Power Of Myth

The companion book for the series, The Power of Myth, (Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyers, and editor Betty Sue Flowers) was released in 1988 at the same time the series aired on PBS. In the editor's note to The Power of Myth, Flowers credits Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, as "the Doubleday editor, whose interest in the ideas of Joseph Campbell was the prime mover in the publication of this book." The book follows the format of the documentary and provides additional discussions not included in the original six hour release. Chapters: 1.Myth and the Modern World 2.The Journey Inward 3.The First Storytellers 4.Sacrifice and Bliss 5.The Hero's Adventure 6.The Gift of the Goddess 7.Tales of Love and Marriage 8.Masks of Eternity 9.The Tale of Buddha

Chapter I, Myth and the Modern World Summary and Analysis "The Power of Myth" is based on the interviews between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers that became a famous television series. It deals with the universality and evolution of myths in the history of the human race and the place of myths in modern society. Campbell blends accounts of his own upbringing and experience with stories from many cultures and civilizations to present the reader with his most compelling thesis that modern society is going through a transition from the old mythologies and traditions to a new way of thinking where a global mythology will emerge. Some of the material in this chapter comes from Campbell's previously published books, "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" and "The Masks of God." The main theme of the book is the universality of myths that occur throughout the history of mankind, no matter which epoch or whichever culture or society is considered. Myths are the body of stories and legends that a people perceive as being an integral part of their culture. Before the invention of writing, these stories and legends were handed down from generation to generation in the form of rituals and oral traditions. The reappearance