Joseph Campbell's many archetypal images - Essay Example

?Insert Joseph Campbell's many archetypal images: the womb and tomb, the snake, the circle When analyzing hero stories which at first appeared in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the Power of Myth and the Masks of God, Campbell makes the conclusion that the womb and the tomb, the snake and the circle are archetypes. The case above is true, since the phrases have aspects of similarity and contrasts. In this case, the noun phrases tomb and womb are involved in initiations, or rites of passage. These rites of passage are not necessarily occurring as one-time ritualistic observation, but as passages of trials and tribulations, through which the character of a hero is strengthened. In this case, both womb and tomb are met on the Road of Trials. When traveling the Road of Trials, a person meets with good and bad. The womb is seen as the goodness of a nurturing mother goddess, so that, sometimes it refers to a nurturing mother. The epitome of the bad in this case is death. In this case, the earth is considered as tomb. The snake is used differently in myths. Campbell maintains that in Greek mythologies, a snake may appear in a dream to show transition and transformation. Campbell is categorical that a snake is archetypal because the image of a snake is easily projected on, and touches a symbolic layer of the psyche, and dreams emanate from psyche. For instance, in Greek mythology, the snake is seen as the subliminal source of protection when snake-like dragons warn Psyche and those approaching the River Styx to stay away from it. He water in River Styx also hisses. The circle on the other hand is a spiritual center that is egalitarian t allows the inclusion of femininity. The circle is mentioned as being necessary for men and women to discuss susceptibility, share stories, enjoy connection and the essence of being human (Campbell, 57). These elements are related, by the virtue of being pairs of opposites (for instance, tomb and womb). 2. Explaining Campbell’s statement, “All things in the field of time are pairs of opposites.” By saying that “All things in the field of time are pairs of opposites,” Joseph Campbell means that everything has a sense of duality. It is this aspect of duality that Campbell refers to as Pairs of Opposites. For instance, everything that exists has two poles, the north and south poles, which may also be referred to as pair of opposites. In the same manner, even what appears to be diametrically opposed to its opposite may be identical with it, in nature, though they may only differ in degree. Similarly, there is a point in which two points of extremities converge, just as paradoxes may be reconciled, at some point. By using the phrase, the field of time, Campbell intends to mean that the element of duality is normally discovered with time. To this effect, in The Power of Myth, he posits that what may be considered proper or credible 50 years ago, may not be considered so, presently. The vices of the yesteryears may be the virtues of the world's present age, and vice versa. To this effect, Campbell insinuates that because of the field of time, there is need for the recognition of moral and ethical relativism, in lieu of moral absolutism. To this effect, he says that the moral order has to try to catch up with the moral necessities of real life, in a given time, here and now. There are others who also see in Campbell's statement, a leaning towards pantheism. This is seen in the instance Campbell attempts to reconcile and explain the concept of immanence and transcendence. In this light, Campbell continues that although the ultimate mystery of being surpasses all categories of thought, when one sees God as the Creator and the human being as the creature, one realizes that God is within him, and also in the man and/ or woman whom that individual interacts with. 3. Describing a "great" myth which is known well One of the most riveting myths is that of that of Perseus. Also a legend, the myth has it that Perseus was a Greek demigod who was sired by the Greek god Zeus and the Queen Danae. Perseus went great lengths to slay the Medusa and the Kraken, in order to save the inhabitants of Argos and Princess Andromeda from the curse of Hades. He married Andromeda and together, they begat Perses and Heleus. At the superficial level, the story or myth of Perseus teaches that human will remains paramount in the universe. With determination, Perseus conquers the ravages and harrowing horrors of the underworld which involves the Graeae and the Medusa whom he kills. He also kills the demon of his earthly father and finally, the Kraken, to save the inhabitants of Argos from the curse of Hades and an imminent extinction. The need to maintain a reverence for the gods is also emphasized. Argos is cursed and put in the brink of extinction by Hades, after Queen Cassiopeia declares that her daughter Andromeda is more beautiful than the Greek pantheon of gods, the Nereids. The metaphorical meanings in the story or myth are multiple. For one, there is the aspect of duality that Campbell was emphatic about. For instance, Perseus is a demigod (partly god, partly human). Because of this, Perseus can be injured, but he remains indestructible. The idea of the gods being able to mate with humans and sire children with them is also heavily present in the myth. Perseus is a product of Zeus' act of raping Queen Danae. 4. Campbell Connecting of Dreams and Myths For having the archetypal nature, a dream and a myth are connected. For one, a dream addresses permanent conditions within an individual's psyche, as the individual relates to the temporal conditions of his life, at that particular time. For instance, if that individual is worrying about whether he is going to pass an exam, he may have a dream that indicates some sort of failure. This failure may be associated with a number of failures that the individual may have had previously, in his life. These failures are thus piled up together. In this instance, a dream and a myth may be similar by the virtue of both not being able to be fully expounded. For instance, a myth may be interpreted and analyzed from many viewpoints yet the different analyses and viewpoints may still be correct. The case is the same with a dream, since a dream may be analyzed from several standpoints, and the different viewpoints may still be considered correct. In fact, to this effect, Sigmund Freud says that even the most fully expounded and analyzed dream is not really wholly expounded or analyzed (Campbell, 84). The standpoints above are persuasive on the premise that secondly, the aspect of human will still gives dreams and myths an aspect of similarity. Because of the reality of human will and worldview of an individual, a myth and a dream will both be interpreted in a purely personal standpoint. Similarly, a myth and a dream address an archetypal concern. The concerns in a dream are underpinned by societal expectations, just as a myth passes and perpetuates socio-cultural values. For instance, the concerns of a failure in exams, in a dream are underpinned by societal expectations. In Homer's Iliad, societal standards compel one to disagree with Achilles' act of desecrating Hector's body, but to agree with his acts of bravery, independent-thinking and sacrificial love. 5. Connections Seen Between Myths and the Concept of Transcendence Indeed, there may be connections between myths and the concept of transcendence. For one, after being told, a myth stretches out into history to defy the limitations of time. For instance, the character and exploits of Achilles, though stretching back to 1,000 BC, remain immortalized. This is to the effect that even in the 21st century AD, his persons and exploits are well known, not just in Greece, but throughout the entire globe. Like a dream, a myth removes an individual from the chronological and societal contexts, and thus projects the individual to a state of being. This is well underscored by a myth in Indonesia that speaks of mythological age and its excision. Going by the story, ancestors were not distinguished according to sex. Neither birth nor deaths were mentioned in the myths. A great public dance was convened, and in the course of this cultural practice, a participant was trampled to death and his members severed. The participant's sexes were separated so as to balance death by begetting, and begetting by death. Food plants were allowed to grow on the buried parts of the participant's dismembered body. The aspect of transcendence is seen herein, in the sense that in the myth and practice, time had come into being, birth, death and the killing and eating of the living participant, for the sustenance of life. Plainly put, transcendence is seen in life feeding on life, just as is the case for all cultures, whether these cultures are vegetarian or not, that notwithstanding. Because of the foregoing, the aspect of transcendence is seen in myths being the vehicle by which the mind is reconciled to the fundamental conditions that are consistent in all creation stories. Apparently, the essence of life eating life is too transcendent for human comprehension, such that man has to engineer tools by which parameters for such a phenomenon can be exacted, and myths are some of these tools. 1. Masks of Eternity The questions that the interview raises are that: if god is a thought what explains the faith-based cultural variations that are fundamentally divided; if god is as he transcendent unknowable and unknown, what accounts for religion [for religion is an organization of spiritual ideas, culture and beliefs that are centered on a previous encounter with a divine being]. Again, if god is relative as Campbell puts it and faith-based cultural values are fashioned after man's encounter with god, why is there a need for cultural absolutism? I find thought-provoking is Campbell's assertion that since the power that started the universe into being is impersonal, man can also be an impersonal being. It is not possible for a human person to be impersonal. 2. Bliss My bliss is that a personal yet transcendent divine Supreme Being created the universe and everything in it, and that this divine Supreme Being has revealed Himself to mankind. This revelation is both general and specific in nature. The general aspect of it is seen in God revealing Himself in nature. However, nature is blurred by man's works [modernization] and the Fall of Man, so that it can only inadequately express God's person and character. God's specific revelation is found in the Bible and supremely, in Jesus Christ. This is my bliss. 3. Life Participation in regard to the foregoing, I see my life as a participation in another life source. However, I see this life force as being personal [immanent], yet transcendent. His transcendence separates the mortal and sinful physical man [limited to space and time because of the body] from Him. This helps me appreciate the essence of Jesus Christ as the One who helps man realize the immanence of God. Logically, even as Campbell defines religion as stemming from the Latin word, relingio meaning to link back, it is preposterous that a finite man can link back to/ with the infinite. 4. Movies and Myth A myth in a movie that I have experienced, is that of Achilles being born of the Greek goddess [or nymph] Thetis and the King Peleus. Achilles thus becomes a perfect warrior who is not susceptible, by the virtue of being a demigod, and having been dipped in River Styx, by his mother. Personally, what this means to me, is a confirmation of the Genesis 6:2 where fallen angels had sexual contacts with earthly women, and begat men of great renowned. The same is the case with Perseus, Hercules and ancient statues such as the Sphinx. 5. The End of the Myth One of the myths that I grew up with is that good things happen to good people, while misfortune is a preserve for malefactors. At the moment, the myth became important in solidifying my stand on morality and good behavior, even when not under anyone's supervision or watch. I rejected this myth because of life's dynamic reality which proved otherwise. Likewise, a critical study of my faith's religious scripture [The Bible] reveals otherwise. 6. Sacred Place I visited a traditional Buddhist temple. Inside the temple, there is a Buddha Hall which is the most central chamber in the building. Inside the Buddha Hall, there is an altar which is centered on a wall that is opposite the door, a statue of Buddha sitting at the center-most top of the altar, and representations of the four elements of Buddhism (candles [fire], rice, [earth], incense burner [air] and a water jar [represents water]). Together with the prayers of Buddhists, these symbols give an expression that the Buddha Hall, and by extension, the Buddhist temple is a sacred place for believers. Works Cited Campbell, Joseph. The Power of Myth. New York: Doubleday, 1988. Print Read More