The Hero has a thousand faces, but are any of them female?
So my sister (she's a high school freshman) has been learning about the classic or archetypical hero in english class this year, in order. This hero is most easily explained in Joseph Campell's Hero With a Thousand Faces which um, I have never actually read but have a pretty good grasp of the basic concepts of (weee wikipedia link).
So Deva has been talking up the classic hero to us a lot and making references. Now of course there are the classic examples such as Odysseus and Arthur, or modern ones such as Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins or Luke Skywalker. But I got annoyed as I always do that they were all male. Sure, there are heroic female characters. But there seem to so rarely be heroic, everyperson female main characters.
Here's some of what wikipedia summarized about the hero's journey
"In laying out the monomyth, Campbell describes a number of stages or steps along this journey. The hero starts in the ordinary world, and receives a call to enter an unusual world of strange powers and events (a call to adventure). If the hero accepts the call to enter this strange world, the hero must face tasks and trials (a road of trials), and may have to face these trials alone, or may have assistance. At its most intense, the hero must survive a severe challenge, often with help earned along the journey. If the hero survives, the hero may achieve a great gift (the goal or "boon"), which often results in the discovery of important self-knowledge. The hero must then decide whether to return with this boon (the return to the ordinary world), often facing challenges on the return journey. If the hero is successful in returning, the boon or gift may be used to improve the world (the application of the boon)."
Here's a list of traits compiled by some random person on yahoo:
Unusual circumstances of birth; sometimes in danger or born into royalty
Leaves family or land and lives with others
An event, sometimes traumatic, leads to adventure or quest
Hero has a special weapon only he can wield
Hero always has supernatural help
The Hero must prove himself many times while on adventure
The Journey and the Unhealable Wound
Hero experiences atonement with the father
When the hero dies, he is rewarded spiritually
Of course, not every hero's journey includes all of these things but some of what Deva and I discussed as important were the journey from humble beginnings off to an actual journey, descent into evil lair/ defeating the shadow self monster (think Darth Vader), the mentor who can only take you so far (Gandalf, Obi Wan). many challenges and gifts or weapons only they can wield (Excalibur).
Wikpedia cites a few female examples (Inanna for one) and quotes Campell as talking about how the female hero is in fairy tales because women had less time to tell stories (??? but they had time to tell fairy tales???) and that the female hero's journey is endurance like Penelope (makes me think of Catelyn Stark a little).
Well, I think that last part is halfway legit. I mean the story of endurance against inward trials is a great one...
but it's not the same thing.
So I think it would be fun to think of some female classic heroes.
One I thought of was Dorothy. Humble beginnings, call to adventure, trials, assistance, mentor (Glinda), special boon (ruby slippers), underworld/shadow monster (El...er...the Wicked Witch), return home.
Deva admitted that was a good one but seemed hesistant. She said "it's usually not female." *frowny face!*
I don't even love Dorothy as the only female classic hero. Judy Garlan made her so...I mean it's great acting but she's so helpless seeming at parts.
I asked her if Dany would count. She said "the hero is the main character though, there are no main characters in the book".
Mayhaps, Deva, mayhaps.
Some of you are into Tortall, so I guess Alanna would count? *never read it*
Any other ideas?
Phedre, maybe?
So Deva has been talking up the classic hero to us a lot and making references. Now of course there are the classic examples such as Odysseus and Arthur, or modern ones such as Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins or Luke Skywalker. But I got annoyed as I always do that they were all male. Sure, there are heroic female characters. But there seem to so rarely be heroic, everyperson female main characters.
Here's some of what wikipedia summarized about the hero's journey
"In laying out the monomyth, Campbell describes a number of stages or steps along this journey. The hero starts in the ordinary world, and receives a call to enter an unusual world of strange powers and events (a call to adventure). If the hero accepts the call to enter this strange world, the hero must face tasks and trials (a road of trials), and may have to face these trials alone, or may have assistance. At its most intense, the hero must survive a severe challenge, often with help earned along the journey. If the hero survives, the hero may achieve a great gift (the goal or "boon"), which often results in the discovery of important self-knowledge. The hero must then decide whether to return with this boon (the return to the ordinary world), often facing challenges on the return journey. If the hero is successful in returning, the boon or gift may be used to improve the world (the application of the boon)."
Here's a list of traits compiled by some random person on yahoo:
Unusual circumstances of birth; sometimes in danger or born into royalty
Leaves family or land and lives with others
An event, sometimes traumatic, leads to adventure or quest
Hero has a special weapon only he can wield
Hero always has supernatural help
The Hero must prove himself many times while on adventure
The Journey and the Unhealable Wound
Hero experiences atonement with the father
When the hero dies, he is rewarded spiritually
Of course, not every hero's journey includes all of these things but some of what Deva and I discussed as important were the journey from humble beginnings off to an actual journey, descent into evil lair/ defeating the shadow self monster (think Darth Vader), the mentor who can only take you so far (Gandalf, Obi Wan). many challenges and gifts or weapons only they can wield (Excalibur).
Wikpedia cites a few female examples (Inanna for one) and quotes Campell as talking about how the female hero is in fairy tales because women had less time to tell stories (??? but they had time to tell fairy tales???) and that the female hero's journey is endurance like Penelope (makes me think of Catelyn Stark a little).
Well, I think that last part is halfway legit. I mean the story of endurance against inward trials is a great one...
but it's not the same thing.
So I think it would be fun to think of some female classic heroes.
One I thought of was Dorothy. Humble beginnings, call to adventure, trials, assistance, mentor (Glinda), special boon (ruby slippers), underworld/shadow monster (El...er...the Wicked Witch), return home.
Deva admitted that was a good one but seemed hesistant. She said "it's usually not female." *frowny face!*
I don't even love Dorothy as the only female classic hero. Judy Garlan made her so...I mean it's great acting but she's so helpless seeming at parts.
I asked her if Dany would count. She said "the hero is the main character though, there are no main characters in the book".
Mayhaps, Deva, mayhaps.
Some of you are into Tortall, so I guess Alanna would count? *never read it*
Any other ideas?
Phedre, maybe?