The Hero Pattern

This was created made by Lord Raglan to show the similarities of various ancient mythology/hero-myths of different cultures and the patterns of heroes of today's literature as well as the literature of ancient times.


Incidents which occur with regularity in hero-myths of all cultures:

1. Hero's mother is a 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 also reputed to be the son of a god.
6. At birth an attempt is made, usually by his father or his maternal grand father 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. And becomes king.
14. For a time he reigns uneventfully and
15. Prescribes laws, but
16. Later he loses favor with the gods and/or his subjects, and
17. Is driven from the throne and city, after which
18. He meets with 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.

Apparently, no one has the full 22 but the scores are as follows, (at least the top few)

Krishna: 21
1. His mother Devaki had several children before having him, thus making her very un-virginal; Devaki almost counts as royalty because her father Devaka was rich enough to afford a dowry of 400 elephants fully decorated with golden garlands, 15,000 decorated horses, 1800 chariots, and the hiring of 200 pretty young ladies to follow her.
2. His father Vasudeva was the son of King Surasena, but was not quite a king.
4. Devaki learned that she was pregnant with someone special when she became pregnant with Krishna; outside from that, her pregnancy and giving birth were normal.
5. Krishna is considered an avatar of the great Hindu god Vishnu.
6. The wicked King Kamsa had imprisoned Vasudeva and Devaki, and had killed their previous offspring. He thus followed the footsteps of baby-killers Pharaoh, Herod, and Amulius, who came after Moses, Jesus Christ, and Romulus and Remus.
7. When he was born, he was switched with Yogamaya, daughter of Yasoda and Nanda (mother and father), thus frustrating Kamsa.
8. Yasoda and Nanda return to their home and raise Krishna there.
9. There are some childhood details, such as his learning to dance, his having fun with some gopis, and his fighting some wicked demons.
10. King Kamsa invites Krishna and a friend to a wrestling match, hoping that Krishna will be defeated.
11. But Krishna wins, prompting Kamsa to order Krishna's foster father and several others murdered. Whereupon Krishna kills Kamsa.
12. Krishna marries some beautiful princesses.
13. Krishna helps make a certain Ugrusena king; he himself becomes king after a while.
14.The Kurukshetra War counts against this; Krishna also fights more demons, plays his flute, and has some fun with his gopi groupies. Krishna's fun loving is a rarity among religious prophets; only Jesus Christ comes anywhere close with his turning of water into wine for a wedding party.
15. Krishna delivers the Bhagavad-Gita to Arjuna at the beginning of that war.
16. Krishna's family misbehaves, giving Krishna a bad name.
17. Krishna's family and clan are destroyed in a civil war, leaving him to wander around.
18. Krishna shot in the foot by a hunter named "Old Age" (jara); his brother turns into a snake and goes into the sea.
19. Krishna dies in a forest by the seashore.
20. He had no successors.
21. He rose up into heaven.
22. Several places are described as his last resting place.

Moses: 20
His parents (1 and 2) were of the principal family of the Levites and (3) near relatives; he is (5) also reputed to be the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Pharaoh (6) attempts to kill him at birth but (7) he is rafted away , and (8) reared secretly, We are told (9) nothing of his childhood, but on reaching manhood he (11) kills a man, and (10) goes to Midian where (12) he marries the ruler's daughter. Returning (10) to Egypt, he (11) gains a series of magical victories over Pharaoh, and (13) becomes ruler. his rule lasts a long time, and (15) he prescribes laws, but later he (16) loses the favour of Jehovah, is (17) removed from his leadership, and (18) disappears mysteriously from (19) the top of a mountain. His children (20) do not succeed him. His body (21) is not buried, but (22) he has a holy sepulchre near Jerusalem.

King Arthur: 19
His mother, Igraine, is (1) a princess, and his father is (2) the Duke of Cornwall. He is, however, (5) reputed to be the son of Uther Pendragon, who (6) visited (7) Igraine in the Duke's likeness. At birth he is apparently in no danger, yet he is (7) spirited away, and (8) nothing of his childhood, but on reaching manhood he (10) travels to London, (11) wins a magical victory, and (13) is chosen king. After other victories he (12) marries Guinevere, heiress of the Round Table. After this he (14) reigns uneventfully, and (15) prescribes the laws of chivalry, but later there is (16) a successful conspiracy against him, while (17) he is abroad. he meets with (18) a mysterious death, and his children do not (20) succeed him, His body is (21) not buried, but nevertheless he has (22) a holy sepulchre at Glastonbury.

Jesus: 18
His mother, Mary, is (1) a royal virgin (descendant of King David),
and his father is (2) Joseph,
who is (3) her close relative.
He is reported to be (5) the son of God,
who (4) sends his Holy Spirit to Mary.
At his birth King Herod (6) tries to kill him,
but he and his parents (7) flee to Egypt.
We are told (9) almost nothing of his childhood,
but on reaching manhood he begins to enter (10) his future kingdom.
He teaches successfully (14) for some time,
prescribing (15) ways of behavior and belief.
His enemies (16) persecute him,
and he is executed (18)
on top of a hill (19).
He defeats the forces of evil (11)
and eventually returns (10) to his heavenly kingdom.
He has (20) no children to succeed him.
His body is (21) not buried,
but he has a sepulchre (22) in Jerusalem.

Mohammad: 17
His mother Aminot is (1) a royal virgin, and his father a Abdullai is (2) king of Mecca. He is also from the Quarais family (3). He is also reputed to be the son of God (5). At his birth Hablilabi (6) tried to kill him in Mecca. He is wafted away (7) and reared secretly (8). We are told (9) nothing of his childhood. Later he goes (10) to Medina where he marries (12) a princess Kadijat Kuburat, also of the royal Quarais family. He gains a series of victories (11) over his adversaries. His (13) rule as prophet (14) lasts a long time, and he prescribes (15) laws. written in the sacred book of the Quaran (Koran). Later he loses favor with his subjects (16) and is driven (17) from the throne, though he later re-establishes himself. His children (20) do not succeed him. He has (22) holy sepulchres in Mecca and Medina.

Beowulf: 15
His parents are unknown but probably royal (2).
As a baby he was set adrift in a boat (6 & 7),
laden with armor and weapons.
He is adopted by (8) the king and queen of the country to which he drifted.
We know (9) nothing of his childhood,
but as a man he is banished from the kingdom (17?).
While he is in exile, the monster Grendel ravages the kingdom, and when he hears of this,
he (10) returns.
He (11) slays the monster and his mother,
and (12) marries the princess Freeware.
He and his wife (13) rule
for many years (14),
and he (15) makes laws about religious and political life.
He dies (18) in a fight with a dragon.
His body (21) is placed on a ship and sent to sea,
and the people (22) build a monument to his memory.

Buddha: 15
2. His father Suddhodhana had been a king, or at least a noble.
4. When he was conceived, his mother Maya dreamed that a white elephant had entered her body through her side.
5. He was an enlightened being on his last reincarnation before achieving Nirvana.
6. Suddhodhana tries to keep him from his future career by spoiling him instead of by trying to kill him.
7. He suffers that spoilage through his childhood.
8. Maya dies and he is raised by her sister Mahaprajaprati.
9. Little is known about his life with Mahaprajaprati.
10. He sees an old man, a monk, a sick man, and a dead man, and deserts his wife and son in search of enlightenment.
11. He goes on a long quest, mortifying the flesh, and experiencing Mara the Tempter trying to lead him astray, until he achieves enlightenment under a Bodhi tree.
12. He decides to spread the word about what he has learned.
14. and reigns successfully for a period of time.
15. He issues his teachings, which contain laws of a sort.
18. He eats a meal of poisoned pork, an oddity because Buddhism has the ideal of vegetarianism.
20. His son does not succeed him.
21. His body is not buried. He was cremated and has no tomb.

Zeus: 14
His mother, Rhea, is a queen of the gods (1), and his father is (2) her divine husband Cronus. As Titans, Rhea and Cronus are sister and brother (3). At birth Cronus attempts to swallow Zeus (6) who is spirited away by Rhea (7) and raised on the island of Crete by the curetes (8). We are told nothing of his childhood (9), but n reaching maturity Zeus returns (10) and overthrows his father Cronus (11). He then marries his sister Hera (12) and becomes king of the gods (13). For a time he reigns uneventfully (14) and prescribes laws (15) and (22) he was worshipped in temples.

Did it end up long again? damn

-Panzerz

P.S. Scientists think they've found a snake with legs. Its from the late cretaceous period,(aka somewhat dawn of dinosaurs) of its possibly the missing evolutionary link between them and lizards. So tell me, this god guy,he did what?