An even-more-highly redacted version was briefly released under the title The World of Joseph Campbell. Campbell conceived of the original lectures, filmed over the last six years of his life, as a summation of what he had learned about the human mythic impulse, in terms of psychology, ethnology and comparative mythology-what he called "the one great story of mankind." Transformations: A False Step Īfter Campbell's death and the posthumous celebrity brought by the airing in 1988 of The Power of Myth, the filmmakers who had recorded the lectures quickly cobbled together a much-abridged, hastily edited series for PBS entitled Transformations of Myth Through Time. Mythos is a three-part documentary that consists of a series of lectures given by Joseph Campbell. Transformations of Myth Through Time, The Hero's Journey (See DAVID, MOFFETTE, & ORNETTEfor availability.Mythos ( Collected Works of Joseph Campbell) Powerful, thought-provoking material, from a man who is responsible for the lion's share of our current understanding of world mythology. The young no longer undergo adolescent rites of passage-without this necessary psychological stage, they are anchorless flaunting authority, committing unspeakable crimes, etc. Making the connection to our present society explicit, Campbell says that the loss of ritual and myth can be seen merely by picking up the New York Times. In addition to the provocative discussion of the role of ritual in society, Campbell discusses the importance of accepting death as rebirth (the story of Christ), and the early role of Shamans in primitive societies. Today, says Campbell, we no longer have a "thou" relationship with the animals we kill (or even many of the people) we have an "it" relationship.
Using the Lascaux cave paintings as a starting point, Campbell discusses the importance of ritual in hunter/gatherer societies, and points out how early man had respect for the animals he killed, and always made rituals of appeasement to the animal's spirit-the myth thereby cleansing the guilt. In The First Storytellers, the third tape in the series, Campbell talks to interviewer Bill Moyer about the loss of ritual which has resulted in a present day depletion of the human spirit. Filmed over a three year period just prior to Campbell's death in 1987, this six-part PBS series has enjoyed amazing popularity, and the companion book is on many high demand lists in libraries across the country.
0 kommentar(er)
