Lord Raglan,
The Hero,
A Study of Tradition, Myth and Drama,
Methuen,
London, 1936.
The Pattern of the Hero's Life from pp 179/80 CHAPTER SIXTEEN - THE HERO
1. The hero's mother is a royal virgin 2. His father is a king and 3. Often a near relative of his mother, but 4. The circumstances of his conception are unusual and 5. He is reputed to be a son of a god. 6. At birth an attempt is made, usually by his father or his maternal grandfather, to kill him but 7. He is spirited away, and 8. Reared by foster parents in a far country. 9. We are told nothing of his childhood but 10. On reaching manhood he returns or goes to his future kingdom. 11. After a victory over the king and/or a giant, dragon, or wild beast 12. He marries a Princess, often the daughter of his predecessor and 13. Becomes King 14. For a time he reigns uneventfully and 15. Proscribes laws, but 16. Later he losses favour with the gods and/or his subjects, and 17. Is driven from the throne and city, after which 18. He meets a mysterious death, 19. Often at the top of a hill. 20. His children, if any, do not succeed him. 21. His body is not buried, but nevertheless 22. He has one or more holy sepulchres..
Applied to Oedipus, Theseus, Romulus, Heracles, Perseus, Jason, Belleraphon, Pelops, Asclepios, Dionysos, Apollo, Zeus, Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Watu Gunung, Nykang, Sigurd or Siegfried, Llew Llawgyffes, Arthur, Robin Hood,
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