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Elise Foley
English 306
May 19, 2016
Professor Giannotti
Paper 3: The Heros Journey
The theme of the heros journey in myths are universal, occurring in numerous cultures,

at different times; they are varied as the human race itself. Even though some of these myths can

be fabrications or untrue, they are in a sense metaphors providing life symbols that humans

hope to experience during their lives. The journey that these heroes embark on in these myths are

split into three stages, those being the separation, initiation, and return stage. These three stages

are prevalent in both Vergils Aeneid and Dantes Inferno, where each of their heroes ultimately

embark on the adventurous quest known as the monomyth.

Uniquely, Joseph Campbells interpretation of the monomyth begins with the

separation stage. This is where the character is emotionally, as well as physically separated from

their outside world to pursue some type of higher calling. The call to adventure is where this hero

is symbolically called to pursue his journey, and at times, can naturally refuse this calling. From

here, the use of a magical intervention or supernatural aid is involved in order to plummet this

hero into an unknown world. A threshold is then created that represents the transition into this

world of adventure, and the hero is truly tested for capability before they can enter. The hero is

then swallowed into the unknown world, and are willing to leave their old world behind. From

here, the hero enters the initiation stage. This stage begins with the hero having to enter into a

series of tests and trials, where his own behaviors and limitations are turned into revelations in

due time. Along the way there may be some type of temptation for the hero that may cause them

to stray away or abandon their journey. This stage may also involve the hero confronting a
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presence that holds the most power in their life, and this power may offer some kind of gift that

is used to propel the journey. The final acheienvemt of this stage is when the hero is able to

obtain the true goal of the quest. In the final return stage, the hero is compelled to continue on

with this newfound gift by escaping back into the ordinary world if they do not fail to do so. The

hero may seek some kind of help or assistance in furthering their goal, completing their journey

overall. If they are successful, they in turn share the gift they have received with the ordinary

world. The last stage is the freedom to live with the insight and guidance they have received

through their journey. Throughout these three stages, the hero is ultimately able to unlock his

own truth and continue on in a path toward self-enlightenment.

In Vergils Aeneid, the journey of the hero throughout these stages is outlined almost

indefinitely. The separation stage is first introduced when the Greeks have attacked the city of

Troy where Aeneas and his family live. At first Aeneas refuses his own calling, for he wishes to

stay and fight until the end. He is motivated by his mother, Venus, to travel and take his people

to safety. At this point in the myth, he escapes with his son, father, and his people. Vergil writes,

An exile driven on by Fate, he was the first to flee the coast of Troy, destined to reach Lavinian

shores and Italian soil (981). His call to adventure then begins, and his mother becomes his

supernatural aid who helps him along the way. With this guidance, Aeneas is prepared to leave

his ordinary world into a dangerous world with unknown limits. The crossing is represented

when Aeneid escapes and begins his quest in attempting to establish a new home in Rome, for

the fate of his people rely on him. At this point in the story, Aeneas enters the initiation stage,

and we as readers are introduced to the trials and tribulations he undergoes while attempting to

achieve his goal. The first trial centers on the goddess Juno, who decides to send a storm that

kills many of Aeneas people. The second trial that Aeneas endures is the passing of his father,
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after him and his people have been wandering with uncertainty for seven years. Unaware of his

mothers divine intervention that is guiding his journey, Aeneas and his people are forced to

settle in the city of Carthage. As he is staggering to shore, Aeneas meets a young woman, who is

in fact his mother in disguise. Venus then says, and I fear the outcome of Junos welcome

hereShe wont sit tight while Fate is turning on its hinge. So I plan to forestall her with ruses

of my own (Vergil 999). Having complete disregard for anyone other than her son, Venus

strives to outsmart Juno and causes a beautiful woman named Dido to fall in love with Aeneas.

This temptation causes Aeneas to lose sight of his true goal as Didos persistence overcomes

him, but he soon finds the strength to leave her and carry on with his journey. This test carried

out by Venus enables Aeneas to leave Carthage and sacrifice his happiness with Dido for the

greater good, which symbolizes Aeneas rite of passage. After he is blown off course again, he

lands in Sicily where he ultimately needs to journey into the underworld to find some sense of

hope. In this central part of his journey, Aeneas is greeted by his father who has previously died,

and through this meeting Aeneas is given a gift of advice. This enlightened advice causes Aeneas

to regain his underlining goal and return to his people with a new sense of hope for the future.

This gift leads Aeneas on the road to the ultimate boon, where he discovers what he needs to do

in order to save his people and the history of Troy. In the final return stage, Aeneas needs to seek

help from the Tuscans in the war against Turnus, for there will be no future if Turnus lives.

Knowing that he cannot settle in Rome until he has defeated the Latins, Aeneas is helped by the

river god Tiber, who provides passage up the river. Tiber also helps Aeneas in this stage by

advising him to form an alliance with the Arcadians, so they may help him in conquering Turnus.

Aeneas does in fact receive aid from these two groups, which in turn allows him to defeat Turnus

after he crosses back into his ordinary world. This defeat allows Aeneas to win the kingdom of
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Sicily, therefore becoming king of the Latins. With this newfound title, Aeneas is now able to

see the future location of Rome, the city that he is destined to build for his people. Aeneas

accepts both the ordinary world and the special world, and he has the freedom to live with the

insight that he has gained throughout his journey. This insight serves as a beacon of hope for his

people, and they work together in establishing their new home.

Like that of Aeneas, the hero Dante in Dantes Inferno undergoes similar stages that

focus on each component of his journey through the underworld. The story begins by Dante

explaining how he has lost himself and the urge to better himself. While wandering through the

forest, Dante runs into Virgil. Vergil tells Dante that he will aid him in finding is way back to the

righteous path, but Dante refuses due to his own feelings of unworthiness. Vergil than convinces

him, but tells him that the only way to get there is through Hell. Dante then says, You are my

guide, you are my lord and teacher. There were my words to him and, when he moved, I entered

on that deep and rugged road (1607). This symbolizes the stage in which Dante and Vergil cross

the threshold into the unknown. As Dante and his guide enter the gate of Hell, Dante becomes

overwhelmed and passes out from the treacherous screams and volatile images. This is the final

stage before Dantes initiation, for Dante knows that he can no longer turn back. Dantes

initiation begins with three main trials that test Dantes determination in reaching his goal. The

first test on his journey is a boatman named Charon who does not want to let Dante through, but

Vergil soon convinces him to let them pass. The second trial begins in the second circle of hell,

in which a monster named Minos forbids Dante from entering because he is a living soul.

Vergils word again allows them both to pass, and again they are confronted by a three headed

dog named Cerebus. They are allowed passage, but again Dantes journey is put at a standstill as

a man named Chiron almost shoots him with an arrow. These three circumstances, along with the
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overwhelming thought of entering Dis in the future serve as Dantes prominent trials and tests.

Even though Dante is not introduced to temptation caused by an outside force, his own self-

doubt begin to tempt him and hinder his journey. The ultimate boon in Dantes Inferno occurs

when Dante reaches the center of hell, defeats Satan, and is able to enter Purgatorio. This

crossing allows him to master his own sins, and redress them while he successfully exits Hell

and ascends into Purgatorio. Dante then says, I was a guilty child facing his mother, abject

before her harshness: harsh, indeed, is unripe pity not yet merciful (1739). This shows that

Dante was freed from the fear of death, but has not finished his journey overall; Because of this,

Dante cannot have the freedom to live in the ordinary world just yet.

While on these journeys, both Aeneas and Dante are called to an adventure in which they

meet contemporaries, are advised by supernatural aids, and have to endure multiple tests and

trials. After this, both heroes ultimately return to some sort of world after a passage through the

underworld and undergo a tremendous victory. The stages in which these heroes journey

through assists readers in breaking down their myths, and spotlight the events that contribute to

the future of the character.