Batman As A Monomythic Hero

Miller’s version brings with it many mixed responses from fans and critics, which makes it interesting to explore whether Batman in Miller’s version is an American monomythic hero as presented by Lawrence and Jewett. Even though there is some evidence of how The Dark Knight Returns follows the monomyth, overall Batman cannot be defined as a monomythic hero. Lawrence and Jewett, in their book The Myth of the American Superhero, express their belief that myths can influence the ideals and lives of both individuals and society as a whole (Lawrence 7). Their monomyth is based on Joseph Campbell’s concept of a “classical monomyth,” but theirs is based specifically on more modern pop culture rather than all mythical stories. They define the American monomyth as follows: “A community in a harmonious paradise is threatened by evil; normal institutions fail to contend with this threat; a selfless superhero emerges to renounce temptations and carry out the redemptive task; aided by fate, his decisive victory restores the community to its paradisiacal condition; the superhero then recedes into obscurity” (Lawrence 6). Whereas Campbell’s monomyth is on rites of passage, the American monomyth