The Archetype Of A Hero In Joseph Campbell's Monomyth

Heroes play a critical role in society. Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth explores the archetype of a hero as well as its necessities to society. In a hero’s journey, the hero will always return changed after being away for a long time. The archetypal hero in Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, a work of science fiction, is Ender Wiggin. Shakespeare, Lord of the Rings, by Tolkien, and Beowulf, mirrors the traits that Ender portrays in Macbeth. By displaying acts of selfishness, extreme violence, and being egotistical, a hero, no matter and previous act, society no longer considers the a hero, a hero. Through the societal damage resulting from these acts, heroes show their true worth to society.

A hero shows their true worth society when their actions

In Ender’s Game, two men discuss Bonzo’s death after Ender graduate to Command School. In the discussion, one of the men tells the other “It’s the second time, too” (Card 226). From this the society learns Ender is a very violent person. When Ender is just six years old, he gets into a fight with another boy named Stilson. In this fight, Ender knocks Stilson on the floor. An average person will leave his opponent on the floor and walk away, Ender, however, continues to beat Stilson up and does not let him get back up. In doing so, Ender kills for the first time at six years old. Fast-forward five years, when Ender is in Battle School. Ender is now in control of his own army, and never loses a battle. Bonzo, Ender’s old commander, hates Ender for being so good. Bonzo decides to fight Ender when he is alone in the bathroom. Ender retaliates and hits Bonzo in the nose. Bonzo’s nose goes backwards into his own brain, killing him. Society looks down upon this, even though Ender was acting in self-defense and will defeat the Buggers. Ender’s actions negated his acts of heroism. In Beowulf, the Danes call on Beowulf to fight Grendel. In the fight, Beowulf rips off Grendel’s arms, the orator uses imagery to describe it: “Snapped, muscle, and bone split” (344). Grendel, an outsider, cannot

In Ender’s Game, after Ender’s eighth battle in seven days, he talks to Bean about the stress he deals with every day. In this conversation, Ender tells Bean “I can’t lose any games” (Card 197). Ender thinks he has to be the best to save the world. He believes a loss will make everyone think he is a failure. All of the other commanders hate him for this. As a result, commanders, like Bonzo, take action and ruin the lives of everyone. Some may blame the commanders, who attacked Ender for ruining their lives, but in reality, Ender ruins their lives with his ego, and society no longer thinks Ender is a hero. Similarly, in Beowulf, Beowulf hears about a dragon hording gold. Beowulf, instead of being smart, “was too proud to line up with a large army” (2345-2347). Beowulf, who is an old man at this time, decides to fight the dragon because of his ego. Beowulf fears that he will not be remember for his fights against Grendel and Grendel’s mother, so for people to remember him. He believes that if he kills the dragon by himself, no one will ever forget him. Beowulf’s ego results in Beowulf’s death and society no longer calling him a hero. Ego is another factor in a different king’s down fall. This king is