The Hero’s Quest Archetype

The heroic quest archetype can be found everywhere- from fables that children are brought up on to stories read in high school classes across the world.  This archetype was developed in Ancient Greece by writers of those times.  The hero was the focus of many stories from that era- many were myths explaining the being and ways of their people.  The Greeks believed in a quest that the hero must embark on in order to accomplish something that had some place in what the Greeks considered their history.  The heroic archetype, though first developed and established long ago, has had a relevant presence in stories and tales throughout history, and continues to  influence writers in modern times.
Archetypes: The Hero and his Quest
The terms used in describing mythology are often complex and strange and required definition.  The hero is a character seen in many tales, but the word is not used always as it should be.  A hero is, by definition, “a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose” (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 846).  The hero’s journey, often to prove himself, is his quest.  An archetype is “A primordial image, character, or pattern of circumstances that recurs throughout literature and thought consistently enough to be considered universal” (Encyclopedia Britannica).  The Archetype of the Hero, based upon events in the Hero’s life.  These often include, but are not limited to the hero suffering a great loss, then setting out on his quest.  There is often a helper assisting the hero on his quest, and the hero gets assistance on his trials, often to prove himself.  The hero often overcomes death, and then escapes the evil villian’s stronghold and/pr destroys him.  The hero is then reintegrated into society, often with new rights or respect. (Shawn J. Wittmeier, “The Archetypal Hero in Mass Media”).  Often, in mythological tales, the hero will have help from a god, or “A being of supernatural powers or attributes, believed in and worshiped by a people, especially a male deity thought to control some part of nature or reality” (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 777).  A complete understanding of all of these terms is needed in order to fully understand the Hero and his Quest.
The Mythic Hero
The tale of one Greek Hero is commonly adapted to various outlets, and is familiar to many whether they are  recognize it or not.  This is the tale of Perseus, the man who went to slay the Gorgon Medusa.  Part of the Hero archetype includes an unusual birth, and Perseus’s is no exception: “A shower of gold fell and filled [his mother’s] chamber.  How it was revealed to her that it was Zeus who had visited her in this form we are not told, but she knew that the child she bore was his son” (Hamilton 147).  Perseus was indeed spawned unusually, being the son of Zeus.  Perseus eventually set out to kill Medusa, however, he had help: “[Hermes] himself would guide Perseus to [the Gorgons]…and Athena guided his hand” (Hamilton 150-151).  Athena and Hermes both gave gifts and aid to Perseus in his quest.”   Perseus also ultimately defeats evil, whether seen as Medusa or the spiteful king of the island.  He then is returned to society.  In the most cliché fable element ever, “Perseus and Andromeda lived happily ever after” (Hamilton 154).  Perseus’ tale fits that of the archetypical hero tale due to its fitting of the archetype in several ways.
The Epic Hero
Consider also the case of the epic hero, one who sets of on a long quest often to attain an ultimate goal.  A good example is any hero of the Trojan War.  Often considered the greatest of these, Odysseus fits the archetype well.   He fought for Greece in the Trojan War, and after the decade of bloodshed, It is told that the survivors went immediately home. The exception was Odysseus: “Odysseus did not lose his life, but if he did not suffer as much as some of the Greeks, he suffered longer than them all. He wandered ten years before he saw his home” (Hamilton 212).  Odysseus survived, but he could not make it home for ten additional years.  His loss is that of his family- he didn’t want to leave for the Trojan War in the first place, and is simply fighting to return home.   His  quest is ultimately to return home.  He also has divine assistance- “The Olympians. . .felt that Odysseus had deserved better” (Hamilton 215). Zeus then helped him be released from Calypso, who had him captive at the moment.  He also overcame evil on multiple occasions, from the sirens to the lotus-eaters, who “met them with kindness and gave them flower-food to eat, but those who tasted it… lost their longing for home” (Hamilton 220).  In the end, he returns home at last, stronger and wiser than before, this fulfilling the final stage in the archetype.
The Media Hero
Though the archetype has been thus proven for ancient stories, it remains lurking overhead in modern stories as well.  Take the example of Bilbo Baggins from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit.”  The archetype calls for a hero who “has a mentor or helper who helps him on his quest” (Shawn J. Wittmeier, “The Archetypal Hero in Mass Media”).  In this case, it is Gandalf the Grey, wizard who gets the hobbit started on his quest in the first place.  Also, Gandalf bears resemblances to a specific figure in Greek myth- the blind prophet Tiresias.  Both lead less experienced travelers, Tiresias leads Odysseus and others and Gandalf Bilbo (and later Frodo).  Also, in the Odyssey, “Tiresias went further to tell [Ulysses] that his wanderings would not end until he was able to regain the favor of Poseidon. After he achieved that, he would lie out a long and tranquil life.” (Milch, Robert J., and Brooklyn College, Homer's the Odyssey).  This is similar to Bilbo’s fate as well.  Bilbo also “narrowly escapes death” (Wittmeier) in Gollum’s chamber, and escapes the ultimate foe’s fortress after killing ht dragon Smaug whose gold he quested for. Bilbo’s tale represents the heroic archetype well, and this story is one of the most commonly known in American pop culture.
Conclusion
From 1000 B.C. to the first half of the 20th Century to now, the archetype of the hero and his quest remains relevant and present in the world, and its impact on culture has not gone unnoticed.  Perseus’ demon slaying is commonly seen or mimicked in stories, Odysseus’s journey has influenced almost every epic tale after it in some way or another, and Tolkien’s tales and characters have influenced protagonists from that point onward.  Tolkien’s Bilbo also fits other archetypes, such as the iniative archetype, while other characters in his tales fit various archetypes.  The hero’s quest archetype remains relevant due to its renewal in stories time and time again, as its elements remain manipulated to fit each individual tale, as a good story should.