Meta Description: Join Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle as they explore Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Discover the 12 stages of the Monomyth, the meaning of Katabasis and Recusatio, and how Star Wars fits the mold.
Introduction: Return to the Vomitorium
Welcome back to the “vomitorium,” listeners! In Episode 58 of the Ad Navseam Podcast, hosts Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle return from a hiatus to tackle one of the most influential figures in modern mythology: Joseph Campbell.
Broadcasting after Dr. Noe’s recent travels—where he experienced a “car rental catabasis” and learned to “Beware of Florida Man” (Cave Virum Floridianum)—the hosts dive into the structure that underpins everything from The Odyssey to Star Wars.
If you are a student of the Latin language, a lover of film, or just someone wondering why every hero story feels strangely familiar, this episode is for you. We are deconstructing the Monomyth, exploring the “Hero’s Journey,” and asking the big questions: Was Joseph Campbell a genius, or just a guy who really liked soup? (Spoiler: It’s a different Campbell).
Who Was Joseph Campbell?
Before analyzing the myth, we must analyze the man. Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) was a public intellectual who saw his own life in mythic terms. Born to wealth, he traveled Europe as a young man and harbored a specific ambition: he wanted to be a combination of Douglas Fairbanks (the swashbuckling actor) and Leonardo da Vinci (the artist-intellectual).
Campbell was a bit of a maverick in academia. He dropped out of his PhD program because he believed there was “no greater symbol of ignorance” than a PhD in the liberal arts4. Instead, he retreated to a shack in Woodstock, New York, during the Depression, where he claims to have read for nine hours a day for five years.
Eventually, he landed a position at Sarah Lawrence College, where he taught for 38 years. His work was heavily influenced by the psychology of Carl Jung, specifically the concepts of the “Collective Unconscious” and “Archetypes”.
The Monomyth: The Hero with a Thousand Faces
In 1949, Campbell published his magnum opus, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The central thesis is the Monomyth: the idea that all mythic narratives are variations on a single story.
Campbell argued that whether you are reading about Jesus, Buddha, Odysseus, or Luke Skywalker, you are reading the same essential structure. The hero’s journey is a cycle, often described like a clock, taking the protagonist from the ordinary world into the supernatural and back again.
Here are the 12 Stages of the Hero’s Journey, viewed through the lens of the Latin language and classical tradition:
1. The Ordinary World (1)
The hero starts in a mundane existence. Think of Luke Skywalker as a moisture farmer, Frodo in the Shire, or Harry Potter under the stairs. This creates a contrast for the adventure to come.
2. The Call to Adventure (2)
A problem or challenge disrupts the hero’s life. The land is dying, a princess is captured, or a letter arrives. The hero is pushed out of the nest.
3. Refusal of the Call (3)
In Latin literature, this is known as the Recusatio (refusal). The hero balks at the threshold. They make excuses. Ovid famously opens his Amores with a recusatio, claiming he cannot write epic poetry. In Campbell’s model, the hero fears the unknown.
4. Meeting the Mentor (4)
The hero needs guidance. Enter the mentor figure: Gandalf, Yoda, Dumbledore, or in Greek mythology, Chiron the Centaur (who trained Achilles and Jason)12121212. In the Marvel Universe, Dr. Noe notes that Tony Stark serves as the mentor to Peter Parker (Spider-Man), an Avenger (Latin: Ultor) guiding the next generation.
5. Crossing the Threshold (5)
This is the point of no return. The hero leaves the ordinary world and enters the “special world.” It is a liminal space (from the Latin limen, meaning threshold). Once you cross, you cannot go back the same person.
6. Tests, Enemies, and Allies (6)
The training montage. The hero learns whom to trust and whom to fight. They gain sidekicks (Robin, Samwise Gamgee) and face minor challenges to prove their mettle.
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave (7)
The hero draws near to the central danger. This is Theseus entering the Labyrinth or Luke Skywalker approaching the Death Star trench. It is a moment of self-doubt where friends are often separated.
8. The Supreme Ordeal (8)
This is the climax of the journey, known in the classics as the Katabasis (a Greek term used frequently in Latin contexts, meaning “descent”).
- The Concept: The hero must face death or a representation of death.
- Examples: Odysseus journeying to the Underworld (Nequia), Aeneas descending to see his father, or Luke Skywalker facing the spectral Vader in the cave on Dagobah.
- Significance: The hero must “die” to their old self to be reborn.
9. Seizing the Reward (9)
Having survived death, the hero takes the prize. This could be the Golden Fleece, the Holy Grail, or the princess (Andromeda, Ariadne). Dr. Noe notes that in classical myths, this “reward” often leads to dysfunction (see: Jason and Medea), whereas modern Disneyfied versions end in marriage.
10. The Road Back (10)
The hero is not safe yet. This stage often involves chase scenes. You do not simply walk out of Mordor; you have to fight your way home.
11. Resurrection (11)
The hero crosses the return threshold, forever changed. They have mastered both worlds. Perseus returns to save his mother; the Hobbits scour the Shire.
12. Return with the Elixir (12)
The hero brings the boon back to their people. It might be wisdom, peace, or a physical object. However, in tragic myths like Gilgamesh, the elixir (the plant of eternal life) is often lost at the last moment.
Star Wars: The Monomyth in Space
One of the reasons Campbell became a household name was his influence on George Lucas. As a film student, Lucas read The Hero with a Thousand Faces and realized his early draft of Star Wars aligned with the steps—but he refined the script to follow Campbell’s blueprint even more closely.
Dr. Noe points out the brilliance of the opening line: “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.”
Lucas was signaling that while the setting was futuristic (spaceships and lasers), the story was ancient. He was retelling the Monomyth for a modern age.
Christianity and the Hero’s Journey
Is the Monomyth compatible with Christian faith? Campbell viewed God as a “metaphor for a mystery,” suggesting that religions are just different cultural expressions of the same psychological truth.
However, the hosts discuss C.S. Lewis’s perspective: that pagan myths are “good dreams” or reflections of the ultimate truth. In this view, the story of Christ is the archetype—the “myth that actually happened.”
- The Difference: In classical Katabasis (Odysseus, Aeneas), the hero descends to the dead but remains alive. in the Christian narrative, the hero actually dies and is resurrected. It is not just a psychological transition; it is a physical reality.
Conclusion: Follow Your Bliss?
Campbell is famous for his advice to “Follow your bliss”. While Dr. Noe finds this philosophy a bit “squishy” and morally unmoored, he acknowledges that Campbell’s structural analysis of myth is an invaluable tool for understanding literature and the human experience.
Gustatory Parting Shot
Dr. Winkle leaves us with a quote from Isabel Allende regarding the culinary arts:
“Despite being English, they served an edible meal.”
Valete!
Resources for the Latin Learner
- The Moss Method: Want to read the classics in the original Greek? Dr. Noe offers a self-paced, expert course to take you from neophyte to erudite. Visit mossmethod.com.
- Hackett Publishing: For excellent translations of Boethius, mythology anthologies, and more, use code AN2021 for 20% off and free shipping at hackettpublishing.com.
Ratio Coffee: Brew your morning elixir with the Ratio 6 or 8. Use code ANCO for 15% off at ratiocoffee.com.
