Posted: 11/03/2011

Joseph Campell’s Mythos III

by Ruben R. Rosario

Now available on DVD from Athena.

Joseph Campbell’s Mythos series is a wonderful culmination of his works in the field of mythological research and studies. The series follows Campbell on a speaking tour that he embarked, in the final years of his life, to present to the world all of the knowledge he had acquired in mythology from around the globe. Introduced and hosted by Susan Sarandon, the Mythos series is an insightful journey into the stories and ideas that have shaped the world for centuries. In Mythos III, Campbell sets out to discuss the Western mythologic traditions, which include King Aurthur’s quest for the Holy Grail and Tristan and Iseult. This series is a must have for fans of Campbell’s work, as well as history buffs and people into cultural studies.

The real treasure of a set like Mythos, is hearing first hand about mythology from Campbell himself. The lectures are filled with illustrations in order to give reference to the stories that Campbell is drawing from. This series is divided into five distinct parts in order to give shape that has become the western traditions in mythologic studies. The first section, entitled Love as the Guide, deals with the introduction of Authurian Romances that were in introduced in 1150 AD and end at around 1250 AD, due to the beginnings of the Spanish Inquisition. Here he dissects the origins of romance within these stories, changing and challenging the social norms of the times. The second section, The Path of the Heart, deals with the Arthurian legend of the quest for the holy grail. Campbell states that this legend is the focus on the individual’s will on the path to find God as well as a representation of the first time some one goes on a quest for personal salvation, instead of salvation of a tribe or a community. The third portion, Beyond Time and Space, Campbell discusses the works of James Joyce’s Ulysses, Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain and Immanuel Kant’s philosophical works and how they correspond to one another. The forth chapter, Between Pairs of Opposites, is a further exploration of Mann’s work of The Magic Mountain and how it correlates to mythological themes of the past. The final chapter, Into the Well of Myth, Mann’s Joseph and His Four Brothers are discussed and how these works of art continue the traditions of myth and it’s retellings of The Bible story further strengthen the importance of modern interpretations of mythology.

As a person who loves the work of Campbell, this set was a real treat and really made me want to pick up the rest of the Mythos series. For just the sheer joy of seeing and hearing this man speak and telling all of these wonderful stories is truly a blessing. While the video looks aged and is only in a fullscreen, 4:3 aspect ratio, it doesn’t compare to the actual wealth of knowledge contained within the set of Mythos III. Whether you know Campbell’s work or not, love history, mythology, philosophy and would like to explore something worthwhile, Mythos III is a fine culmination of all of these things and then some. Highly Recommended!

Ruben R. Rosario is a graduate from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Audio for Visual Media. He works as a freelance location sound mixer, boom operator, sound designer, and writer in his native Chicago. He’s an avid collector of films, comics, and anime.

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