Hero Myth Through the Eyes of Psychoanalysis: Growth Drama of the Ego

Introduction: Where Are the Heroes of Our Time?

Today, we no longer fight dragons with swords. But we are still heroes going out to the battlefield every morning. This is because we wear the armor of social expectations, struggle with monsters of internal anxiety, and move toward a ‘me of tomorrow’ better than yesterday.

Psychoanalysts have discovered that numerous hero stories handed down since ancient times actually perfectly metaphorize the ‘psychological development stages’ through which a human matures. In this post, we will look at the psychoanalytic meaning of the hero’s journey.

1. Call and Departure: From Dependence to Independence

Heroic myths always begin with the protagonist leaving their comfortable home. This psychoanalytically means ‘psychological independence from parents.’

• Comfortable Home: A state of staying within infantile omnipotence and parental protection.
• Call to Adventure: An internal signal notifying that one can no longer stay in the past. To become an independent individual, one must destroy familiar environments (dependence) and move into a strange world.

2. Ordeal and Initiation: Confronting the Shadow

The hero always meets a giant monster or descends into the underworld during their adventure. This is a process of confronting the ‘shadow’ lurking deep within themselves.

• Fight with Monsters: Struggles with old values that trap me, repressed anger, or a weak ego that clings to the recognition of others. Defeating this monster means that the energy has been integrated into mine and conquered.
• Appearance of Helpers: Sages or magicians in myths symbolize the energy of wisdom and intuition that our unconscious sends to help growth.

3. Return and Healing: Birth of the True Self

The hero who has overcome the ordeal returns to the community with treasures (wisdom). This means the completion of ‘individuation’ as mentioned by Jung.

It is not just that winning the fight was important; through the process, the broken parts of the mind have been integrated into one, becoming a ‘whole Self.’ Now, the hero is reborn as a mature ego who uses their energy for others and the community.

Conclusion: Where is Your Journey Now?

Heroic myths are not the exclusive property of someone special. It is a mandatory drama that we all must perform on the stage called our lives.

The painful ordeal you are currently experiencing may be a mythological device to wake up the hero within you. Face it head-on instead of avoiding the monster. The wisdom gained by overcoming that monster will lead you to true freedom and wholeness. You are already a hero writing your own myth.

This concludes the series ‘The Foundation of Psychoanalysis for Interpreting Mythology,’ which explored the deep layers of the human unconscious. From now on, based on this foundation, we will deeply explore real-world myths such as Sumerian, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese myths psychoanalytically. Thank you!