Monomyth and Superhero, Recycled Themes

Heroes have always been a part of written stories. Heroes from Greek mythology often had super-human characteristics but also had fatal flaws, and often met with tragic ends because of these flaws. The era post World War I and II created comic book heroes that did not seem to have any flaws. The current superheroes all seem to be dark heroes – heroes that may not always do acceptable (legal) things, but, overall may have good intentions. One similarity that many hero stories share is the monomyth, or hero’s journey,
• Discuss how the character of one Hero or Superhero (fictional) reflects the times that they are written. You may select a fictional hero from any era, however, you should be comfortable describing that era’s culture as well.
• Explain why this hero would resonate with the general era in which they were written.
• Describe the elements of the monomyth that are apparent in this hero’s story. HINT! Utilize a template like the one listed below to break down each part of the monomyth.