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Dr. J. Taylor
HUM 2310 Mythology
Group Hero Presentations
Fall 2011
Select heroes will be given to each class. Groups will be able to choose one hero from the list on
a first come, first served basis. All hero choices much be approved by Dr. Taylor. The
presentation is based on the research your group of about 4 people (six groups per class) does for
your assigned hero. You all will be the resident experts on that particular hero for a short 15-20
minute presentation at the end of the semester. You will tell the story of the Hero on a
particular quest. You can make a video, power point, or act out the story (minus weapons)
in class.
Your group will provide a basic outline of the hero story as a study guide for the class.
After each group presents their hero’s story, the class will analyze the story based on Joseph
Campbell’s Hero Cycle, finding which categories and subcategories appear in the hero’s myth.
Some advice:
If you are creating a power point presentation, bring in the presentation on either CD or a media
stick/flash drive AND email it as a backup.
If there is music on your presentation, make sure to save the music to your media files. You’ll
know that the music files are saved if they actually appear in the CD or media stick’s window.
If the CD or media stick only shows a power point, there is every likelihood that the music files
were not saved correctly. You may choose to bring music in on a separate CD. It is tricky to save
it to the PowerPoint, but it can be done.
Choose font sizes and colors that will be easy to read projected on the video screen. Make sure
that the font color stands out against the background. I do not recommend red or yellow fonts as
they often are hard to read when projected onto the screen.
There must be visuals of your hero in the presentation even if you merely have a set of images to
show while you narrate the presentation yourselves. The class needs to see the hero.
It is important to be present and pay attention to the presentations. Please make sure your
electronic devices are silent. Anyone texting during the presentations will be asked to leave. Not
only is it discourteous, it is disruptive to those around you.
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Dr. J. Taylor
Mythology Hero Papers
Fall 2011
This paper is only required if a student receives a “D” or an “F” on the first paper. If a
student receives a “C” or a “B” this assignment is optional. If the student receives an “A”
on the first writing assignment, it is not necessary to complete this assignment.
Hero Writing Assignment requirements:
The focus of the 4-page paper portion of this project will be an application of Joseph Campbell’s
Hero Cycle to the story of a Hero. Based on the selection of your group’s hero, find out as much
of the hero’s story as possible preferably in summary form (I don’t recommend trying to read an
epic like the Odyssey if you have Odysseus. Read a summary of his adventures in a Classical
Mythology book). After you have found one really good summary or version of your hero’s
myth, apply Campbell’s Hero Cycle to the myth of your hero. Joseph Campbell developed the
Hero Cycle or pattern (see separate handout on the Hero Cycle) after studying myths of heroes
from around the world. According to him, every hero myth fits the pattern. You are testing his
theory by applying the pattern to the myth of your hero. Consider whether your hero’s myth fits
the pattern as outlined by Campbell. Is it an exact fit? How does it differ?
THE GOAL: Find at least six subcategories from the main categories of Departure, Initiation,
and Return in the myth of your hero.
HOW THAT BREAKS DOWN: I would like you to find six subcategories, ideally a minimum
of two from each of the main categories: Departure, Initiation, and Return. However, some of the
heroes do not fit into the Return Category because they die. If that is the case for your hero, you
can divide up the six subcategories between Departure and Initiation. The Goal is six
subcategories divided between the three main categories.
Focus on key events that either do or do not fit the cycle and include those events as examples in
your paper and presentation. Be sure to explain how/why the events do or do not meet the
criteria of Joseph Campbell’s Hero Cycle. This information should be worked into the Thesis
Statement.
There may be some overlap between subcategories. For example, an event may be part of the
Road of Trials, but it also may fit under Meeting with the Goddess or Woman as Temptress.
Whichever subcategories you choose, those six will become part of your Thesis Statement in the
Introduction to your paper along with some general background about your Hero and Joseph
Campbell’s Hero Cycle.
Sample Thesis Statement: The Epic of Gilgamesh, while not strictly adhering to Campbell’s
Hero Cycle, does contain enough elements of that cycle to decisively call Gilgamesh a Hero.
These elements include from Departure: (choose two of the subcategories), from Initiation:
(choose two of the subcategories), and from Return: (choose two of the subcategories).
You only need one source for the hero’s story. Please use a scholarly, academic, or literary
source unless otherwise approved.
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