Before We Start
This is the first entry in what I’m calling From the Archive, a series for non-technical writing. Research essays, thought pieces, things that don’t fit the usual mold of what I post. Not everything has to be about code or systems.
I wrote this back in 2015 for an English class in college. Looking back at it now, I’m still kind of proud of it. Not because it’s perfect or groundbreaking, but because it represents a version of me who genuinely cared about unpacking something complicated.
Joseph Campbell’s monomyth is one of those ideas that feels obvious once you see it. Every story follows the same basic structure: separation, initiation, return. The hero leaves home, faces trials, and comes back changed. It’s in everything from Star Wars to The Matrix to your favorite superhero movie. But what makes it interesting is how consistent it is across time and culture. The same patterns show up in Homer, in Vergil, in Swift. That’s wild when you think about it.
This essay was my attempt to prove Campbell’s theory by breaking down three very different texts: The Odyssey, The Aeneid, and Gulliver’s Travels. I wanted to see if the monomyth structure actually held up when you looked closely. Spoiler: it does.
I’m posting this purely for fun. It’s not going to change your life or teach you how to build software. But if you’ve ever wondered why every story feels vaguely familiar, or if you just like nerding out about mythology and literature, maybe you’ll enjoy it. I’m keeping it exactly as I wrote it in college, typos and all. Consider it a time capsule.
Here we go.
The Monomyth: Its Prevalence in The Odyssey, The Aeneid, and Gulliver's Travels
Cody Williamson
November 16, 2015
Joseph Campbell made a very significant impact in literature when he published his work on the monomyth in 1949 with The Hero with a Thousand Faces. In his book, he details the underlying plot to all myths, stories, films, etc. which is separation – initiation – return. This is the nuclear unit to all literature. He then breaks down each category into several smaller subcategories. I will use these to break down and compare the elements of three different texts to prove his theory. The monomyth is present in The Odyssey, The Aenied, and Gulliver’s Travels.
Campbell’s term “monomyth” was coined by James Joyce in Finnegans Wake. It alludes to the fundamental properties of the myth, the basic qualities of all legends and heroes, that transcends the limits of cultures and periods of time. He attempted to fulfill the psychological function behind the minds of writers and their audiences (Indick 3). Campbell summarizes the formula of his monomyth:
“The mythological hero, setting forth from his commonday hut or castle is lured… to the threshold of adventure… then the hero journeys through a world of unfamiliar yet strangely intimate forces, some of which severely threaten him (tests), some of which give magical aid (helpers). When he arrives at the nadir of his mythological round, he undergoes a supreme ordeal and gains his reward. The triumph may be represented as the hero’s sexual union with the goddess-mother of the world (sacred marriage), his recognition by the father-creator (father atonement), or his own divination (apotheosis)… The final work is that of the return… At the return threshold the transcendental powers must remain behind; the hero re-emerges from the kingdom of dread… The boon he brings restores the world.”
This summary serves as the underlying structure of the monomyth, which is rather complex, but simple when filled with the fiction of myth.
Separation starts with the “Call to Adventure.” This “call” can be understood as the hero of the story is forced to tumble with forces that are not rightly understood (Campbell I 56). Often coined departure, the hero has to “depart” from his normal life for an adventure which leads into the hero’s initiation. The adventure typically begins with a force unknown, even supernatural, deterring the hero from his destination, whether that destination be spiritual, physical, or any other. The hero will have to overcome these determents. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus begins his journey home after the Trojan war (“Call to Adventure”). On his way, Zeus destroyed his ship and crewmates (Fagles VII). This is Odysseus’ first blunder in his journey. A supernatural force beset Odysseus’, and now he is on his way into initiation. As Campbell explains, “The adventure may begin as a mere blunder … [a] passing phenomenon catches the wandering eye and lures one away from the frequented paths of man.” (Campbell I 60). Zeus’ derailment of Odysseus’ ship leads him on another path of his other captains, thus beginning his true adventure. In Vergil’s The Aeneid, we are introduced with yet another young hero, Aeneas. His call to adventure begins with the fall of Troy, as he is ultimately forced to leave his loved ones to found a new home (Vergil II). As he is leaving, his wife falls behind, and is killed. This is Aeneas’ first blunder in his journey. This time it is not a supernatural force that takes her, but a “ripple on the surface of [his] life,” in which the Aeneas’ “spiritual center of gravity” is upturned (Campbell I). Another element of the hero’s separation is his separation from society (Phillips 4). In the two examples above, we see that Aeneas is literally separated from Trojan society as he sets out on his journey. With Odysseus, he separated from his crewmates, his “society,” as they all are killed by the shipwreck. Essentially, both characters are alone and have to face what comes next by themselves. Gulliver’s Travels by Johnathan Swift embodies the monomyth structure frequently throughout the book. In book four, for example, Gulliver leaves his wife pregnant at home while he sails abroad once again (“Call to Adventure”). As he sets out, his men conspire against him, and he is left on a strange island (Swift IV). This is his initial separation, blunder, and separation from society.
Campbell further breaks down departure into “Refusal of the Call” and “The Crossing of the First Threshold.” Refusal of the call is when the hero loses their “power of significant affirmative action and becomes a victim to be saved” (Campbell I). Odysseus exemplifies the refusal when he is captured on Calypso’s island for nine years where he wails, cries, and prays to be home. He has lost his will to do anything about his situation, thus Campbell’s monomyth structure is evident once again. “The Crossing of the First Threshold” is arguably one of the most important subcategories in the separation element of the monomyth, as it is when the hero finally decides to go on with the call of adventure, and take his first steps into the unknown. Campbell describes the hero meeting the “threshold guardian,” which can be represented as an enemy, helper, or event. The purpose of the guardian is to coax the hero into his journey. Aeneas crosses the first threshold when he is faced with his wife’s ghost (Vergil II). Aeneas is now in “full career of his adventure” as he now accepts there is nothing left in Troy for him (Indick 6). On the other hand, we have Gulliver encountering the Houyhnhnms for the first time. This is Gulliver’s “threshold guardian[s]” as he is immersed in a “sphere of rebirth” whilst learning the ways of the horse society, and thus hating the Yahoos, or humans (Campbell I). Gulliver’s Travels is a unique embodiment of the monomyth because it embellishes the structure so frequently. Given it is a book of many adventures, but it shows even more proof of the monomyth as Gulliver has departed and crossed many thresholds.
The next phase of the monomyth is the initiation, or trial. “Once having traversed the threshold, the hero moves in a dream landscape… where he must survive a succession of trials” (Campbell 81). This “Road of Trials” is the first sub-phase of initiation, one where the hero will face several challenges that will put his life and his loved ones in danger. The hero will often have to experience great sacrifice before he reaches the end of his journey. This great sacrifice leads to the hero’s “Apotheosis”, his “symbolic death and spiritual rebirth” (Indick 6). In The Odyssey, it is hard to find Odysseus’ “Apotheosis” as the poem is more so a glorification of Odysseus rather than Odysseus being rebirthed; however, another aspect of “Apotheosis” is when the hero has a time of rest and enjoyment before the return phase. In Odysseus’ case, this would be when he was with the Phaeacians, as he was treated with such hospitality before he returned to Ithaca. In The Aeneid, it’s been argued that Aeneas’ “Apotheosis” happens after the tale ends, where Venus and the other gods literally deify him, as revealed in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The final element of initiation is the “Ultimate Boon.” Aeneas’ “Ultimate Boon” takes place at the very end of the story. The “Ultimate Boon” is often seen as the climax of the story. The Aeneid ends with Aeneas killing Turnus. This is the most climatic part of the tale as the long war Aeneas was in is now over. The Aeneid ends here, leaving the reader for more and with many questions. We don’t get to see Aeneas return, which is the final part of Campbell’s monomyth.
The return phase is the final stage in the hero’s journey. As he has departed, gone through his initiation, he must now return back to his normal life. This phase consists of the “Refusal of the Return,” “Crossing of the Return Threshold,” and “Freedom to Live.” The refusal is which the hero does not want to return to his normal life, as he felt more alive than ever while on his adventuring than he does at home. This is especially evident with Gulliver and the Houyhnhnms. When he returns home, he is disgusted by his wife and children, even referring to his wife as an “odious animal” (Swift 244). The “Crossing of the Return Threshold” is, alas, at home. The crossing may infer one last final fight or challenge the hero has to overcome, such as Odysseus finally killing the suitors in Itaca. Finally, there is “Freedom to Live.” The hero has conquered all challenges, he has departed, been initialized, and has crossed the return threshold to live his life as he pleases. After Aeneas has killed Turnus, the reader is left to infer that Aeneas’ monomyth is over; he is free to live as he chooses.
There are some elements to Campbell’s monomyth that are missing from each of these tales; however, one must remember that Campbell’s monomyth did not serve as set in stone plan for all literature. He merely detailed common elements of every myth, screenplay, literature, etc., to find the psychological drive for human story-telling (Indick 3). Each text presented in this paper follows the linear plot he underlined: separation, initiation, and return. Joseph Campbell’s monomyth is prevalent in every story ever told, whether they meet each criteria he set forth. He saw the hero as a “symbol of self” and his adventure as a “symbol of life,” as he subsequently focuses entirely on the hero’s journey (Indick 2). This model of the hero and the monomythic structure that is discussed in this article coincide fittingly with the texts provided, as each hero’s life is changed as a result of their adventure.
Works Cited
Bartlett, Lee. “Gary Snyder’s “Myths & Texts” and The Monomyth.” Western American Literature Summer 1982 17.2 (1982): 137-148. JSTOR [JSTOR]. Web.
“Campbell’s ‘Hero’s Journey’ Monomyth.” Campbell’s ‘Hero’s Journey’ Monomyth. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.
Fantham, Elaine. Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2004. Print.
Homer, Robert Fagles, and Bernard Knox. The Odyssey. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Indick, William, Ph. D. “Classical Heroes in Modern Movies: Mythological Patterns of the Superhero.” Journal of Media Psychology Fall, 2004 9.13 (2004): 1-14. Dowling College. Web.
Jones, Prudence J. Reading Rivers in Roman Literature and Culture. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web.
Phillips, Steven R. “The Monomyth and Literary Criticism.” College Literature Winter 1975 2.1 (1975): 1-16. JSTOR [JSTOR]. Web.
Swift, Johnathan, and Albert J. Rivero. Gulliver’s Travels. New York: W. W. Norton, 2002. Print.
Virgil, and Robert Fitzgerald. The Aeneid. New York: Random House, 1983. Print.
The Monomyth in Tamriel: An Elder Scrolls Deep Dive
The Elder Scrolls is my favorite game series of all time. I’ve spent more hours in Tamriel than I’d care to admit, and somewhere along the way I started noticing things. The main quest lines in Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim follow Campbell’s monomyth structure almost perfectly. You’re the chosen one. You’re thrust into adventure. You face trials, you gain power, and you return to save the world.
But here’s where it gets interesting. There’s an actual in-game book called “The Monomyth” that explores how different cultures in Tamriel interpret their creation myths. It examines the Altmeri, Yokudan, and Cyrodiilic views of the gods and the universe’s origin. Bethesda was clearly aware of Campbell’s work and built it directly into their lore.
I want to write a full deep dive into this. Not just the monomyth structure in the main quests, but the broader mythology, the daedric princes, the concept of CHIM, the Godhead theory, the idea that Tamriel itself might be a dream. The lore runs deep, and I’ve been meaning to catalog my thoughts on it for years. I’m also curious to find the Christian threads woven through the games, whether intentional or not. Themes of sacrifice, redemption, resurrection, the battle between order and chaos. They’re all there if you know where to look.
If you’re a fellow Elder Scrolls nerd and want to see this happen, let me know. It would be a departure from my usual content, but sometimes you just have to write about the things you love.
Looking Back
Rereading this nearly a decade later is strange. I can see where I was trying too hard to sound academic, where I could have made the argument tighter, where I probably should have cut a few sentences. But you know what? It holds up. The core argument is solid. Campbell was onto something real.
Here’s what I missed though. The biggest piece of evidence for the monomyth isn’t in Homer or Vergil or Swift. It’s in the one story that actually happened. Jesus Christ. The original hero’s journey. He leaves heaven, takes on human form, faces trials and temptation, dies, descends, resurrects, and ascends back to the Father. Separation, initiation, return. The monomyth isn’t just a literary pattern. It’s woven into the fabric of reality because it mirrors the true story of redemption.
Every myth, every legend, every hero’s journey is an echo of that. Not because ancient writers sat down and decided to copy the Gospel structure, but because the Gospel is the story that makes sense of everything else. The reason we recognize the monomyth across cultures and time periods is because humanity instinctively knows there’s a true story underneath it all. We’ve been retelling it in different forms for millennia.
I might rewrite this essay someday. Not to fix the academic parts, but to explore it from a theological perspective. How does the monomyth look when you understand it as a reflection of the only story that’s actually true? What does it mean that we keep telling variations of Christ’s story without always realizing it? That’s a different paper. Maybe a better one.
The monomyth isn’t some rigid template that every story has to follow. It’s more like a pattern that emerges when you look at enough stories from enough cultures. The specifics change, the settings change, the heroes change, but the underlying structure stays the same. That tells you something about how humans process narrative, about what we find meaningful in stories. Or maybe it tells you something deeper about the shape of truth itself.
These days I spend more time building software than analyzing literature, but the pattern recognition skills are the same. You start to see structures everywhere. In code, in systems, in stories. The monomyth is just one example of a deeper truth: humans love patterns, and we build them into everything we create. Sometimes because we choose to. Sometimes because we can’t help it.
I’m glad I wrote this. I’m glad I cared enough about it to dig deep and make a real argument. College me did alright. If you made it this far, thanks for reading. Now go watch a movie and see if you can spot the monomyth for yourself. I guarantee it’s there.
Enjoyed this article? Share it with others!