Motif family
The Hero's Journey
The narrative arc of departure, trial, transformation, and return. Includes the call to adventure, threshold crossing, the abyss, the boon, and the return with knowledge or power.
107 traditions
14,296 occurrences
486 mapped motifs
- aboriginal australian
- african akan
- african bantu
- afro caribbean
- ainu
- akan
- amazonian
- andamanese
- arctic inuit
- armenian
- arthurian
- australian aboriginal
- basque
- bavili
- biblical
- buddhist
- burmese
- buryat mongol
- caucasian
- celtic
- celtic irish
- celtic welsh
- chaco amerindian
- christian
- christian apocrypha
- comparative
- confucian
- daoist
- egyptian
- ekoi
- estonian
- ethiopian christian
- fijian
- filipino
- finnic
- finnish karelian
- fjort
- ganda
- georgian
- germanic
- gnostic
- greek
- greek roman
- guiana amerindian
- hausa
- hawaiian
- hermetic
- hindu
- hopi
- inca
- indigenous australian
- inuit
- islamic
- islamicate folklore
- jain
- japanese
- jewish christian
- jewish pseudepigrapha
- khoekhoe
- khoisan south african
- kikuyu
- kimbundu
- korean
- malagasy
- malay
- mangaian
- maori
- maya
- maya quiche
- melanesian
- mesopotamian
- micronesian
- mongol
- nahua
- nahua maya inca
- native american california
- native american great lakes
- native american northeast woodlands
- native american northwest coast
- native american plains
- native american plateau
- native american southeast
- native american southwest
- navajo
- norse
- oceanic
- persian
- roman
- romanian
- samoan
- san
- shan
- shinto
- siberian
- sikh
- slavic
- sufi
- taoist
- temne
- tibetan buddhist
- tongan
- vietnamese
- xhosa
- yoruba
- zoroastrian
- zulu
- zuni
Conserved neighbors: initiation · descent · threshold guardian · mystical quest · recognition tokens hidden identity
This family has not yet been binned into sub-families; its mapped motifs are listed directly, most widespread first.
Mapped motifs
486 motifs, showing the 60 most attested
- Departure 8,305 occurrences · 105 traditions
- aboriginal australian
- african akan
- african bantu
- afro caribbean
- ainu
- amazonian
- andamanese
- arctic inuit
- +97 more
- Return 5,501 occurrences · 105 traditions
- african akan
- african bantu
- afro caribbean
- ainu
- amazonian
- andamanese
- arctic inuit
- armenian
- +97 more
- companion bound to the hero’s road 2 occurrences · 2 traditions
- celtic
- celtic welsh
- warning before a dangerous journey 2 occurrences · 2 traditions
- germanic
- native american plateau
- Disguised heroes recognized by distinctive prowess 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Escape from whirlpool by clinging to a tree 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- monster encounter during a quest 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Tree refuge from a monster 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamicate folklore
- Abandoned hero rescued after near-death exhaustion 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american plains
- abandoned sleeper on a deserted island 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamicate folklore
- abandoned survivor among monsters 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Abandoned survivor rescued from a hostile monster-land 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Abandoned wounded hero in isolation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- abandonment, exile, and search for houses 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- maya
- Abandonment on a barren height followed by rescue 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamicate folklore
- Abducted captives guide rescuer through hidden entrance 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- japanese
- Accidental killing followed by voluntary exile 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- adoption into another people after boundary crossing 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southeast
- adventure-seeking journey 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic welsh
- aerial abduction by magic vehicle 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Aerial animal transport conditional on silence 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Afflicted hero wandering in a named plain 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Aged parent initially refuses rescue from a destroyed homeland 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Alliance with animal or semi-divine helpers 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Alternative rousing of the incapacitated hero 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- Ambush causes exile and loss of status 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamicate folklore
- ancestral household enters a foreign land 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- jewish christian
- angelic or celestial guide for journey and return 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- christian apocrypha
- animal companion left or released at settlement endpoint 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- navajo
- Animal companion or sign awaiting the hero 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- arthurian
- animal companions recruited for a quest 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- japanese
- Animal helper gives access to hidden place and return instructions 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american northwest coast
- animal inadvertently reveals escape route 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamicate folklore
- Animal pursuit and refuge through ascent 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- animal sent ahead to test a dangerous passage 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- armed friend guarding the sleeping hero 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- armed hero awakened from sleep 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- armed rescue of a companion 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- arthurian
- armed return into waiting danger 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- armed vigil over sleeping exiles 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- arming before a liminal night mission 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- arming of travelers before forest departure 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Arrival of allies by sea at a moment of danger 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- Asceticized exile 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Assembly of named heroes for a hazardous expedition 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- Attempted entrapment of the hero in a castle 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- arthurian
- attendant warns hero against doomed journey 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- avoidance of kin danger by going abroad 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- Belated rescue voyage 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- beloved or female speaker rousing a hero 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- Beloved recognizes hidden hero 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- Besieged woman seeks aid from a visiting hero 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic welsh
- Body as bridge over an impassable river 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic welsh
- Boundary crossing from captivity to freedom 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- navajo
- broken crossing creates permanent division 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southeast
- broken parental prohibition leads to dangerous journey 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american plains
- burden of heavy heroic tasks 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- burning city as crisis sign prompting heroic return 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- cannibal giants destroy the fleet except the hero's ship 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- Captive leaves tokens to mark the path 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
Each motif link opens its evidence page: every tagged passage with its quote, and a path into the book where the passage lives.