Rose Perkins: Death (Class Reading)

    Is death just another stage of the hero's departure? Is death the end or just another beginning to a new journey? These questions were sparked as I read Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces. Near the end of the book, there was a chapter titled "Departure of the Hero" which discussed a hero's death at the end of their life. I noticed that the chapter title is the same as the earlier section discussing the hero's departure as the first stage of their journey before the trials and transformation. This fact made me consider that life and death may just be two different journeys that occur at different parts of life. 

    Campbell discusses the many myths involving the end of the hero's life and subsequent death, mentioning the different beliefs of what occurs post death. He states that there are many theories, but that death is always a moment of departure for the hero. They are departing this world for what lies beyond. He also states that "the first condition is reconciliation with the grave" because death holds no terror for heroes (Campbell). I believe that Campbell could go into a lot more detail on this topic. Death is the great unknown and there are countless theories of what occurs, enough to publish an entire book on just this topic.

    We as humans do not know what occurs after death. Death could be the end of our consciousness: a permanent blackout and nothing. However, death could also just be a change and be the beginning of something new. Our souls could return as ghosts. There could be an afterlife where our souls live for all eternity, such as heaven or hell, the Underworld, Valhalla, etc. There are many different afterlife options as mentioned across many mythologies. There could also be reincarnation, where the soul returns in a different body as a new person. The departure of a hero post-death could mean the end of the journey. Life could end and nothing could happen. However, the departure of a hero post-death could also mean the beginning of a brand new journey and transformation, just as the hero's journey in life had been. For all we know, another life comes after death. The hero could complete more journeys after death in an infinite loop. I believe that reconciliation with the grave is a good step, but it might not necessarily prepare for what occurs post death. As humans, we are naturally afraid of the unknown, no matter how heroic we were in life. Being afraid or not being afraid will not change the outcome. Either way, death could mean just departing for nothingness or departing for the next stage of transformation. 

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