The Monomyth Reboot: A Transmodern Update for Mythopoeia

Nadia Salem challenges the enduring relevance of the monomyth and proposes the inclusion of the heroines journey as a Künstlerroman and a voice of alterity. She analyzes narratives of Eros and Psyche, Jane Eyre, and Titanic to argue for an emphasis on the integration of both the heros and the heroines journeys. This book demonstrates how the monomyth as rebooted turns monomythic mythopoesis into fertile ground for the kinds of epiphanies demanded by transmodernism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 166 pages
Publication date: 15 December 2023
Publisher: Lexington Books

Nadia Salem's book explores the enduring relevance of the monomyth, or the hero's journey, for storytellers and their audiences. Created by Joseph Campbell and popularized by George Lucas, the hero's journey has become a defining paradigm for mythic quests. However, in recent years, this genderless paradigm has lost its appeal as a repetitive Bildungsroman and as a result, Salem argues for the inclusion of the heroine's journey as a Künstlerroman and a voice of alterity. The hero's journey reflects a coming of age, while the heroine's journey reflects a coming of middle age, which are equally necessary for the complete fulfillment of character. Salem analyzes the narratives of Eros and Psyche, Jane Eyre, and Titanic to argue for an emphasis on the integration of both the hero's and the heroine's journeys. Ultimately, this book demonstrates how the monomyth, when rebooted, turns monomythic mythopoesis into fertile ground for the kinds of epiphanies demanded by transmodernism. Scholars of film studies, communication, composition, and mythology will find this book of particular interest.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793648075