PPT di Gruppo - THE HERO’S JOURNEY THROUGH TIMES

THE HERO’S JOURNEY THROUGH TIMES

Ulysses

Frodo

Beowulf

Aeneas

“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

Joseph Campbell

Aeneas

Ulysses

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Ordinary world

Aeneas lives at home, in Troy, with his father Anchises, his wife, Creusa and his son, Ascanius.

King Odysseus is at home, in Ithaca with his family.

What is the hero's world like at beginning of the story?

Ordinary world

Beowulf

Frodo

Frodo’s ordinary world is the Shire.

Beowulf's ordinary world is Geatland.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Aeneas

Ulysses

Call to adventure

Aeneas has a dream that tells him to travel to Italy, where he will find a new home for him and the Trojans, and begin the Roman Empire.

What appens to prompt the hero to take a step into the adventure?

Odysseus goes to Troy to fight in the Trojan War.

Ordinary world

Beowulf

Frodo

Beowulf listens to about Heorot Hall and the atrocities Grendel is doing there during night.

When Gandalf gives Frodo the Ring, it cannot stay in the Shire so he is forced to leave.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Aeneas

Ulysses

Refusal of the call

During their travels, the Trojans found themselves in Carthage, and the Queen, Dido, falls in love with Aeneas with some help from the gods. Eneas prefers to stop there...

He does not want to leave his family and sail to Troy; he knows it will be a long trip, so he pretends to be mad.

Does the hero refuse to go? If so, why?

Ordinary world

Beowulf

Frodo

Frodo tries to give the ring to Gandalf because he is initially shocked and frightened to leave his life.

Beowulf doesn't refuse the mission.

Aeneas

Ulysses

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Meeting with the mentor

Anchises pushes Aeneas to leave Troy and asks Jupiter to protect his grandson.Venus helps Aeneas against Juno's cruelty and makes him calm during his rage against Helen.

Athena, the goddess of wisdom, crafts, and war, is his guide. She takes pity on him and she continually saves him from death.

Who helps the hero gain wisdom?

Ordinary world

Beowulf

Frodo

Frodo meets Gandal the Gray, a powerful mage who explains Frodo everything about the Ring, and warns him to never use it.

Beowulf arrives at Heorot Hall and he meets the king Hrothgar.

Aeneas

Ulysses

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Crossing the first threshold

After the war, the gods become angry with the Greeks for their prideful ways. A great storm emerges and throws them off course.

Aeneas escapes Troy and ends up on Mount Ida with other Trojans.

When does the hero cross the point of no return in the story?

ordinary/special world

Beowulf

Frodo

Frodo and the Fellowship start their long journey to the volcano Mount Doom, unique place where the ring can be destroyed.

Beowulf leaves his land to travel to Denmark.

Aeneas

Ulysses

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Tests, allies, and enemies

Odysseus is thwarted with many tests as he travels back to Ithaca (Polyphemus, Circones, Lotus Eaters, Lastrygonians, Sirens, Scylla & Charybdis, Cattle of the Sun God).

Dido is an enemy. She is corrupted by the deception of Venus. She stands in the way of Aeneas until the very end.Juno hates Aeneas far his influence on Carthage, willing to do anything to destroy his fate.

How do the other chatacters affect the hero?

special world

Beowulf

Frodo

Beowulf fights Grendel in the Mead Hall. He receives advices from Hrothgar who tells him to be careful, and Unferth gives him Hrunting.

Frodo encounters many obstacles, allies and enemies along the way (the mountain pass, the elves, Saruman, Gollum, Shelob).

Ulysses

Aeneas

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Approach

Odysseus nearly makes it home the first time, but his crew opens a bag, given to him by Aeolus, god of the winds. When the bag is opened, it releases the winds that blows them far away from Ithaca.

Aeneas must cross the River Styx.The boatman doesn't want to take him because he's alive. Sibyl helps him by telling the boatman that Aeneas is the son of Venus, carrying a gift for Persephone.

Does the hero try anf fail? How so? What does he do when he fails?

special world

Beowulf

Frodo

Beowulf tries to hit Grendel's mother with Hrunting, but it has no effect on her. Therefore Beowulf fights her with his bare hands.

Frodo departs from the Fellowship alone with Sam.They use Gollum as a guide to reach the entrance of Mount Doom.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Aeneas

Ulysses

Ordeal

He travels to the underworld seeking information to guide him home. This quest brings him to the verge of death.

Aeneas goes to the underworld. He feels lost after traveling for years without finding a homeHe meets his father.

What happens when the story reaches a life - or- death point?

special world

Beowulf

Frodo

Grendel's mother, seeing Beowulf can't hurt her, she attacks him. Beowulf uses a magic sword: he swings it into the the air and cuts her head off.

Frodo gets subdued by Shelob's poison while fighting with him, and it nearly kills him, but Sam saves him.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Aeneas

Ulysses

Reward

Aeneas, after meeting his father in the underworld, gains the determination to keep on the path of founding Rome.He received a long desciption of what becames of Rome too.

What does the hero receive as a reward?

The King of Phaeacia gives Odysseus passage home.

special world

Beowulf

Frodo

Beowulf receives lots of riches from Hrothgar and his wife. He also receives the fame he always wanted.

The reward is the confermation of the frienship between Frodo and Sam.

Aeneas

Ulysses

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

10

The road back

Odysseus wants to reach his home. Once he returns, he finds out that his house has been overrun with suitors attempting to steal his wife and palace.

Aeneas has known about Turnus and his anger against the Trojans for Lavinia. King Evander of the Arcardians gives his son, Pallas, to help aid Aeneas in the fight.

How does the hero attempt to return to his or her normal life?

special/ordinary world

Beowulf

Frodo

Frodo and Sam get rescued by Gandalf's eagles.

By a ship Beowulf returnes with his companions to Geatland, his home.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Aeneas

Ulysses

11

Resurrection of the hero

Instead of rushing in and killing the suitors, Odysseus is patient, wishing to learn if his wife has been faithful.

Euryalus and Nisus die and so Aeneas has to battle with Turnus and defeats him.

What is the final test?

Ordinary world

Beowulf

Frodo

The final test is the decision Frodo has to take between destroying or keeping the ring.

Beowulf fights against a fire breathing dragon.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

Aeneas

Ulysses

Return with the elixir

12

Odysseus, dressed as a beggar, completes a final challenge, and is restored to his rightful place.

What knowledge or wisdom does the hero bring back with him or her?

Aeneas marrys Lavinia and founds Rome.

Ordinary world

Beowulf

Frodo

Frodo returns to the Shire where he lives happily, aware of all the evil and the influence of the ring and how it changed him and his life.

Beowulf dies as a hero. He leaves his kingdom to Wiglaf and his memory to the Geats, who remind him for generations.

THE COMPARISON OF THE WORKS

Odyssey by Homer

The Lord of the Ringsby J. R. R. Tolkien

Aeneid by Virgil

Beowulfby unknown author

Language: Classical Latin Written: 29–19 BC Subject(s): Epic Cycle, Trojan War, Founding of Rome Genre: Epic poem

Language: West Saxon dialect of Old English Written: date disputed (c. 700 – 1000 AD) Subject: The battles of Beowulf, the Geatish hero, in youth and old age Genre: Epic heroic writing

Language: English Written: in stages, 1937- 1949 Subject: It is a modern fantasy tale about overcoming the dark power brought on by a magical ring Genre: High fantasy Adventure

Language: Homeric Greek Written: c. 8th century BC Subject: The Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home after the Trojan War Genre: Epic poem

THE EPIC

Such other examples are Homer’s The Iliad and The Odissey, and Virgil's The Aeneid.

Beowulf is the most well-known Anglo-Saxon poem and is a form of poetry called Epic.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series could be called modern epic.

Ancient Rome

What is it?

The epic also culminates around the hero's journey of self-discovery and emotional/psychological/spiritual maturation.

Characteristics include a noble hero whose character traits reflect their society’s ideals. The hero performs brave acts and appears superhuman.

Long narrative that celebrates a hero’s long journey and heroic deeds.

Main Differences and common elements in the four heroes' journeys

Note: Not in all the cases, like Calypso, Polyphemus, the Suitors

Main differences and common elements in the four heroes' journeys

Main differences and common elements in the four heroes' journeys

Main differences and common elements in the four heroes' journeys

The settings of the four heroes' adventures _ Time

Future

Ancient Rome

Middle Ages

Ancient Greece

6th century AD

1200 BC

3018-3019 AD

1000 BC

Odyssey

Aedeid

Beowulf

The Lord of the Rings

In the aftermath of the Trojan War, about 1000 BC. In the story the Odyssey and the Aeneid occur concurrently.

Early 6th century (in the pagan world of 6th-century Scandinavia).

Most of the events portrayed in the story occur in TA 3018 and TA 3019, with Frodo heading out from Bag End on September 23 3018, and the destruction of the Ring six months later on March 25, 3019.

At the time of the mythical Trojan War (around 1200 BC, a period known as the Bronze Age).

The settings of the four heroes' adventures _ Place

Odyssey

Aeneid

Beowulf

The Lord of the Rings

The Mediterranean, including the north coast of Minor Asia, Carthage, and Italy.

In Sweden, Denmark, and Frisia.

In an expansive and storied land called Middle Earth.

The Mediterranean Coast. Two kinds of setting: domestic (the palaces of kings and goddesses) and wild (unknown, untamed spaces).

the heroes’ deeds and the antagonists and/or the monsters they have to fight against

Beowulf

Ulysses

Aeneas

Frodo

He sacrifices himself to pursue his duty

He defends Heorot

He helps his followers

He faces the unknown

VS

VS

VS

VS

Grendel

Poseidon

Grendel's Mother

Sauron

Suitors

Gollum

Turnus

Scylla and Charybdis

Fire Dragon

Dido

Juno

Shelob

Saruman

the heroes’ deeds and the antagonists and/or the monsters they have to fight against

The characteristics and differences in the society each hero belongs

Frodo

Aeneas

Beowulf

Ulysses

• Germanic warrior society: the relationship between the lord and servants was very important.
• Conception of courtly life and a warrior society.
• The king occupied the most pivotal position (loyal and faithful to him).
• The people fought for the king.
• The king protected the warriors.
• They prized honor above all things and they believed that courageous death for noble deeds would open the gates of heaven to them.
• They were the most law-abiding citizens. Their philosophy of life included a few aspects: senses of the nothingness of life, the inevitability of death, the inexorability of fate, and the futility of human variety.

• Frodo is a hobbit: they are a fictional race born in Tolkien's imagination.
• Middle-earth includes Elves, Men, Dwarves, Hobbits, Ents, Orcs and Trolls, as well as spirits such as the Valar and Maiar.
• There are Enslaved peoples too.
• The Hobbits live in villages, in a rural environment where family values ​​and ties are present.
• There are fortresses, towers, and fortified cities, as well as kings and princes, but it is not a feudal society like it seems.
• The Shire has regional differences between clans. Gondor is comprised of many different peoples.
• The society system is not defined.

• Roman way of life under Augustus (known as the Golden years).
• In this period the perfect Roman man is the one who sacrifices himself for his country and for others and is devoted to the gods, like Aeneas.
• In the poem are present in different cultures, like in the Carthaginian one, elements of Roman culture and daily habits: the banquet on the triclinia, libation, the cult of the Penates gods...

• Ancient Greek society: the head of the household was the man;
• wealth was measured in livestock, land, and precious articles;
• The Anex, or war-leader (such as Odysseus) is a commander during war but not a king;
• kin were important,
• as well as rituals for the gods and for guests (rules of hospitality);
• The Ancient Greeks valued feats of physical strength;
• Revenge was taken when a person had trespassed an important cultural structure (ex. massacre of the suitors).

The characteristics of the heroic code the heroes are loyal to

Aeneas

Ulysses

Beowulf

Frodo

Germanic code or Anglo-Saxon heroic code Possession of: - courage and strength, - loyalty, - bravery, - victory in battle, - pride, - individualism and dislike of humiliation, - and a taste for revenge.

Heroic code Frodo develops as a hero not by acquiring new wisdom, strength, or power, but by trusting his own virtues: - the common sense, - goodness, - and determination.

Greek heroic code Possession of: - courage, - physical strength, - leadership, - honour, - and the acceptance of fate.

Ancient Roman heroic code Possession of: - piety, - fidelity, - honour, - and putting one's duty before their own desires.

The characteristics of the heroic code the heroes are loyal to

The role of destiny in the heroes’ lives and differences or similarities in meaning of their heroic journeys

Frodo

Beowulf

Ulysses

Aeneas

Odysseus is destined to suffer and eventually return home, but his actions along the way are a matter of choice.

• Fate is preordained by a power beyond that of even the gods.
• The gods try to control and manipulate it.
• Ulysses tries to get around it and change his fate with his free will (makes choices).
• Although it is tough to change the will of the gods, Ulysses tries him best to go against it.
• He tends to succeed if he has help.

Beowulf is an epic hero that is subjected to fate and cannot escape his mortality. Although Beowulf is aware of his might and ability in battle, he believes his defeat or triumph will not be dependent on his action, but rather on his fate. It is the pagan concept of the fate responsible for Beowulf’s pre-destined death. However Beowulf attributes also his triumphs in battle to the grace and benevolence of God (Christian concept of God’s will).

Frodo is a hero who has been "appointed" to undertake the task... This mean that Fate is mapped out for him, provided he chooses to take that course himself. His defeat or triumph will be dependent on his action, on his free will. Tolkien bases the triumphs of man (or hobbit, or elf, or dwarf) on the free choices he makes. All intelligent beings are born with a free will. The ability to keep and use this will is the most important theme in the hero's journey of Frodo.

Fate reigns supreme over Aeneas' live. Nothing and no one else, even the gods, have supremacy over it. The Aeneas's stops and obstacles are only able to postpone his achieving - it remains however an unchangeable destiny. The gods have no control over the fate of Aeneas - they are only able to create temporary diversions or change the way in which the fate is reached. Although Fate plays a much larger role than free will does, Aeneas believes in free will and makes choices.