The Monomythology of Buffy

[lostboy_lj]

I've been having lots of thoughts lately about the mythology of the Buffyverse, particularly in relation to Joseph Campbell's theory of the "monomyth" - a detectable pattern of the hero's journey that seems to crop up across many cultures and eras.  The theory holds that, when deconstructed, most stories about mythological and religious heroes

Comments

[embers_log]

Wow, this is very impressive work. Would it be okay if I took it to Whedonesque to post there? I would understand if you would rather not go that 'public', and of course there is always the possibility that they wouldn't keep the post (I've posted things before that were taken down... but no harm, no foul.

[lostboy_lj]

Thanks for the nice compliment. :)

I'm actually a member of Whedonesque, too. I hadn't thought of posting it there, but now that you've mention it I might do so after getting some feedback here (i.e. I might end up wanting to swap in/out certain pictures or change the layout based on what my friends think).

[embers_log]

Actually Whedonesque has a firm rule against self posting (ie you can link your own blog in a comment, but you cannot post your own blog to the front page), so if you do decide you'd like it to be posted, it is better to have someone else put it up for you.

But of course you probably have a lot of friends to do that for you ;)

[lostboy_lj]

Haha... now that you mention it, I guess I don't really have any friends there (I barely even visit anymore). I completely forgot about the self-posting rule. So, I guess I'd want you to post it after all.

Still, I'm pretty set on getting feedback about this, first. It really might change, since I'm not certain about some of my choices.

Thanks again.

[bone_dry1013]

Huh, this was interesting. The last and only time I learned about Campbell was like...five years ago in a lit class, so I can't say anything constructive. But it is interesting to see the mythos in this light.
My one question is why you chose to include the film in with the show. As far as I know Joss and a lot of the fanbase don't consider it to technically be canon. Not that it doesn't fit, but I was curious about what spurned that decision.

Awesome work, as usual.

[lostboy_lj]

As far as I know Joss and a lot of the fanbase don't consider it to technically be canon.I can't speak for the fandom, but I don't think I agree with this statement. While there's a lot of formal differences between the movie and the series, the show certainly considers the events of the movie canonical. It references them as part of the story on multiple occasions -- and not just the broad strokes, but narrow ones like Merrick and Pike. Hemery happened before Sunnydale, according to the reality of the show. And while I've heard Joss complain that he didn't have enough control on the movie, I don't recall Joss disowning Hemery from a story-perspective (though I could be wrong about that... although, Author Dead, and whatnot

[bone_dry1013]

I take the movie as loosely canonical, at least in terms of major events (those being the ones mentioned in the show). It's not really that important, but the construction of head-canon is one of my compulsions, so I'm generally curious to know the things people besides me have come up with.

I don't really know much about hero's journeys beside the major obvious ones (Rise of the Guardians was one of the ones in most recent memory where I felt like I could literally slap labels on scenes and bring it into a film's study class and announce "Yeah, don't ever ever be this obvious"), but I feel like the reason there's that redundancy is because Buffy already went through the Belly of the Whale before she arrived in Sunnydale, except once she'd escaped it she'd renounced the journey and she then had to start it over. This is mostly because I think of her time between Hemery and Sunnydale in the context of Normal Again. Since I constructed my head canon around Normal Again, it really skews how I view s1 and even a lot of the series.

[lostboy_lj]

Well, I guess the thing for me is that the events of the movie really are "The Call to Adventure." I'm sure the TV team could have done it better (and in many ways I think S1 was trying to revisit it), but by the time Buffy gets to Sunnydale she has at the very least already been called -- literally "called", using the terminology of the show (which, maybe not so coincidentally is also the term used by Campbell). WttH itself could arguably encompass steps 2-4, but not step 1.

(Not sure about how "Normal Again" fits into it, except I guess as a commentary on the hyperreality of the show.)

[eilowyn]

I really, really want to delve into this deeper because I had a major Joseph Campbell phase about ten years ago, but I am exhausted and may not even get to this until Friday. And I want to debate with you where Surprise/Innocence through Becoming I and II would be. I think it would be more significant than a stop on the road of trials. And here I'm getting into it and I really want to sleep so thumbs up for subject matter and I'll get back to you on this.

[lostboy_lj]

Hey, no rush. Take your time. :)

[eilowyn]

Okay, I should be working on a paper but this is more fun

[lostboy_lj]

1. The goal wasn't really to use the TV show, just to flesh out Buffy's actual story (of which Hemery is part of). Like I mentioned elsewhere in the comments, there is significant overlap in the Departure phase, probably due to the fact that not everyone who was tuning in to the show would have watched the movie, but the events of the movie are referenced as canonical on the show. That's why I've mixed together show and movie images on several Departure steps. I've thought a bit about the similarities before, and a agree that S1 is a semi-reboot, but not a complete one. One thing I might consider doing, though is, coupling a series image with the second step, as I did for steps 3-5. But as far as I can tell the first step belongs to the film alone, because that's when she actually receives her calling. As Merrick's replacement, Giles is insisting that she resume her journey, not begin it

[shapinglight]

This is nifty, and way too clever for me.

I do feel having the Buffy/Riley pic illustrating temptation is a little hard on Riley. Did you choose it because he represents (is that even the right word?) not so much physical/sexual temptation but more the temptation to abandon the journey and live a 'normal' life?

I love the way Spike's and Willow's hero's journeys are woven into Buffy's, btw. Which is not to say they were the only other characters apart from her to make that journey, but I do see how theirs tie in more closely with hers than the others (possibly because they all ended at the same time).

[lostboy_lj]

I do feel having the Buffy/Riley pic illustrating temptation is a little hard on Riley.

Really? If a picture of me illustrated "temptation", I think I'd be a bit flattered. :D

Did you choose it because he represents (is that even the right word?) not so much physical/sexual temptation but more the temptation to abandon the journey and live a 'normal' life?

It's a bit of both, actually. Riley (and later, though less directly, Ben) represents something more this-worldly and solid than the world of magic and monsters offers, and the chance to have something approaching a normal life, including a normal love life (which she could never have with Angel).

I love the way Spike's and Willow's hero's journeys are woven into Buffy's, btw. Which is not to say they were the only other characters apart from her to make that journey, but I do see how theirs tie in more closely with hers than the others (possibly because they all ended at the same time).Yes, as Buffy's supernatural helpers, they often integrate into the stages of the journey

[shapinglight]

If a picture of me illustrated "temptation", I think I'd be a bit flattered. :D

:) I'm not sure Riley would agree with you, though. It was thinking he was just a distraction that drove the poor bloke away. But yes, I take your point- especially about how in this case 'temptation' isn't necessarily a bad thing (it can, in fact, be a good thing), but incompatible with the overall journey. At least, that's what I think you're saying.

ETA: I think the inclusion of Angel and Spike with Dawn at the Meeting With the Immortal stage works well, as long as it's arrange the way you have it - ie. with Dawn's picture being the biggest to show how much more important she is.

[lostboy_lj]

ETA: I think the inclusion of Angel and Spike with Dawn at the Meeting With the Immortal stage works well, as long as it's arrange the way you have it - ie. with Dawn's picture being the biggest to show how much more important she is.

Right, that's sort of the point of the different scales. Dawn is the Immortal Love -- the one that Campbell likened to a mother's unconditional, pure, and total love. She is also representative of Buffy's quest for self-love (and self-actualization), since Dawn is essentially sister, daughter, mother and twin all wrapped into one.

Angel and Spike warrant their additional placements on that step mainly because we do see strong echoes of that immortal love in their own arcs with Buffy. The love they each share with Buffy is both romantic and platonic love, but not transcendent love of the sort that Campbell discerned in this step. In fact, I sometimes think the later reveal in AtS of Buffy's new cozy relationship with "The Immortal" was a sort of highbrow fart joke about their love's failure (and

[kikimay]

Such an interesting theory. I didn't know Campbell, thank you for your explanation above. The graphic scheme is impressive. Once again, I ask you, can I translate the words in Italian or share it in my LJ? It's really nicely done. I love it.

[lostboy_lj]

Hi, kikimay. I don't think I'm done making this picture yet (it might change based on feedback).

Also, how would the translation be presented? Would you embed the picture in there below the translated introductory text, then retype the text of the 17 steps somewhere below it as a reference?

[kikimay]

Pretty much, yeah. I'll retype the steps below. But If you're not finished, I'll wait.