Joseph Campbell explores major mythological narratives across cultures and eras to reveal a recurring structure he calls the “monomyth,” or hero’s journey. The call to adventure, trials, encounters, transformation, achievement, and return form the major stages of this archetypal path. By drawing connections between ancient myths, religions, legends, and heroic tales, the book shows how widely different stories can share similar motifs and symbolic functions. A landmark work in the study of myth and storytelling, it has had a lasting influence on many modern writers and screenwriters.