Week 10 Discussions: Approaches to Hero Myths; The Epic of Gilgamesh

This discussion is in two parts. First, respond to any three of the following:

• Campbell's Monomyth: The Monomyth (link): Choose any one of these heroes, whom we have already studied, and plot their lives using the monomyth.

  • Heracles
  • Theseus
  • Perseus
  • Atalanta
  • Jason
  • Sigurd
  • Achilles
  • Odysseus
  • Aeneas

• Plots of Hero Stories: Campbell's monomyth, Raglan's 22 point scale, and Propp's 31 functions of the fairy tale all focus on the plots of hero stories. Can you see any of these elements in comic books, TV programs, or movies. For instance, our lesson in Module 4 makes several connections between the monomyth and Star Wars. Movies like Adventures in Babysitting, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Princess Bride can also be looked at using these approaches. Identify specific examples from the monomyth, the 22 point scale, or the 31 functions that fit specific programs, movies, shows, books, or comic books.

• Italian Stock Characters: The following is an excerpt from Module 4:

  During the medieval age, the Italian commedia dell'arte included four stock characters: the harelquin, the capitano, the pierrot, and the scaramouche ("Commedia dell'arte," pars. 5-6). The harlequin was a humorous character, a "faithful valet, patient, credulous, and amorous,. . . . amoral without being vicious" ("Harelquin," par. 1). The capitano was a "pretentious but cowardly military man. . . . His blustering claims to wealth and military and amatory successes were exploded, often by the roguish asides of his squire and confidant" ("Capitano," par. 1). The pierrot was a young likeable but "simpleminded and honest servant," who was often "an unsuccessful lover" and the butt of his fellows' jokes ("Pierrot," par. 1). The scaramouche was a con man and ruffian, unreliable, who frequently was in trouble, but managed always to slip away unscathed leaving one or more of his companions to take the blame ("Scaramouche," par. 1).

  Can you find examples of these characters in works of fiction, TV, movies, drama, comic books, or other media?

• General archetypes: Can you provide general examples of archetypes in various media--TV, movies, books, comic books, video games, commercials, and so on?

• Archetypal Characters: Can you find examples of Pearson's or Propp's archetypal characters in literature, the media (TV, movies, commercials), comic books, video games, and so on?

AND THEN, respond to this discussion of The Epic of Gilgamesh:

What makes Gilgamesh a hero? How does Gilgamesh compare to Enkidu? What is the relationship between Gilgamesh and the gods? What does this suggest about the nature of the hero according to Mesopotamian views? What matters most to Gilgamesh and why?

Be sure to give well developed responses, and respond to the posts of at least two of your classmates.