The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell

The book The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell was released in conjunction with the six-episode 1988 PBS acclaimed documentary Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. Myths are stories and legends that people believe are an important part of their culture. Myths usually begin with a protagonist leading a normal life until he or she is called on an adventure. The protagonist will have some smaller trials and then undergo a major ordeal that ends in triumph—the protagonist has become a hero. Such myths are the focus of Campbell's work.

The Power of Myth is a companion to the documentary in which journalist Bill Moyers interviews Campbell, an American storyteller and mythologist. In the series, Campbell and Moyers discuss the role of the myth in human life and society. In each episode, they examine a different mythological theme and analyze its context in various cultures. Campbell claims that the messages conveyed in myths resonate in modern society and, after we read myths, have a powerful influence on our subconscious. According to Campbell, myths teach us that we are all heroes in waiting.

In the first chapter of the book, Campbell also includes excerpts from his famous work The Hero with a Thousand Faces, a book about comparative mythology that was a major influence on director George Lucas'sStar Wars films. The Power of Myth provides additional discussions on comparative mythology that were not included in the documentary.

Overview: The PBS Series

For several decades prior to the series, Campbell was well-known among his peers for his writings and lectures about people incorporating ancient myths into their daily lives, but the broadcast of Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth introduced him to a wider audience. The first sixty-minute installment of the series premiered on PBS (Public Broadcast Service) on June 21, 1988, eight months after Campbell's death. The episodes' titles were as follows: "The Hero's Adventure," "The Message of the Myth," "The First Storytellers," "Sacrifice and Bliss," "Love and the Goddess," and "Masks of Eternity." In the series, Campbell, in his charismatic way, traces mythological heroes throughout history and explains how they have shaped the heroic expectations of modern society. Campbell points out that Han Solo, the hero of the Star Wars films, is a metaphor for the mythological hero. Campbell and Moyers discuss such heroes throughout time—beginning with the Sumerian sky goddess Inanna. Moyers' interviews with Campbell were conducted over a number of years at Skywalker Ranch in California, home of Star Wars director George Lucas. Campbell and Lucas became friends after Lucas publicly acknowledged the influence Campbell's book The Hero with a Thousand Faces had on his work. Lucas claimed that the book was the catalyst for his Star Wars films and that he modeled the character Yoda—the old wise one—after Campbell himself.

The Book

The Power of Myth was released around the same time as the series and became a bestseller. Written like a documentary, the book contains additional discussions that were not in the series. The nine chapters in The Power of Myth have titles similar to the names of the series.

Through conversations with Moyers, Campbell attempts to answer the question "How can myth be powerful for a person today?" He ultimately concludes that the characters in myths spark creativity and, if analyzed, help people understand what they can achieve and how to solve their problems. Campbell explains that the extraordinary characters in myths can teach people important lessons. Myths, he says, are the "songs of the universe" because their messages apply to people of all cultures and transcend time. According to Campbell, myths help us appreciate the adventure of life and show that we can all be heroes.

Campbell and Moyers ouch on many topics during their lively discussions, but their central theme is the universal nature of myths in modern society. Campbell calls upon a number of mythological examples to demonstrate the commonality of people's conceptions of love, loss, compassion, and sacrifice. Campbell notes that certain themes reappear over and over again throughout the history of mythology, pointing to an immortal truth about humanity.

Campbell and Moyers eventually reach the same conclusion: modern society lacks mythological heroes. They struggle to find examples of such heroes in contemporary writing and art. They also express concern that students may not even be aware of ancient mythology because classical studies are not included in their curriculum.

Finding Our Bliss

The Power of Myth tells readers to follow their "bliss." According to Campbell, our bliss is our passion. It may be a kind of work or activity. When we follow our bliss, time seems to stop. We are captivated by what we are doing. He contends that bliss is the path that has always been waiting for us. Bliss may come upon us suddenly, or we may resist it for years.

Campbell found his bliss when he returned from a trip to Europe a few weeks before the Stock Market Crash. He was unemployed for five years and spent his days following his bliss—reading all day and every day. He lived in a shack for free. He had no money. Yet, he was happy. The more he read of the world's myths, the more he became convinced that most myths had an underlying theme of the hero's journey that could be applied to modern life.

Bibliography

Butler-Bowden, Tom. "The Power of Myth." 50 Self-Help Classics: 50 Inspirational Books to Transform Your Life. Boston: Nicholas Brealey, 2003. Print.

http://www.butler-bowdon.com/powermyth

Campbell, Joseph, and Bill Moyers. The Power of Myth. New York: Doubleday & Company, Incorporated, 1988. Print.

Joseph Campbell Foundation. "About Joseph Campbell." Joseph Campbell Foundation. Joseph Campbell Foundation. Web. 11 September 2014. http://www.jcf.org/new/index.php?categoryid=11

Joseph Campbell Foundation. "Follow Your Bliss." Joseph Campbell Foundation. Joseph Campbell Foundation. Web. 11 September 2014. http://www.jcf.org/new/index.php?categoryid=31