How Does The 12 Stages Hero’s Journey Compare To Surah Yusuf?

Reading time: 6 – 10 minutes

Original posted on the AlMaghrib forums:

I haven’t taken all of Dr Reda’s class on the life of Prophet Yusuf alyahisalaam, but I was wondering how does the presentation of the hero’s journey in Surah Yusuf compare to that of the 12 stages of the Hero’s journey in modern day cinema?

The 12 stages (in cinema) are as follows:

• [1] The Hero is Introduced in his Normal World
  • Story usually start off in the mundane every day world of the hero. The Hero is comfortable. This is done to create the contrast of where the hero is before his adventure starts.
  • Example: General Maximus from “Gladiator”, his ordinary life as a general wanting retiring into his farming routine with wife and children.

• [2] The Call to Adventure
  • The hero is presented with an opportunity, challenge, problem, journey or adventure.
  • Example: General Maximus from “Gladiator” is requested by Caesar Marcus Aurelius to take his place so that Rome can be restored to its original idea.

• [3] The Hero Refuses or is Reluctant to the Call
  • This is usually demonstrated by being afraid of what lies ahead and therefor presents a load of excuses to not take up the call.
  • Example: General Maximus wants to turn down the offer, but never gets the chance because Caesar’s son Commodus kills Caesar Marcus Aurelius and takes his place. He then has Maximum arrested and ordered for execution and the execution of his entire family and destruction of his farm. Maximus escapes execution but gets captured into slavery and is forced to fight as a Gladiator – even then he’s reluctant to win his freedom because he’s lost everything he’s known.

• [4] Meeting the Wise Man or Mentor
  • This is usually when the hero gets the advice or encouragement that he/she needs to finally answer the original call.
  • The “mentor” can be a person or object that is needed.
  • Example: In “Gladiator” it happens many times. First he gets the encouragement from his servant Cicero to take the assignment from Caesar. Later it’s revealed to Maximus that his owner (Proximo) was a former Gladiator and knows all about winning the tournament and tells him how to win his freedom by winning the crowd.Later after Maximus discovers that Commodus is leading the gladiator games, he’s encouraged by Senator Gracchus and the Caesar’s sister to launch a coude dat and kill Commodus.

• [5] The Hero Crosses The First Threshold
  • This is where he finally takes the step or action to take what his mentor has taught him and move forward with his new found confidence.
  • Example: First threshold that Maximus went through was when his family were killed. There was no turning back. This depression carries on into the movie until he gets Proximo’s advice. Maximus enters the ring with a new fervor to kill his opponents and entertain the crowd at the same time. They brand him as “The Spaniard” and goes on to win many gladiator battles and is committed to winning his freedom to stand in front of the Caesar Commodus so that he can get his revenge — No turning back. All hands forward.

• [6] The Hero Meets/Makes Allies and is Tested by Enemies
  • Example: The tests are demonstrated by the several fights that Maximus wins. He unites with his servant Cicero and In the first gladiator battle that takes place in Rome’s Colosseum Maximus emerges as the leader of the gladiators and they all accept him as such. This is done simply to survive.

• [7] The Hero Enters the Belly of the Beast
  • Usually this is where the hero may go on to fight the dragon or is plunged deep into enemy territory. It’s also when he enters the enemy’s lair or simply confronting his worst fears.
  • Example: Maximus after the battle in the Colosseum confronts Caesar Commodus for the first time since his sentencing.

• [8] The Ordeal
  • This is where the Hero usually is brought to the brink of death either intellectually or physically.
  • Example: Maximus believes when asked to join a plot to kill Caesar Commodus, that he can’t make a difference and hits rock bottom. He faces the possibility of death because Commodus is too protected and made to face his greatest opponent when he’s pitted against the Tigris, the undefeated Gladiator.

• [9] Siezing the Sword
  • After having survived sudden death and emerging victorious, the hero has the opportunity to take possession of what he originally came for.
  • Example: After Maximus defeats the undefeated Gladiator sent to kill him, he’s told that his army is awaiting his arrival and is ready for a Coup d’?tat. Maximus meets with the senator and agrees to do a Coup d’?tat of Rome. Everything is set into place and the plan is set to execute.

• [10] The Road Back
  • This is usually where the best action or chase scenes take place. The hero has everything that he/she needs to finish what they started.
  • Example: In Gladiator everything for the Coup d’etat is set in place to execute and people are ready to fight to have him set free. So that he can take Rome back.

• [11] Resurrection
  • Now that the hero is fully equipped, and a different person from when he started he’s ready to set things to normal, Except now he faced with a new ordeal to overcome
  • Example: In Gladiator everything for the Coup d’etat is set in place to execute and people are ready to fight to have him set free so that he can come back and restore Rome. Except that Caesar Commodus has figured out the plan and has Proximo and Cicero killed, his men imprisoned and Maximus captured. Commodus weakens Maximus by stabbing him and challenges him to a fight to the death – In the fight you think it’s all over when Commodus is winning, but Maximus gets the upper hand and delivers the killing blow – fulfilling his mission to capture back Rome from Caesar Commodus.

• [12] The Return
  • This is where the hero basically finally sets everything into place that he came to do and finally finish his journey.
  • Example: In Gladiator Maximus orders to have his men to be free and for the power to be restored to the senate as Caesar Marcus Aurelius had initially wanted him to do so. After all that, he falls down and “spiritually” returns to his wife and son as he had wanted to in the beginning.

The only reason I used the example of “The Gladiator” is because it’s a movie most people here have seen so I figured it would be best to explain it that way.

This concept of the 12 stages was created by writer Joseph Campbell in 1949 in his book “The Hero With a Thousand Faces”

The template is used as a standard template throughout Hollywood as is the 3-Act story plot structure. The follow image is an example of that:

Obviously, before you can sit down and write a story, you need to be able to tell others what its about in one sentence. If you cant, then forget about writing it.

If you’ve got your one-liner log line down, then you need to know who’s the good guy and the bad guy (can be a person, situation or other forms) – usually each one is the hero of their own story).

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Anyway back to my original question -

How does the 12 stages of Hero’s Journey in cinema compare to the stages of the Journey of Prophet Yusuf. If it doesn’t compare at all, what are the stages outlined?

Tags: hero journey, screen writing, story writing, surah yusuf

Category: Public