggles to fill his father’s shoes as the king and protector of his home world, Asgard. His need to be seen as a hero and fierce warrior make him impulsive and quick to violence, which puts his kingdom at risk and bases his self-esteem on this image of himself. Though Thor’s arc isn’t finished yet, Avengers: Endgame illustrates his coping with his failure to fulfill this image as he rebuilds his self-esteem into his own identity. These three heroes demonstrate how toxic masculinity creates borders to their personal growth and progression along the hero's journey.

WOMEN FIGURES IN FANTASY ART

People say that “Never judge a book by its cover,” but the cover of the book invites us towards it. I remember, during my college years, of going to a bookstore, named” IDEA” in New Delhi, and buying an expensive book named “ENCHANTMENT” stories by Doris Vallejo, Illustrated by Boris Vallejo. The thing, that attracted me, was cover of the book. At that point of time, I was not prepared for reading stories, but I bought this book because of its illustrations, which enchanted me. In Fantasy Art, we see a visual world and feel a World of Imagination which is a representation of reality. In Fantasy art, we can time travel and become anything of our choosing. This is not the world, we know and live in, but a world of our conceived and perceived imagination. In this imaginative world, female figures, plays a key role in provoking our feelings, invite us, for a heroic journey to explore an unknown world. Through this article, I would like to invite you to join me, on a fantastic journey of this female representation in Visual World and become part of this Fantasy Artwork. To build the idea of FANTASY ART from a linguistic understanding following writings lead us on, the Meriam webster dictionary define art as “The conscious use of skill and creative imagination, especially in the production aesthetic objects; also; works to produce”. In Shabdkosh Hindi Dictionary, “The creation of beautiful or significant things”. “The product of human creativity; works of art collectively”. The definition, I listen in my college is “Art Is Representation of Reality”. Regardless of definition, we all know about what art is and what it is not. Dictionary meaning of word fantasy is “Imagination unrestricted by reality” and fantasy art meaning is, an imaginative world, that could be, may it be, would have been, or could never be. In this imaginative art style, the artwork which can be thought provoking, whimsical, challenging, disturbing, unreal, and challenging of notions of rationality.

Cultural Performances and Practices in Kirtipur: A Mythic Perspective on Lakhe Dance, Arts and Literature of Newars

Kirtipur is a historical place of Nepal that is important for its geographical location, arts and cultural performances. Majority of the people living in Kirtipur are Newars and they perform special Newar Dance, Lakhe Dance, Satgaunle Jatra, Ghatemangal etc. The performances help to study the Newars arts, culture and literature which are quite interesting while studying from mythical perspective. Myth centers on transformation of consciousness, the hero journey, human feelings, understanding, observation, actions, experiences and, life and death rituals. This study undergoes on cultural performances and spiritual growth of the time derived themes and ideas from a long standing, scenarios/socio-historical context. Primitive mental images inherited from the earliest human ancestors are reflected in Lakhe Dance performances of Kirtipur as they perform in different forms. Objective of this study is to capture the mythical images and present events in field based method relating with human feelings and thoughts in social-survey for views collection. It also subjectivizes on human cruelty, socio-cultural violence and dis-harmony representing the past reality and present excitement for socio-cultural changes in a different way. This article presents a brief sketch of a new perspective on cultural orientation to mythical world as Lakhe Dance reflects practices of the past and creates the meanings to the present. Lakhe Dance is one of the tools to excavate Kirtipur’s history through Cultural Studies in this research that helps to carry out the expected result. I have tried to study and examine the performances and analyze the narratives in Newar literature from mythical perspectives.

From envoy journals to legation reports: regulating knowledge of the world in late imperial and modern China

ABSTRACT In the Qing dynasty, the diary-form for intelligence gathering was perfected by Tulišen, whose travelogue to Central Asia allowed the Kangxi emperor’s “imperial eyes” to assume vicarious witness to that heroic journey. Prior to China’s stationing of resident ministers abroad in 1876, envoy journals similar to Tulišen’s were commonly used for information gathering. In the next three decades, the genre of envoy communication became a fertile field for trials and experimentations, as Qing diplomats adjusted their method of communication to the changing needs of the state and the prevalent media and information technology. When the Qing dynasty established China’s first bureau of foreign affairs (Waiwubu) in 1901, the modern-style “foreign office” required radically new genres for diplomatic communication, which prioritized systemization, standardization, and a complete elimination of subjective experience. These diplomatic reports, akin to Western-style bluebooks, were separated from classified information and thus designed for domestic circulation. Tracing the evolution in diplomatic communications from late imperial China to the turn of the twentieth century, this paper seeks to unpack how new views of the foreign were shaped by new genres, new media, and new diplomatic institutions.

The Flying Ace as a Hero: An Analysis of the Representations of Douglas Bader and Erich Hartmann

This study develops a four-factor framework (4F model) based on fear, suffering, values, and characteristics for analyzing depictions of physical-risk martial heroism. Specifically, this framework is applied to assess representations of two World War II flying aces, the Royal Air Force pilot Douglas Bader and his German contemporary from the Luftwaffe, Erich Hartmann. On investigation, it is revealed that Bader and Hartmann are either described as fearless or capable of continuing their heroic journey despite their fears. Moreover, the literature contends that both these pilots experienced immense suffering but eventually overcame them. Regarding values, Bader is portrayed as a conservative patriot, whereas Hartmann is said to be a romantic and chivalrous hero. In terms of their characteristics, the depictions of Bader highlight both his positive and negative traits, whereas the darker sides of the hero are virtually absent in the rosy representations of Hartmann.