Joseph Campbell

Mrs. Doubtfire; A Contemporary Hero?

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Classical Mythology

4-14-2010

(1,252 words)

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Professor Neilson

CLA 2001 151

14 April 2010

Mrs. Doubtfire; A Contemporary Hero?

With a world filed with some much fear, selfishness and anger, the fictional heroes that cultures have created serve as the epitome of what societies want themselves, along with other peoples, to be like. In other words, because societies cannot live up the the expectations of the ideal human being, or “hero”, cultures have created hero persons which undoubtedly embody the characteristics that all human beings strive to attain. However with that being said, the question of what exactly classifies a character as a “hero” remains a debate amongst many scholars. The famous psychologist Joseph Campbell believed that within literature, three parameters needed to be present within the plot of a story in order for the protagonist to be deemed a hero. Campbell’s parameters were as follows: first, the main character had to go through some sort of departure or separation (literally or figuratively) from the rest of society, secondly, he or she had to embark on a journey or quest (often a transformation) in an effort to “right the wrong” within a given situation and then, finally, he or she had to make a triumphant return to society which was supported by all whom were originally affected by the preluding circumstances. An example of a character that embodies the hero parameters outlined by Campbell is Daniel Hillard, the protagonist of the film Mrs. Doubtfire.

In the beginning of the film produced by Chris Columbus in 1993, Hillard does voices for cartoon characters for a living before he gets fired for getting out-of-line with his boss. This occurrence does not alleviate any of the tensions that he and his wife shared and before long, the two legally separate. It is apparent in the movie that Hillard really loves his kids, but due to his quirky nature and lack of...