At the heart of many of the world’s most enduring myths and legends is a hero, a man or woman who triumphs over obstacles. Heroes are generally not all-powerful and immortal beings, able to live forever. Instead they represent the best of what it means to be human, demonstrating great strength, courage, wisdom, cleverness, or devotion. Some heroes of myth and legend are wholly fictional. Others are historical figures who have risen to the level of legendary heroes or who have been given such status by writers or by the public.
In studying myths and legends from around the world, scholars have identified a pattern that appears over and over again: the story of the universal hero. Mythology scholar Joseph Campbell has shown that these stories generally end with the hero gaining new knowledge or abilities. Often an element of miracle or mystery surrounds the birth of such heroes. Their true identity may be unknown; they may be the child ofa virgin; or they may possess special powers or be demigods (half-human, half-god).
Many hero myths focus on a quest—a difficult task or journey that must be undertaken to achieve a goal or earn a reward such as the hand ofa loved one. Leaving the everyday world, the hero follows a path filled with challenges and adventures, perhaps involving magic or the supernatural. A hero may even enter the underworld, or land of the dead, and confront death itself.
Heroes must use their strength and wits to defeat enemies, monsters, or demons, although some are aided by luck or by a protector in the form of a god or magician. Sometimes heroes have to give up something precious to move forward in the quest. In the end, the hero returns home enriched with powers, wisdom, treasure, or perhaps a mate won in the course of the quest.
The hero’s quest may be seen as a symbol of the journey of selfdiscovery that anyone can make, the quest to overcome inner monsters and achieve self-understanding. But though quests form the basis of many myths and legends, not all heroes follow the quest pattern exactly as described. There are almost as many kinds of heroes as there are human qualities and experiences.
World History
