Re: Birth & Babies

From: David Cake <davidc_at_cs.uwa.edu.au>
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 1995 10:21:36 +0800

>Mark C. Wallace suggests
>
>>Birth is a fundamental heroquest.
>
>While this sounds noble and many heroquests DO result in birth (e.g.
>Hon-Eel), I don't think a typical birth really fits the Campbellian
>Monomyth Heroquest Structure:
>

        First, do we need to be bound by Cambell that rigorously? The classic hero myth is one classic myth, and the archetypal heroquest, but that does not mean that all hero paths must follow that structure, especially as there are many cults for which it is quite inappropriate. There are many myths that do not follow the Cambellian hero path, and re-enacting these is also a heroquest.

>The Call To Adventure
>The Crossing of the Threshold
>Tests & Helpers
>Sacred Marriage/Father Atonement/Apotheosis/Elixir Theft
>Flight
>The Crossing of the Return Threshold
>Elixir brought to the world
>
>I think childbirth lacks most of these elements. Note that birth doesn't
>occur in the index to The Hero With A Thousand Faces.
>

        But also, using Hon-Eels quest as an example, the process that results in giving birth can be seen made to fit the hero-quest path (the mother, not the child is the one heroquesting). The mother seeks the father, suceeds in conception (the sacred marriage), and then brings the child back to the world.

        Not a very feminist conception of the process, but none the less a mythically valid one.

        Cheers
                David



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