The Hero with a Thousand Faces

The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Cover of the third printing, 1972
AuthorJoseph Campbell
LanguageEnglish
SubjectMythology
Published
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover and paperback)
ISBN978-1-57731-593-3
201/.3 22
LC ClassBL313 .C28 2008

The Hero with a Thousand Faces (first published in 1949) is a work of comparative mythology by Joseph Campbell, in which the author discusses his theory of the mythological structure of the journey of the archetypal hero found in world myths.

Since the publication of The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell's theory has been consciously applied by a wide variety of modern writers and artists. Filmmaker George Lucas acknowledged Campbell's theory in mythology, and its influence on the Star Wars films.[1]

The Joseph Campbell Foundation and New World Library issued a new edition of The Hero with a Thousand Faces in July 2008 as part of the Collected Works of Joseph Campbell series of books, audio and video recordings. In 2011, Time named it among the 100 most influential books written in English since 1923.[2]

  1. ^ Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work, 3rd edition, Phil Cousineau, editor. Novato, California: New World Library, 2003, pp. 186–187.
  2. ^ "Ideas: The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell". Time. August 30, 2011.