Murdock’s Deconstruction of Campbell’s Hero’s Journey


Maureen Murdock’s model of the heroine’s journey was created as an alternative to Campbell’s concept of the hero’s journey—a template designed to address the “psycho-spiritual” experiences of women. Upon completion, Murdock presented the model to Campbell who responded by saying “Women don’t need to make the journey. In the whole mythological journey, the woman is there. All she has to do is realize that she’s the place that people are trying to get to.” Each step of Murdock’s journey addresses this sexist critique, mapping the events of womens’ lives in a way that exemplifies the complexity of their experiences and the necessity of recognizing growth within a patriarchal society.

The first three steps of the journey directly address the sentiments expressed in Campbell’s critique of Murdock’s model. “Separation from the feminine” and “identification with the masculine and gathering of allies” both represent internalized self-hatred of feminine identity within a male dominant society. The systemic oppression of women instills societal pressure to feel inadequate within one’s own female identity. This false inadequacy, in Murdock’s journey, fuels a desire to identify with traditionally masculine traits and roles. In this way, her identity is expanded, however she has yet to reconcile this self-expansion with the rest of her identity. Thus the heroine embarks on her journey of self-discovery and traverses her road of trials, simultaneously undergoing self development and proving society wrong—demonstrating that women do “make the journey”.

In the midst of the road of trials, the heroine faces outward opposition to the new, “male” facets of her identity. Society feels uncomfortable with her assimilation of non-traditional roles, much like Campbell was unreceptive to the idea of women engaging in their own journeys. Overcoming the road of trials leads the heroine through a fluctuation of emotion and self-perception. At the end of the road of trials, she finds her boon of success—a definitive indication of her ability to integrate masculine traits and defy society in order to realize her true self. However, the high of the boon is quickly followed by the low of spiritual aridity and death. Masculine traits have been successfully assimilated, yet the heroine has not molded them to fit within her unique identity. Refinement of these nontraditional traits is necessary to transcend the hopelessness and discomfort of her current life situation. 

While Murdock’s entire model refutes Campbell’s critique of the heroine’s journey, the steps composing the back half of the journey deconstruct the misconception of passive female engagement in the journey. The “initiation and descent to the goddess” represents a moment of appreciation for feminine and reacquired admiration for femininity. This inspirational encounter with a “goddess” figure leads directly into the “urgent yearning to reconnect with the feminine” and “healing the mother/daughter split”. This reconnection is a desire to reclaim her female identity, not to appease male society but rather to enliven dormant facets of her identity. After reconciling femininity, the heroine is able to readdress the masculine aspects of her identity in the “healing of the wounded masculine”. In the culminating step of the journey, the heroine has reached a stage of self-acceptance, a security within her own identity despite criticism from broader society. The final steps systematically deconstruct the societal pressures of traditional femininity—a testament to the fact that women are not simply pieces in a man’s hero’s journey, but their own unique characters undergoing their own transformative journeys.

The Heroine Journeys Project. (2019, December 1). Maureen Murdock’s Heroine’s Journey Arc. The Heroine Journeys Project. https://heroinejourneys.com/heroines-journey/


Comments

  1. MilkyMay 8, 2025 at 6:31 PM

    Luke,

    This blog caught my attention by the title: Murdock’s Deconstruction of Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. This is such a compelling blog with an interesting argument that I've considered doing myself. I thought this topic was interesting when Dr. E mentioned it once in class. I also read about Joseph Campbell's response about the Heroine's Journey on the internet. You also used only the most important parts of Murdock's blog instead of going through the entire process step by step, allowing your blog to be a reasonable length while still conveying what you wanted to say. Excellent work!

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