Readers of Antiquity

The Hero with a Thousand Faces could be considered his Magnus Opus. Published by Princeton University Press in 1949, it became the skeleton key that unlocked the hidden wisdom of mythic-symbolism.

This book describes the 'Mono-Myth', a term coined by James Joyce, and the psychological theme of every myth, that being the rites of passage and the recurring emotions of separation, initiation, and return. These stories help the conscious mind realize that everything is all right; life is both terrifying and beautiful.

Let us look quickly at some main participants and themes in a mythological story.

Tragedy and Comedy represent the dual aspects of life. The beautiful child that we see picking up seashells may accidentally drown. The Hero and the God are man's attempt to reach the sublime state of complete control and understanding.

Departure on the hero's journey is symbolic of the separation from the mother at birth. The Call to Adventure is the separation from the family, when you try to find your own way in the world. Sometimes this separation is forced, caused by a blunder, or ordained by God.

The Refusal of the Call is the hero's reluctance to enter into their life's mission. It is usually followed by misery and heartache. God placed Jonah in a womb-like structure as if to signify his child-like behavior.

Signs and guides are sent to confirm the hero's call. Supernatural Aid is sent to boost the reluctant hero's confidence. This instills the idea that the gods and their magic will help him through any danger.

The Crossing of the First Threshold is a step into the unknown. It represents the entrance and exit of life, that being birth and death. It can be anything, a bridge, a cave, or mountaintop. It's a place where the spiritual and natural world meet.

Before going any further, let me state that myth successfully deals with psychological stress. As turmoil arises from our subconscious, it arranges itself in concrete terms that can be vented. This is the true origin of every myth and religion in the world. So, the invention of myth is a way of dealing with psychological energies and conveying spiritual truths.

Entering the first threshold, the hero is now ready for the initiation. He or she has to overcome all manner of tests, ordeals, obstacles, and barriers. The witches and ogres of the mind have to be defeated.

Then comes the Meeting of the Goddess. She is mother, sister, mistress, and bride. She is the promise of eternal joy. As with most mothers, she can be good or evil. This Universal Mother can comfort, smother, or punish. This leads back to Freud, when the mother becomes a Temptress. He believed that every man's desire is to be his own mother's husband. Being seduced by this mother-goddess uncovers deep-seated horror, disgust, and phantasmagoric fears. This Goddess represents the Oedipus complex. Shades of this myth can be seen in Hamlet, a suffering hero being torn apart by inner torment.

Atonement with the Father is wanting to appease God with your actions or deeds. The Ultimate Boon, The Return, Refusal of the Return, and the Magic Flight all deal with the hero's desire to stay in the realm that he has just conquered. He is often made to leave the place of pleasure and blessings by an outside force or by blundering.

Leaving by 'The Return Threshold', he emerges from death enlightened and reborn. He has become the 'Master of the Two Worlds', having a foot on both sides. This can be seen in Christ on the 'Mount of Transfiguration.' He is at once both divine and mortal.

The goal of religion and myth is to psychologically help us deal with the fear and wonderment of being alive. The Hero passes through the most terrifying circumstances imaginable and yet returns unharmed and blessed. The telling and retelling of these stories have allowed people the freedom to live without fear.

We all have a hero's journey to accomplish; perhaps it's leaving home for college or the first day on a new job. Today, the modern songs and stories that hit the mythic nerve encourage us to face our fears and awaken the Hero within.