Joseph Campbell, a scholar of religions and mythology, reflected deeply on comparative mythology, and especially archetypes, many of which are common in most world cultures. He discovered the secret code of every story, by identifying recurring passages in every kind of narrative. He realised that myths are not a human invention, but are a ‘metaphor of a mystery that transcends human understanding’.
Humans need myths, because they transport us into the world of the unconscious, help us to understand an important truth, and reveal hidden aspects of our own self. Myths take stories of gods and creative forces, and make them relatable to human beings.
While studying Campbell’s theories, Vogler realised that the same key aspects appear in every story, so the same story is basically being retold time and time again, albeit with small variations. This realisation helped Vogler to develop Campbell’s theory further. Campbell suggested that the hero was called upon to set out, attend an initiation rite, enter the depths, and return. Vogler, on the other hand, maintains that the Hero’s Journey is actually made up of 12 stages: the ordinary world; the call to adventure; the refusal of the call; meeting the mentor; crossing the first threshold; tests, allies, and enemies; the approach to the innermost cave; the ordeal; the reward; the road back; the resurrection; and the return with the elixir.
These stages represent the structure of the Hero’s Journey, within which the main character completes their transformation. The journey is universal, it derives from a specific archetype, and is found in every culture, and in every era. In order to make it effective within a story, Vogler has divided this journey into a structure of 3 separate acts. The first act, in which the hero decides to take action, is made up of the first 30 pages and describes the first stages of the journey, in other words, the ordinary world, the call to adventure, the rejection of the call, the meeting with the mentor, and the crossing of the first threshold.
The second act begins with the crossing of the first threshold, and describes the act itself. It is considerably longer than the first act, at about 60 pages, and is where most of the action takes place. It is made up of trials, allies, and enemies, and is also the place where the hero approaches the innermost cavern, just before the central trial, which will grant them the reward and the chance to begin the journey back home.
Finally, the third act, in the last 30 pages, highlights the consequences of the hero’s actions, and summarises their resurrection and return home with the elixir.
