| The Hero: A Study in Tradition, Myth and Drama Contributor(s): Raglan, Lord (Author) |
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ISBN: 0486427080 ISBN-13: 9780486427089 Publisher: Dover Publications OUR PRICE: $13.46 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: March 2011 Annotation: Heroic figures, invested with a common pattern that satisfies the human desire for idealization, are the focus of this intriguing study of legendary characters--from Oedipus and King Arthur to heroes of the Trojan War and Robin Hood. A fascinating study that will appeal to students of folklore, mythology, and history. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Literary Criticism | Drama - Religion | Comparative Religion - Social Science | Folklore & Mythology |
| Dewey: 291.213 |
| LCCN: 2003043776 |
| Series: Dover Books on Literature & Drama |
| Physical Information: 0.7" H x 5.4" W x 8.4" (0.85 lbs) 307 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: His mother is a virgin and he's reputed to be the son of a god; he loses favor and is driven from his kingdom to a sorrowful death -- sound familiar? In The Hero, Lord Raglan contends that the heroic figures from myth and legend are invested with a common pattern that satisfies the human desire for idealization. Raglan outlines 22 characteristic themes or motifs from the heroic tales and illustrates his theory with events from the lives of characters from Oedipus (21 out of a possible 22 points) to Robin Hood (a modest 13). A fascinating study that relates details from world literature with a lively wit and style, it was acclaimed by literary critic Stanley Edgar Hyman as a bold, speculative, and brilliantly convincing demonstration that myths are never historical but are fictional narratives derived from ritual dramas. This new edition of The Hero (which originally appeared some 13 years before Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces) is assured of a lasting popularity. This book will appeal to scholars of folklore and mythology, history, literature, and general readers as well. |