The Power of Myth

In this chapter, Campbell describes the structure of the hero’s journey myth, which is shared across many cultures. The hero is a figure who leaves his society, goes through a series of trials, performs a courageous or spiritual deed, and returns with something of value for his community. Campbell argues that the myth is a metaphor for the transformation of consciousness that takes place in the journey from childhood to adulthood. He uses his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces to explore the vision quest aspect of hero myths, and he differentiates between a hero, a leader, and an enemy using the example of Napoleon. Hero myths usually depict the founding of something significant within a community such as a religion, a city, or a way of life.

Campbell and Moyers find lasting value in the hero myth because the pattern of growth from childhood to adulthood is repeated across cultures and through time. The two men engage in a close reading of Star Wars –a modern hero’s journey with many mythological themes. Campbell distinguishes a myth from a fairy tale by the age of the intended