Joseph Campbell’s Eight Elements of Heroism

Commentary and Analysis

This post is based on the following chapter in the Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies:

By Scott T. Allison

In his groundbreaking 1949 book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell built the foundation of contemporary heroism studies. Campbell boldly suggested that society’s understanding of heroism stems from a collective mythological consciousness shaped by ancient heroic narratives. He redefined heroism as a transformative journey, common across global storytelling, where individuals leave familiar settings, face trials, and return with wisdom to share.

Campbell emphasized that a hero is inseparable from their journey and its purpose, symbolizing a latent spiritual and redemptive force within everyone. He asserted that “the hero is symbolical of that divine creative and redemptive image which is hidden within us all, only waiting to be rendered into life.”

Campbell’s description above includes eight key elements that he believed were essential for understanding the essence of a hero. These elements are:

(1) the symbolic nature of the hero’s journey

(2) the divine or spiritual aspects of the journey

(3) the creative side of heroism

(4) the redemptive component of heroism

(5) the central role of imagery in guiding the hero

(6) the hidden features of the hero’s inner journey

(7) the waiting that is required for the journey to unfold naturally

(8) the life-giving qualities of the journey

Let’s look at each of these in turn.

1. Symbolic nature of the journey. Campbell viewed the hero as “symbolical,” meaning that the archetypal hero in mythological stories was a representation of something deeply important, such as the human capacity for courage, strength, and self-sacrifice. The hero is therefore a metaphor for ideals that are greater and beyond the individual person. Later, in his Bill Moyers’ interviews, Campbell (1988, 167) expanded on this idea and gave a succinct definition of a hero: “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” The hero is a personification of an ideal, a transcendent principle of human life.

2. Divine or spiritual aspects of the journey. Campbell viewed the hero’s journey as a quest for connection with the transcendent or divine. The hero encounters supernatural beings, mentors, or experiences that symbolize higher spiritual forces, guiding them toward self-realization and a deeper cosmic understanding. Through trials and challenges, the hero gains revelations that bring them closer to sacred truths. Many hero myths include a quest for immortality or transcendence, reflecting human desires for a higher, eternal state.

3. Creative side of heroism. Campbell saw heroism as a creative process that involves self-discovery, transformation, and the integration of various elements into a new whole. The hero’s journey includes trials that require innovative thinking and creative problem-solving, a concept reflected in Franco and Zimbardo’s “heroic imagination.” Overcoming significant challenges leads to profound personal transformation, confronting fears, and achieving growth and self-awareness. Moments of revelation and insight during the journey are driven by creative thinking and self-reflection, making heroism akin to the creative act of reinventing oneself.

4. Redemptive component of heroism. Campbell viewed redemption as a crucial aspect of heroism, seeing the journey as a metaphor for the human experience. He believed that individuals often feel a sense of incompletion or “fallenness,” and the hero’s journey represents the path to rediscovering wholeness and transcendence. Redemption can involve atoning for past wrongs, healing from trauma, or overcoming personal shortcomings. Campbell considered redemption a vital step towards self-actualization and self-realization, essential for completing the hero’s journey.

5. Central role of imagery in guiding the hero. Campbell believed that images and symbols play a crucial role in guiding the hero’s psychological and spiritual development during their journey. These images convey deeper meanings, archetypal patterns, and universal truths that resonate with the human psyche. The hero encounters symbols representing various stages of the journey, such as crossing thresholds, facing dragons, or obtaining magical objects. Mentors and guides often appear in imagery, offering wisdom and support. Visual symbols also depict the hero’s symbolic death and rebirth, enhancing the audience’s connection to the hero’s transformation and growth.

6. Hidden features of the hero’s inner journey. Campbell highlighted that the hero’s psychological journey is more significant than the physical one. He believed that the hero’s external challenges symbolize internal conflicts and struggles. For instance, battling a dragon might symbolize confronting personal fears or destructive tendencies, while crossing a body of water could represent overcoming fears or subconscious desires. The hero’s physical journey serves as a metaphor for their inner psychological and emotional transformation.

7. Waiting and patience needed for the journey to unfold naturally. Campbell suggested that timing within the hero’s journey is important. The journey involves a particular ordering of stages that cannot be rushed or ignored. Waiting is part of the hero-forming process. Each stage represents a particular psychological process that the hero must undergo for inner transformation to occur. If heroes rush through these stages, they may not fully integrate the insights and learnings that each stage provides. Campbell cautioned that ignoring or skipping certain stages can be dangerous because it can leave the hero incomplete or unfulfilled.

8. Life-giving qualities of the journey. Campbell explained that the hero is “rendered into life” after completing their journey. This journey symbolizes an inner psychological transformation, moving from one state to a more enriched and mature one. The hero must experience a form of spiritual death and rebirth, reflecting a universal theme where death leads to new life. By leaving their ordinary life and confronting challenges, the hero undergoes profound growth, ultimately experiencing the richness and “rapture associated with being alive,” which Campbell often referred to as bliss.

Overall, Joseph Campbell revolutionized our understanding of heroism by showing how the hero’s journey — also the human journey — is the pathway to self-discovery and personal transformation. Campbell believed the journey represents the quest for a deeper understanding of one’s place in the universe, highlighting themes of death and rebirth as essential for achieving enlightenment and wholeness. Campbell’s insights into the psychological and spiritual aspects of this journey continue to inspire 21st century heroism scholars.

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