"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, The Hero With a Thousand Faces, pg. 30
This is the basic outline for the hero's journey described by Professor Joseph Campbell in his masterwork, The Hero With a Thousand Faces. This cycle appears in stories and legends dating back to the earliest days of recorded history, and, oral traditions place its origins even earlier. But, is this unifying theme limited to legends from cultures and societies that have vanished from the earth, or, do these tales of the hero continue to be rendered into new forms for modern audiences?
In this, the first part of a continuing series, I will examine how the various stages of the hero's journey manifest in the lives of Xena and Gabrielle, showing that the mythic traditions of centuries past continue to thrive in the modern day.
All references and quotes from The Hero With a Thousand Faces are taken from the 1990 Paperback Edition, published by the Princeton University Press. If you are interested in exploring the themes I discuss in this series in greater depth, I strongly recommend reading the book yourself. It can be found or ordered at your local bookstore. If you can't find it locally, it is available from online merchants like Amazon.com.
THE CALL TO ADVENTURE
"The first stage of the mythological journey - which we have designated the "call to adventure" - signifies that destiny has summoned the hero and transferred his spiritual center of gravity from within the pale of his society to a zone unknown." - Campbell, pg 58
There comes a moment in the life of the hero-to-be that marks the start of the adventure. The normal, everyday existence of this person is thrown into disarray, marking the arrival of forces beyond mortal understanding. In some cases the hero is ready for this adventure, while in others the call is ignored. This stage of the journey appears beautifully in the first episode of the series, "Sins of the Past", where we are introduced to a village girl from Potedeia, Gabrielle.
It can be assumed that life in the village was mundane. Gabrielle lived with her family, did whatever chores were required, and was betrothed to a young man in the village. But, as we soon learn, she was never really satisfied with this life. As she says to her sister Lila, "You know I'm different from everyone else in this town. I don't fit in here."
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