WORLD MYTHOLOGY:

COMPARISON OF ARCHETYPAL THEMES AND

ARCHETYPAL CONCEPTS ACROSS FIVE CULTURES

Date of Submission:
June 22, 2007

By:

_________________________
Harsh Menon

Submitted to
Dr. Angela Beck
Department of Humanities and Communication
College of Arts and Sciences
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of
World Mythology
Summer A 2007

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Prescott, Arizona
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION...................................................................3
2.0 BALANCE................................................................................3
3.0 AFTERLIFE.............................................................................7
4.0 HEROIC CYCLE..................................................................12
5.0 CONCLUSION......................................................................20
6.0 REFERENCES......................................................................21

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1.0 Introduction

Mythology, in its simplest form, is a set of stories that try and provide answers to

questions to which we have no answers. Mythology seeks to establish a reason and

method for how we should live our lives and provides us with role models to serve as

beacons in our heroic journeys (Campbell & Moyers 1988). A fascinating aspect of myths

from different cultures is that they often share common themes and concepts. These

themes and concepts are called archetypal themes and archetypal concepts. An archetype

is a universal symbol that provides access to our subconscious (Campbell & Moyers

1988). This paper argues that the archetypal themes and archetypal concepts in myths are

representative of basic human thought and emotion.

In fact, even though these myths came into being thousands of years ago, they are

still applicable to the life of a young adult in the 21st century. I endeavor to argue this

claim through the study of three archetypal themes across myths from five different

cultures: Epytian, Mayan and Aztec, Greek and Roman, Mesopotamian, and my own

culture. The three archetypal concepts are balance, the afterworld or underworld, and the

heroic cycle. These concepts will be highlighted through discussion of the archetypal

themes that are found in the myths from the aforementioned five cultures.

2.0 Balance

The first of these themes is that of balance. The concept of balance existed in

ancient myths not only as that between good and evil, but also between male and female,

and between opposing forces that exist in people’s daily lives. In the Egyptian myths, the

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creation of the all-mighty sun god Re (who represented all that is good) was followed by

the creation of the god Apophis, who represented evil and the forces of darkness. More

importantly, the Egyptians had a goddess of truth, divine order and justice called Ma’at.

The importance of balance can be seen in the Egyptian myths about the afterlife where

the souls of the dead could be saved if their heart was lighter than a feather of the goddess

Ma’at, implying that an individual could be saved only if their lives had a balance of

good and evil, with more good than evil. Thus, the comparison of the heart of an

Egyptian to the feather of Ma’at highlights the importance of balance in Egyptian culture.

Balance in life in the world of the living was considered to be crucial for a peaceful

existence in the afterlife, and therefore, the goddess Ma’at was often seen as more

powerful than the sun god Re. A balance can also be seen between the hero of Egyptian

myths, Horus, and his adversary, Seth. Seth was seen as a lord of misrule and chaos, the

antithesis of everything that Horus represented. The battle between them represents the

ongoing battle that exists within us: to conform and live according to the social order or

to rebel and indulge in chaos and anarchy (Littleton 2002).

The Mayan and Aztec myths also introduce a concept of balance that exists

between the gods that they worshipped. In Aztec mythology, there are two primary gods:

Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca. Quetzalcoatl is projected as a plumed serpent and

represented fertility, life and peace, while Tezcatlipoca, visualized as a jaguar, represented

war, political discord, and seduction. The two gods represent opposing forces that

maintain balance in the Aztec world. An important Aztec myth that deals with balance

explains the story of how the sun and the moon came into being. The story starts with two

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individuals: Tecuciztecatl and Nanahuatzin. Tecuciztecatl was vain and handsome, while

Nanahuatzin was humble and presumably so because he was disfigured. They were both

competing to be the new sun (they did so by jumping into a sacrifical fire). Tecuciztecatl

could not bear the heat and so he jumped out of the fire, but Nanahuatzin remained and so

Nanahuatzin became the sun. Seeing Nanahuatzin, Tecuciztecatl jumped in again and

rose to be another sun, but since his light was too blinding, the gods threw a rabbit on his

face and he thus became the moon. Both these individuals represent opposites that

balance each other. Tecuciztecatl represents vanity and pride, while Nanahuatzin

represents humility and modesty. In the same way that these individuals represent

opposites, the sun and the moon also represent opposites in celestial bodies that maintain

a balance in the sky with day and night (Littleton 2002).

The Greek and Roman myths show balance in several ways. The most common

method is through pairs of brothers and sisters such as Ares and Athene and Artemis and

Apollo. Athene was the goddess of good counsel and symbolized wisdom and reason

applied to both war and peace. On the other hand, Ares, the god of war, represented war

and brutality. Artemis was a virgin goddess associated with uncultivated land, wild

animals, and the moon. On the other hand, Apollo, god of light, was seen as partaking in

love affairs, many of which ended unhappily. Another balance can be seen between the

Titans and Olympians, originally representing a balance between those in power (Titans)

against those not in power (Olympians) or trying to rebel against the higher powers.

Eventually, the Olympians defeated the Titans and came to power. However, when the

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Olympians came to power, a race of demi-gods sought to overthrow them, thus re-

establishing the balance in the world (Littleton 2002).

The Mesopotamian myths also reveal the principle of balance, especially in the

myth of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was seen as a philandering king, wasting all his time on

women and other vices, creating more problems than solutions. Enkidu, created by the

gods in the shape of Gilgamesh, was very different from Gilgamesh. Enkidu spent all his

time away from people, with animals in the forest. Gilgamesh could be seen as the

corrupted king with Enkidu as the innocent human who is yet to be tainted. These highly

opposing forces finally met in a battle and even though Enkidu defeated Gilgamesh, they

became good friends indicating that these two opposite emotions can co-exist peacefully

within us (Littleton 2002).

Unlike the four aforementioned myths, the concept of balance in my hybrid

culture stems from demographics more than a particular story. In a country of one billion

people, an individual realizes the importance of individual identity and seeks to find a

balance between being a part of the sea of people and standing out from the rest. This

concept of identity continues if the individual enters a foreign place. In the foreign place,

the individual seeks to achieve a balance between one’s individual culture and beliefs and

those of the people around him. An extension of the concept of balance beyond issues of

identity is the concept of balance in life and death. This balance is one that all humans

strive to accomplish. Life represents all that we think we can control while death

represents all that we know we cannot control.

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This theme of balance has several subtle, deeper meanings. Joseph Campbell’s

The Power of Myth (Campbell & Moyers 1988) provides a detailed account about what

he thinks these myths mean and why they apply to us. Campbell believes that this balance

is omnipresent existing as the balance between man and woman, life and death, and time

and eternity (1988). Campbell maintains that the purpose of mythology is for us to obtain

a metaphysical realization about the truths of life, one of them being balance. The two

different forces that maintain balance are metaphors of different factors in life that are

constantly at war with each other. In fact, Campbell calls myths manifestations of the

energies of our organs in conflict with one another. So these myths try and establish the

truth that our lives are highlighted by internal conflict. The myths also reveal the fact that

human beings are multi-faceted organisms inherently provided with different conflicting

forces that require balancing (Campbell & Moyers 1988).

This realization of how balance is an inherent property of human beings helps

understand why these century-old myths are still valid for young adults in today’s world

and why they will continue to remain valid in the future too. Human beings have evolved

and will continue to evolve, but the essential core of human beings will always be a

combination of several conflicting forces and therefore, balance will always remain a

crucial aspect of human life.

3.0 Afterlife

The second of these archetypal themes deals with the existence of an afterworld

or an underworld after death. The underworld is generally described as a conduit for souls

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after they have died. The underworld eventually leads to a place of judgment, after which

the souls enter the afterworld (Littleton 2002). From a purely psychological viewpoint,

the reason why these myths existed is because of terror management theory. Terror

management theory states “that in order to ward off the anxiety we feel when

contemplating our own demise, we adopt death-denying attitudes, motivated by the belief

that a part of us will survive death” (Gilovich, Keltner & Nisbett 2006). The belief that a

part of us will survive leads to the creation of an afterworld.

Egyptian mythology mentions the existence of an underworld called the Duat,

ruled by the god Osiris (also the ruler of the afterworld), which resembled Egypt having

natural features such as lakes, deserts and islands. However, in order to distinguish the

Duat from Egypt, Duat also had lakes of fire and demons. The souls eventually had to

journey to Osiris where their hearts would be weighed against a feather of Ma’at. If their

heart was lighter, they would be saved and would go to the afterworld, the Field of Reeds

(a world of fertility and prosperity); otherwise they would be devoured by the monster

Ammut. The concept of journey after death to the afterlife was so ingrained in Egyptian

culture that several texts with spells were created to safeguard the spirit as it journeyed

through the Duat. Mummification was also practiced as preservation of the corpse was

seen as crucial for going to the afterworld. The need to preserve the corpse was based on

the Egyptian belief that life after death could only be enjoyed if three conditions were

met: the dead body had to be in immaculate condition, the soul had to be supplied with

sustenance, and the dead individual’s name had to be honored by prayer. Often, the

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corpses of the servants were buried with the master so that the servants could serve the

master even in the afterlife (Littleton 2002).

The Mayans also had an underworld called Xibalba. The lords of Xibalba were

portrayed as evil and they tricked the father and uncle of the Hero Twins to their death.

The Hero Twins were the heroes of Mayan mythology and they avenged the death of their

ancestors by killing the lords of Xibalba. Xibalba was depicted as an evil, dark place, also

known as the “place of fright”. The Mayans often buried food and precious objects with

the dead for use in this underworld. The Mayans also depicted the afterworld in a manner

similar to that of the Egyptians, but the primary difference was that the treatment of death

was often comical. The comical treatment of death represented the Mayans’ relationship

with death – part fascination and part derision (Littleton 2002).

The Greeks and Romans also had an underworld, ruled by the god Hades. After

burial, the souls of the dead were taken by Hermes, the messenger god, to the river Styx.

Styx was the river between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. The souls

were carried across the river by Charon, a ferryman, who charged the souls a small coil

for the travel (the coin was placed in the dead person’s mouth before burial). Eventually

the souls reached the seat of judgment where their fate would be decided. Based on the

verdict passed by the council, the souls could go to one of three afterworlds: either

Elysium (sunny paradise), the Asphodel Fields (purgatory), or Tartarus (where the souls

would suffer the torment of the damned). The Greek attitude towards death was

ambivalent. Those individuals who believed they had lived a balanced life embraced

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death as a continuation of their lives in Elysium, while those who had committed sins

feared death, afraid of going to the Asphodel Fields or Tartarus. The Greek obsession

with going to Elysium can be seen from the existence of Eleusinian cults called the

Eleusinian Mysteries, that told people how to reach Elysium after death (Littleton 2002).

The Mesopotamians also had an underworld which was ruled by the female

goddess Ereshkigal. The Mesopotamian underworld had a different set of rules than those

of the world of the living. Death was enforced by the gallas of the underworld who were

sent to arrest those destined to die. The Mesopotamian myths mention Nergal, a youth

who was fascinated by death, personified by Ereshkigal. Nergal went to the underworld

based on his fascination and as a result fell in love with death, and never returned

(Littleton 2002). This myth shows that death was not necessarily viewed as something to

be feared by the Mesopotamians. On the contrary, death was something that was to be

embraced, in the same manner as Nergal embraced Ereshkigal (Littleton 2002).

The concept of an afterlife is discussed in almost every culture. But, my

understanding of life and interpretation of culture pertains only to that which is

immediately visible. The death of a loved one brings to mind feelings of sadness and a

realization of the ephemeral nature of life. But instead of pursuing the question of what

happens after death, I would use death as a motivation to make the most of the life that I

have now. Probably the primary reason why the concept of an afterlife does not exist in

my culture is because of the profound influence of science of my life. However, even

though I do not endorse the existence of an afterlife, I do endorse the existence of an

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invisible world beyond that of our own, based on scientific fact, namely quantum

mechanics.

The concept of an invisible world, whether in myth or science, is supported by

Campbell. Campbell argues that the afterlife or the invisible world acts as an invisible

plane support the visible plane (1988). The world is full of uncertainties and intangibles.

There are many questions to which we have no answers, what happens after death being

one. But Campbell argues that what we do not know supports what we do know (1988).

Essentially what he means is that not knowing something helps us establish the

boundaries of our knowledge. He also means that not knowing something helps us realize

what we know. For example, not knowing what death is helps us establish death as

boundary of knowledge beyond which we cannot know what happens. Also, death makes

us aware of our own existence and helps us realize what life means.

Even though human civilization has progressed dramatically since the caveman

days, certain aspects of human life have not changed. Death is a stark reminder that even

though we might try and use technology to control everything around us, there is still an

intangible aspect of life that we know nothing about. Therefore, the myths pertaining to

an other world, call it an afterworld or an underworld or an invisible world, are still

applicable to a young adult in the 21st century. These myths help the adult realize the

nature of life and the fact that their life is not completely under their control. They also

help the adult realize that there is more to life than what meets the eye. Since life is not

under our control and since there is more to life than what meets the eye, we must live

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life for what it is and accept things the way they are, almost the same way as Nergal, who

embraced death (Ereshkigal) and began a new life with her.

4.0 Heroic Cycle

The presence of a hero in mythology stems from the basic human need for a role

model. However, different cultures present their heroes in different lights, some as being

immensely powerful and others as being no different from any of us. The hero’s

adventure begins with the absence of something valuable in the character’s social or

political life and is followed by a series of adventures that take the hero from the world of

the living to a much darker world. The hero is generally assisted by one or more allies.

After completing his trials, the hero returns to the real world with a new realization or

boon, which he then endeavors to pass on to the rest of the world (Campbell & Moyers

1988).

The hero in Egyptian mythology is considered to be Horus, son of the god Osiris

and the goddess Isis. Osiris taught the Egyptian people the art of agriculture and

civilization, while Isis remained a symbol of fertility and motherhood. However, Osiris’

brother, Seth, was envious of Osiris, and plotted to kill Osiris and usurp the throne. Seth

eventually managed to kill Osiris, but he went a step beyond that and hacked Osiris’ body

to bits and scattered them throughout Egypt. Isis was upset, but she used her powers to

resurrect Osiris long enough for him to impregnate her with Horus. Isis then took care of

Horus and when he was old enough, she approached the other gods for Horus’ rightful

claim to the throne. Through Isis’ cunning, she managed to elicit a confession from Seth

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about the fact that Horus should be the rightful king. However, the confession only

disgruntled Seth and he ended up challenging Horus to a series of combats.

The first test saw Horus and Seth transforming themselves into hippopotamuses

fighting each other in the Nile, trying to survive for three months. Isis came to Horus’

help and harpooned Seth, giving Horus an advantage. The next attack was a sexual attack

where each opponent tried to throw his semen on the other. Semen was considered to

extremely potent and powerful. Seth initially sexually attacked Horus, but Horus was

ready and caught Seth’s semen and took it to his mother, Isis. Isis then devised a

counterattack, whereby Horus sprinkled his semen on the vegetables in Seth’s garden.

Seth ate those vegetables and was eventually humiliated when he discovered what had

happened. The final battle consisted of the two gods trying to build a ship of stone in

attempt to race each other down the Nile. But in this case, Seth destroyed Horus’ ship,

and Seth’s ship also sank because it was too heavy. The gods resorted to attacking each

other leaving everything unresolved. Finally, after consulting Osiris, Horus was handed

the throne. Horus returned to Egypt as lord and eventually created a human race of kings

(pharaohs) who were believed to be his descendants (Littleton 2002).

Horus’ heroic cycle begins with a quest to take back the throne which rightfully

belongs to him (since he’s next in line after Osiris). In order to retake the throne, he goes

against his uncle Seth. In Horus’ fight, his mother Isis constantly appears and helps Horus

emerge victorious over Osiris. Horus’ trials against Seth involve the fight as

hippopotamuses in the Nile, the sexual attacks and finally the boat race on the Nile. In all

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these events, Horus is attacked by Seth. In one event, Seth takes Horus’ eyes and leaves

him blind. Isis comes to Horus’ rescue and restores his eyesight. Throughout his trials,

Horus keeps trying and never gives up. Finally, when the gods empower him as the

rightful king, he comes back to the land of the living. Having fought for so long, he

values the importance of peace and prosperity and thus establishes a golden rule in Egypt

where his people will never have to go through what he went through.

The Mayan myths have two heroes known as the Hero Twins – Hunahpuh and

Xbalanque. The father and uncle of the Hero twins were summoned down to the

underworld (Xibalba) by the evil lords One Death and Seven Death. Once down there,

they were given three tasks to do. However, in each case, the evil lords fooled the father

and uncle and eventually executed them. The Hero Twins had a hard childhood living

with a grandmother who spurned them and brothers who were jealous of them. Despite

all these obstacles, the Hero Twins continued helping their grandmother and eventually

learned how to play the ballgame that was then responsible for their ancestors being

summoned down to Xibalba.

Upon playing the ballgame, the Hero Twins were summoned down to Xibalba.

However, they were more cunning than their ancestors and managed to successfully

complete all the tasks given to them. They endured the hardships in dangerous places

such as the House of Knives and the House of the Jaguars. However, towards the end of

their ordeal, the Twins suffered a severe setback: Hunahpu was decapitated. Xbalanque

devised a plan to restore Hunahpu’s head and successfully fooled the evil lords of

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Xibalba to resurrect Hunahpu’s head. Finally, after making the evil lords believe that they

were dead, the Hero Twins returned to Xibalba under a new guise. They presented

themselves as magicians with the power to kill something and be able to resurrect it. The

evil lords were very impressed and asked the Twins to use their power to kill the lords

and resurrect them. Using this ploy, the Twins managed to kill the lords of Xibalba. The

other inhabitants of Xibalba were afraid that the Hero Twins would slaughter them too,

but the Hero Twins saved them on the condition that they would never ask for human

sacrifice. The Hero Twins’ final act was disinterring the remains of their forefathers and

taking them up to where they belonged. After this struggle, one of the twins became the

Sun and the other the Moon (Littleton 2002).

The Hero Twins’ began their heroic cycle with the deaths of the father and uncle.

Their trials began in childhood where they had to deal with a grandmother who used

them and siblings who hated them. Their penultimate trial was going down to Xibalba

and avenging the deaths of their ancestors. The Hero Twins used their intelligence and

cunning to complete the tasks given to them and make it through the dangerous places

like the House of Knives. However, one of the Hero Twins, Hunahpu, got decapitated

during their journey. Xbalanque, the other Hero Twin, came to the aid of his brother and

managed to restore his brother’s head. The Twins finally came up with a ploy to kill the

lords of Xibalba. Their ploy succeeded and they managed to return the remains of their

ancestors to the world of the living. The also made the inhabitants of Xibalba promise

never to ask humans for human sacrifice. The Twins thus returned with a boon for all of

humankind: the guarantee that human sacrifice would no longer be required. They also

became the Sun and the Moon, representing brotherhood, companionship, and balance.

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The Greek and Roman myths have several heroes, the most famous of them being

Herakles (or Hercules). Herakles was believed to be the sun of Zeus and a mortal woman,

Alcmene. Zeus’ affair with a mortal woman angered Zeus’ wife Hera, and therefore,

Herakles had to face her wrath throughout most of his life. After a few childhood trials,

Herakles settled down with his wife and had two children. But, Hera made Herakles

insane making him believe that his sons were enemies. Herakles thus killed his two sons.

His wife died from the shock of the news. Having lost his family, Herakles wanted to

atone for the crime that he had committed. He was told by Apollo’s priestess that he was

to serve Eurytheus, king of Mycenae, to atone for his crime. Thus began Herakles’ series

of adventures.

Eurytheus was afraid of Herakles as he saw a rival in Herakles. He thus sent

Herakles to challenges that would bring Herakles’ death. But in every challenge, Herakles

returned successful. Herakles undertook several labors that ranged from killing the

Nemean lion to capturing the Ceryneian Hind, a deer of extraordinary beauty. Herakles’

exploits occurred both close to home and away from home. His final and twelfth labor

took him to the underworld where he fought the triple-headed dog guard, Cerebrus. After

completing his trials, Herakles began a new life but was killed by one of his enemies.

Finally, after his death, he was embraced by his father Zeus, who made him immortal and

gave him a place on Mount Olympus (Littleton 2002).

Herakles’s heroic voyage began when he murdered his sons under the influence of

Zeus’s wife, Hera. The loss of his sons (and subsequent loss of his wife) devastated

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Herakles. He thus set out in search of a means to atone for his crime. This search for

atonement began Herakles twelve labors. Each of his labors tested his strength, bravery

and courage. The labor took his from Greece to the far reaches of the world and

eventually to the realm of Hades. Herakles fought monsters in different corners of the

world and emerged victorious in every battle. After his battles, Herakles emerged a free

man, with his labors being equivalent to a pardon for his sins. Herakles labors allowed

him a state of peace where he no longer held himself responsible for what had happened.

Instead, he began a new life with Princess Deianira. Herakles’ labors were a boon for

humanity as he helped rid the world of some of the most fierce and dangerous monsters.

Ultimately, his elevation to god-hood represented the culmination of all his labors where

he was rewarded for doing a great service to mankind.

The Mesopotamian myths talk about Gilgamesh as a superhero, although he was

closer to a mortal than most other heroes in other myths. Gilgamesh was a mortal king,

who indulged in women and other vices. Upon hearing the people’s prayers, the gods

created a rival for Gilgamesh, called Enkidu. Enkidu was the opposite of Gilgamesh,

living with animals more than humans. Upon hearing of Enkidu, Giligamesh sent out a

prostitute to corrupt Enkidu. The ploy worked but when Enkidu realized that he lost his

friends and his strength, he was devastated. He decided to go to the city to meet

Gilgamesh. When the two met, they engaged in a furious battle which Enkidu won. But

despite the fight, the two resolved their differences and became good friends. They then

went ahead to fight a forest monster. Gilgamesh did so for fame and ambition, but Enkidu

did so for his companion. They eventually slaughtered the monster but in doing so

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angered the god Enlil. Enlil responded to the killing of his forest monster by killing

Enkidu by an earthquake. Gilgamesh was distraught at the loss of his friend and was

overcome by feelings of death. He went to the ends of the Earth to find immortality, but

failed in doing so. Finally, he returned back to his kingdom with the realization and

acceptance of his mortality (Littleton 2002).

Gilgamesh’s heroic cycle began with the absence of a sense of purpose in his life.

Most of his time was spent on excesses with him being more of a bane than a boon to the

people of his city. His first trial was one of discovery. He fought and lost to Enkidu. This

loss and Enkidu’s friendship helped Gilgamesh discover himself. He regained a sense of

purpose and adventure. He, along with Enkidu, thus began another adventure whether

they fought and destroyed a forest monster. However, the death of the forest monster

angered the god Enlil, who in turn killed Enkidu. The death of Enkidu sent Gilgamesh

into another cycle. The loss of Enkidu made Gilgamesh obsessed with the fear of death.

He traveled to the end of the world to achieve immortality and avoid death, but returned

empty-handed. Even though he returned a mortal, he returned with the realization that

death is inevitable. His new-found boon was one of acceptance of death and the ways of

mortal life. Having understood and realized this truth of life, Gilgamesh dedicated the

rest of his life to helping build his city.

In my opinion, even though most people of my age in today’s world have role

models who have been immortalized for their great service to humanity, I think that my

true role models are the people around me. For a child, his or her parents are the role

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models. As the child goes to school, the teachers become role models as they shape his or

her life. The process continues in university and even in the work place where the people

who shape our lives become strong forces in their lives and become the true role models

and heroes. Besides the influence of others, each individual is a hero too. Every

individual goes through a series of heroic cycles in their lives through which they

rediscover who they are. None of them might be as epic as the adventures of Herakles,

but each cycle could start with ignorance and then end with a realization of the way

things are, just as in the case of Gilgamesh.

Campbell argues that the heroic cycle involves leaving one condition of life and

finding source for another condition (1988). He claims that everyone is a hero in his or

her way. The heroic cycle involves a transformation of consciousness that is achieved

through the trials and revelations that the hero endures. The hero discovers an aspect of

himself that did not exist before. Campbell quotes the example of Hans Solo in Star Wars

who appears as though he is someone who would do anything for money. However,

through his trials in the movie, he discovered his true nature. Thus, the adventure evokes

a quality of the character that he or she is not aware of (Campbell 1988). In the end, the

hero discovers a place, either mental or physical, where he has achieved balance and from

where he can pass on the knowledge he has learned to others. Every individual thus

spends their life in a series of cycles. Each cycle helps the individual discover different

aspects of themself.

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In today’s world, individuals often go on with their lives not paying attention to

what they are doing, but just continuing with a routine. In this atmosphere, people are

motivated only my materialistic goals and often when things go wrong, people break

down and do not know how to recover. The realization that each individual is a hero and

is going through a heroic cycle would make people realize the cyclic nature of life. In

realizing this cyclic nature, they would learn how to deal with failure better and would

give greater thought to the meaning of their lives and the greater purpose of their

existence. This greater awareness of the greater order of their life would uplift them and

help them recover from setbacks. They would view the setbacks and obstacles as stepping

stones in their heroic cycle.

5.0 Conclusion

The myths from different cultures represent wisdom that was collected by humans

centuries ago and that is still applicable in today’s world. Universal concepts like the

concept of balance, the concept of an invisible world supporting our world, and the

concept of a heroic cycle are still applicable to youths in today’s world. The archetypal

myths associated with these concepts help us realize certain truths of life that are

beginning to get lost in a technological society. The concept of balance helps us realize

that balance is not only external in the world, but also internal to who we really are as

humans. The concept of an invisible world lends to the notion of control and shows to us

that we cannot know and control everything. Finally, the concept of a heroic cycle gives a

greater meaning to our lives and helps us break out of the daily monotony of our lives.

The realization that every one of us is a hero undergoing a different cycle helps us

discover different aspects of our lives, which in turn makes us a complete individual.

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6.0 References

Campbell, J. & Moyers, B. (1988). The Power of Myth. Broadway: New York.

Gilovich, T., Keltner, D. & Nisbett, R.E. (2006). Social Psychology. Norton: New York.

Littleton, C.S. (2002). Mythology: The Illustrated Anthology of World Myth &

Storytelling. Thunder Bay Press: San Diego.

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