From: elwin@ai.mit.edu (Lee Campbell)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.starwars
Subject: Mythology and Star Wars (was Re: I'll get you, Luke Skywalker, and your little droid too!)
Date: 16 Apr 92 17:04:15 GMT
Organization: MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

In article <1992Apr16.011456.25567@sdd.hp.com>, teri@sdd.hp.com (Teri Tracey) writes:
> 
>  <commgrp@silver.ucs.indiana.edu> writes:
> >   I don't suggest that _Star Wars_ ripped off the plot of _The Wizard 
> >of Oz_, but can't help noticing certain parallels (JUST FOR FUN!):
> 
> I think it is not so much that plots were ripped off but that both movies 
> express the ancient archetype of the hero who goes on a quest.  In this 
> sense they are very similar.  The "plot" is really an old, old one that 
> goes back to the first storytelling days of man.  The hero is usually
> aided by supernatural forces against perilous dangers and ultimate evils. 
> Joseph Campbell (comparative religion/mythology) has a lot to say about 
> archetypes like this.  See "The Hero of a Thousand Faces," or some such.  
> This theme appears across many cultures and many different times.  You might 
> argue that the Indiana Jones series partook of this as well.  Or "Clash of 
> the Titans," a greek myth brought to the screen.

   I had forgotten about the connection between Joseph Campbell and Star
Wars. But now I remember seeing (on PBS) part of a series of Bill Moyers
interviewing Joseph Campbell (no relation), where Campbell spoke about
Star Wars. aThank you, Teri, for reminding me!

   Campbell had been saying that what artists do is take archetypical
myths and themes and recast or rewrite them to be meaningful to our times,
and to address our conflicts. Then Moyers asked what are our modern
myths, and what conflicts do they address? Campbell said Star Wars was
a great example of a modern myth. One of the cultural problems we have
nowadays is our role in the modern world: as our machines get bigger and
more complicated, we may end up serving them instead of them serving us.
This is illustrated by the Death Star, a huge machine with thousands of
servants. Contrast this against the Federation, where the machines serve
humans persuing humane goals. Campbell essentially said that Star Wars
is popular because it *is* patterned on an archetype myth, and because
it re-interprets that myth in a way that's meaningful to us today. Of
course, Star Wars also addresses other conflicts, such as: when is it
right to stand and fight vs when is it right to run or knuckle under in
order to save lives? Or, for example, what does a boy have to do before
he can be a man? Or, in a world that seems to have no god, but has men
with the power but not the wisdom of gods, how important is the life of
the spirit? Is there a difference between the spiritual and the relig-
ious? (Actually, I don't think Star Wars addresses that last question,
but there is a thread in this newsgroup about the model for "the force,"
and I think people should ask themselves whether they think force is
religious or spiritual, or if there is a difference or if it matters.)

   BTW if this gives anybody any ideas for a term paper on Star Wars,
please do write one, and also post it on the net! One of the great things
about Star Wars is that you *can* take it seriously and it's still a
great story.

			- Lee Campbell  <elwin@ai.mit.edu>