Defining the Hero  Hero: a human being of extraordinary qualities –Campbell’s definition:  male or female  who leaves the world of everyday life to undergo a journey  to a special world where challenges and fears are overcome in order to  Secure a reward, which  The hero shares with his original community

Heroic Archetypes  Hero as… –WARRIOR: near god-like hero faces physical challenges and external enemies  Ex. Odysseus, Will Smith in Independence Day –LOVER: a pure love motivates hero to complete his quest  Ex. Prince Charming, Romeo –SCAPEGOAT: hero suffers for the sake of others  Ex. Jesus

Heroic Archetypes –Romantic/Gothic Hero: lover with a dark side  Ex. Dr. Frankenstein from Frankenstein; Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, Edward Cullen from Twilight –Proto-Feminist Heroes: female hero  Ex. Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice –Apocalyptic Hero: Hero who faces the possible destruction of society  Ex. Neo from The Matrix

Heroic Archetypes –Anti-Hero: a non-hero, given the vocation of failure; frequently humorous  Ex. Homer Simpson –Defiant Anti-Hero: Opposer of society’s definition of heroism/goodness  Ex. Kurtz from Heart of Darkness or Apocalypse Now –Unbalanced Hero: protagonist has (or pretends to have) mental or emotional deficiencies  Ex. Hamlet; McMurphy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Heroic Archetypes –T–T–T–The Other—The Denied Hero: a protagonist whose status or essential otherness makes heroism possible EEEEx. Invisible Man; The Joy Luck Club –T–T–T–The Superheroic: exaggerates the normal proportions of humanity; frequently has divine or supernatural origins. Is set apart from society, but is nonetheless needed by society EEEEx. Mythological heroes (David from the Old Testament); Superman