Joseph Campbell's Journey of a Hero as applicable to Harry Potter

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28-04-2013

Post Graduate Diploma In Comparative Mythology Department ! "ans#rit$ %niversity ! Mum&ai

'arry Potter and (oseph Camp&ell)s Monomyth *heory +'ero Myths, Dissertation

-%t#arsha otian #otianut#arsha.gmail/om

*a&le o! Contents

2

Introduction

03

Archetypes

06

Part One: Departure

14

Part Two: Initiation

26

Part Three: Return

35

or!s "ited

40

Introdution

Harry Potter and Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth Theory – Utkarsha Kotian

2

Introduction

03

Archetypes

06

Part One: Departure

14

Part Two: Initiation

26

Part Three: Return

35

or!s "ited

40

Introdution

Harry Potter and Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth Theory – Utkarsha Kotian

3

A #ythica$ %ero is de&ined as the core character o& any #yth' one who (rin)s a(out a chan)e and there(y (eco#es an e*tra+ordinary person, This %ero ushers in the new era and $eads society towards chan)e and (eco#es the prota)onist o& #any stories that are descri(ed as his -.ourney/, The .ourney o& such a %ero is seen in a$$ #yths around the wor$d in $iterary wor! as we$$ as ora$ stories, The .ourney o& the %ero is perhaps the #ost i#portant e$e#ent o&  the story' which &o$$ows the co#in) o& a)e as we$$ as the shapin) up o& #ora$ character o& the %ero, uch %eroes are a$so &ound in popu$ar $iterature as we$$ as #oies, One such %ero o&   popu$ar $iterature is %arry Potter' the %ero o& oanne ath$een Row$in)s %arry Potter series, tartin tartin) ) with with the &irst pu($icati pu($ication on in 1 1 o&  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone' Stone' Row$in)' the author o& the (oo!s un$eashed the i#a)ination o& a )eneration to who# (oo!s were see#in)$y $ost, ithin a #onth o& the re$ease o& the $ast (oo! in 200' the series was dec$ared as the (i))est story o& success whi$e it topped a$$ charts o& (estse$$ers o& a$$ ti#es, The secret o& success o& the series is in the nature o& the $ead %ero o& the (oo! 7 %arry Potter, A (oy o& e$een years' %arry discoers he is a wi8ard and is $ead into a 9uest to de&eat the #ost ei$ wi8ard o& a$$ ti#e 7 o$de#ort' &or#s the #ain story arc o& the series, A$$ %eroes are said to hae certain traits and characteristics characteristics that can (road$y (road$y (e seen in a$$ %eroes o& the past o& a$$ cu$tures, The %ero is truth&u$' &i)hts ei$' is .ust etc, are so#e  popu$ar the#es, oseph "a#p(e$$ in his (oo! The Hero with a Thousand Faces  su##arises the entire .ourney o& any %ero' across stories;era;cu$tures into his a)ini' %arry and Ron reconci$e and yet a)ain eade capture &ro# Kenophi$ius oe)oods house whi$e &indin) c$ues a(out the Death$y %a$$ows, u(se9uent$y' %arry enters ?rin)otts'

Harry Potter and Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth Theory – Utkarsha Kotian

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destroys another %orcru* a&ter (rea!in) into %o)warts' &inds the $ast %orcru* and &ina$$y instructs >ei$$e to !i$$ >a)ini (e&ore surrenderin) hi#se$& to o$de#ort, hen he co#es  (ac! to $i&e' he &i)hts o$de#ort once #ore and !i$$s hi# and there(y endin) the war once and &or a$$,

2/ Meeting ?ith the Goddess

This is the point when the %ero e*periences a $oe that has power and si)ni&icance and is a$$ enco#passin)' unconditiona$ $oe that an in&ant #ay e*perience with his #other, This sta)e is where the %ero understands the power and i#portance o& $oe' thus e$eatin) his e*perience &ro# the #undane to the spiritua$, The ai# o& $oe and power is hence a power&u$ driin) &orce, This $oe' #ore o&ten than not' appears in the &or# o& a &e#inine character or  &or#, , , Row$in) has ti#e and a)ain e#phasised on the power o& oe and its necessity in %arrys $i&e, ince o$de#ort is (orn as a resu$t o& a union #ade possi($e (y a $oe potion' he cannot e*perience nor understand $oe' thus $oe is %arrys (i))est power, As e*p$ained to %arry (y Du#($edore' the power that %arry possesses and the Dar! ord does not understand is his #others protection that arose out o& her $oe, It was ancient #a)ic that o$de#ort oer$oo!ed,

 0o( )o(ld be prote&ted by an an&ient ma.i& o- )hi&h he kno)s' )hi&h he despises' and )hi&h he has al)ays' there-ore' (nderestimated A to his &ost* , am speakin.' o- &o(rse' o- the -a&t that yo(r mother died to sa7e yo(*