Joseph Campbell is an author most remembered for the concept of “The Hero’s Journey”, a series of storytelling tropes that is widely used in popular culture.
My own feeling is that Mr. Campbell had the weakness shared by too many folklorists (such as James “Golden Bough” Frazier, Robert Graves, Jane “Themis” Harrison and Margaret “Witch Cult” Murray) of taking too much a “one size fits all” approach to both folklore and mythology. @_@
There’s nothing wrong with a formulaic plot. It allows the creator to focus more on story and character. It’s when the formulaic plot becomes the story, rather than the backbone of the story, that it’s a problem.
Well, when I read a couple of his works, I thought them dull—but that was some time ago, and I was looking less for information and more for entertainment. Perhaps they’d read better if I read them now.
Of course I got the information…important, it was, too, for cultural history and for writers trying to craft stroies. Start with “The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”
I’ve always been a bit curious whether there’s more to Campbell’s “monomyth” than nigh-tautological assertion that all stories are basically the same when you strip away everything that makes them different.
But not curious enough to bother reading his book.
Knowing what all cars have in common is extremely important if you want to build one that works. Or take one apart without breaking it. Or even invent a new design that breaks the mold and improves upon the standard.
The monomyth is essentially a patent. It’s not a proper story in and of itself, but it illustrates enough of the details of how stories function to form a complete and functional model.
On the other hand, knowing what all cars have in common, and thinking that it’s what all vehicles have in common, will leave you very confused when you see a boat.
@Chris: Even after making that critical (and avoidable) error, I think that an experienced car mechanic could still be much better equipped to understand the first boat they see than someone who is more open-minded but has only a passing familiarity with other vehicle types.
That said, this could be argued to simply be an example of the critical difference between information and understanding. Anyone who *really* understands how cars work would be able to see lots of non-car possibilities and potential applications for the various parts and systems a car contains. They wouldn’t make the mistake of believing themselves to be fully-informed.
It’s hard to notice, but mythical heroes never have crippling hay fever or asthma. Missing limbs, sure. Sneezing ten times a minute? That tends to put a crimp on *any* heroic mission — at least any that doesn’t take place entirely in wintertime.
Campbell was talking more about the “epic” stories, which is why Star Wars fit in so nicely. There are certain elements that are very common in such stories. If you have trouble reading Campbell’s prose, try to find the PBS series that he did. That is much easier to digest. His actual ideas about story structure and folklore really are very interesting. They may not be universal, but they really do apply to a lot of stories from a lot of cultures.
Who’s Joseph Campbell?
My cousin.
Joseph Campbell is an author most remembered for the concept of “The Hero’s Journey”, a series of storytelling tropes that is widely used in popular culture.
It’s not just popular culture. It’s basically a template for one of the mythological plots that exists in most civilizations.
Further details about the sort of tropes Mr. Campbell thought he detected may be found here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomyth
My own feeling is that Mr. Campbell had the weakness shared by too many folklorists (such as James “Golden Bough” Frazier, Robert Graves, Jane “Themis” Harrison and Margaret “Witch Cult” Murray) of taking too much a “one size fits all” approach to both folklore and mythology. @_@
I’m not overly familiar with Campbellian Monomyth, but I get the impression that it amounts to glorified cliche.
This may, of course, be deeply unfair.
Not really. I do actually kind of like him, but there’s no denying he’s way overdone and over simplified (which I guess isn’t really his fault).
I liked him too. His enthusiasm for mythology was contagious. His downfall was that he let himself be co-opted by George Lucas.
Yeah, it’s the oft-repeated error where “you can kinda think of it like this” becomes “things have to work this way.”
There’s nothing wrong with a formulaic plot. It allows the creator to focus more on story and character. It’s when the formulaic plot becomes the story, rather than the backbone of the story, that it’s a problem.
Well, when I read a couple of his works, I thought them dull—but that was some time ago, and I was looking less for information and more for entertainment. Perhaps they’d read better if I read them now.
Of course I got the information…important, it was, too, for cultural history and for writers trying to craft stroies. Start with “The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”
I’ve always been a bit curious whether there’s more to Campbell’s “monomyth” than nigh-tautological assertion that all stories are basically the same when you strip away everything that makes them different.
But not curious enough to bother reading his book.
Knowing what all cars have in common is extremely important if you want to build one that works. Or take one apart without breaking it. Or even invent a new design that breaks the mold and improves upon the standard.
The monomyth is essentially a patent. It’s not a proper story in and of itself, but it illustrates enough of the details of how stories function to form a complete and functional model.
On the other hand, knowing what all cars have in common, and thinking that it’s what all vehicles have in common, will leave you very confused when you see a boat.
@Chris: Even after making that critical (and avoidable) error, I think that an experienced car mechanic could still be much better equipped to understand the first boat they see than someone who is more open-minded but has only a passing familiarity with other vehicle types.
That said, this could be argued to simply be an example of the critical difference between information and understanding. Anyone who *really* understands how cars work would be able to see lots of non-car possibilities and potential applications for the various parts and systems a car contains. They wouldn’t make the mistake of believing themselves to be fully-informed.
Questing heroes are often more practical in that regard then people seem to realize. ^_^
wait wait wait, I thought bringing back more snacks was one of the last stages of the myth cycle, after confronting the father figure.
Wasn’t that bringing home the bacon?
Bacon. Snacks. The difference does not concern a Jedi.
Oh, the inhaler. So that is why I never became mythical heron. I always wondered.
It’s hard to notice, but mythical heroes never have crippling hay fever or asthma. Missing limbs, sure. Sneezing ten times a minute? That tends to put a crimp on *any* heroic mission — at least any that doesn’t take place entirely in wintertime.
There’s one series about a wizard who’s allergic to magic…
One of the famous Seven Dwarfs was known for his sneezing fits…
Yes, allergies are rather an obstacle when it comes to changing into a legendary bird.
For a mad scientist, Virginia sure needs someone to show her how to board up a place: What particular hole is she worrying about, anyway?
The snake’s exit hole?
Alfie: guy. The middle cobras: girls. Meg: girl? No wonder Alfie’s such a messed-up teenager…
Timmy is probably still around there somewhere.
Did they say “So Long, Norman?”
Poor Meg 🙁
Not only did they leave her behind, the snakes took all the snacks! 🙁
Actually, sneezing is at the core of a number of traditional folktales, just not the ones that Campbell was talking about. For example:
http://www.uexpress.com/tell-me-a-story/2012/8/12/three-sneezes-an-estonian-folktale
Campbell was talking more about the “epic” stories, which is why Star Wars fit in so nicely. There are certain elements that are very common in such stories. If you have trouble reading Campbell’s prose, try to find the PBS series that he did. That is much easier to digest. His actual ideas about story structure and folklore really are very interesting. They may not be universal, but they really do apply to a lot of stories from a lot of cultures.