The Hero’s Journey is a narrative pattern that can be found in novels, storytelling, myth, and religious rituals. Joseph Campbell first identified this pattern in his book A Hero with Thousand Faces (Campbell, 1972, p. 73). The Hero’s Journey pattern describes the typical adventure of the archetype known as The Hero who embarks on a quest to accomplish extraordinary feats. While Campbell outlined multiple stages within the Hero’s Journey, he also condensed the pattern into three main stages: departure, initiation, and return. These stages are universal for all heroes regardless of their sex, age, culture, or religion as they strive to achieve their ultimate objective.
The movie The Prince of Egypt exemplifies the Hero’s Journey, recounting the story of Exodus through animation and music. Taking place in the Egyptian desert, Hebrew slaves escape the Pharaoh’s oppressive rule with Moses as their courageous leader. This narrative highlights a common theme of an unlikely hero freeing people from harsh oppression.
The quest of Moses follows a similar structure to Joseph Campbell’s concept of the spiritual hero’s journey, as discussed in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. This journey consists of three stages: departure, initiation, and return. In this essay, Moses’ journey will be examined as he is taken away from his familiar surroundings and separated from the life he believed to be real, in order to fulfill the tasks commanded by God. The first stage of the Hero’s Journey is departure, which is comprised of various sub-stages including the call to adventure, refusal of the call, supernatural aid, crossing the threshold, and belly of the whale. During the call to adventure, the hero lives a comfortable but unsatisfying life and is presented with a glimpse of an unknown world, typically through the guidance of a mentor or herald. Ultimately, destiny calls the hero to embark on their own journey (Campbell, 1972, p. 78).
The film depicts the Pharaoh’s supreme power and control over the people, as well as the significant rise in the number of Hebrew slaves in Egypt. To ensure continued domination over the land, the Pharaoh decides it is necessary to suppress the perceived future threat posed by the growing Hebrew population. As a result, he commands that all newborn Hebrew children be thrown into the Nile. Remarkably, baby Moses manages to float to the Pharaoh’s castle and is raised as a prince of Egypt. In his adulthood, while attending a banquet, Moses rescues a Midianite woman who was given to him as a slave.
While following her, he encountered his Hebrew sister and brother, and discovered the truth about his heritage. This revelation left him deeply conflicted upon returning to the castle. One day, Moses witnessed the Egyptians’ violent acts towards the Hebrews, leading him to impulsively kill one of the guards. This internal struggle serves as compelling evidence of what Campbell refers to as the “Call to Adventure.” Campbell suggests that a seemingly insignificant mistake can expose an unforeseen world, pulling an individual into a relationship with forces that they do not fully comprehend (Campbell, 1972, p. 78).
Campbell (1972, p.89) argues that according to Sigmund Freud’s theory, blunders are not merely by chance, but rather they stem from repressed conflicts and desires. In the case of Moses, his ongoing conflict over the treatment of slaves leads him to kill an Egyptian and subsequently feel ashamed and confused. As a result, Moses flees to Midian, a foreign land, which marks his crossing of the First Threshold according to Campbell. In order to integrate into this new culture, Moses must adapt and assimilate. It is in Midian that Moses befriends and eventually marries Jethro’s daughter, whom he had previously saved from slavery in the Egyptian palace.
Moses experienced a drastic change in his life. He went from being an Egyptian prince to a shepherd in Midian. However, he never forgot about the struggles faced by the Hebrew slaves. One day, while chasing a stray lamb, Moses encounters God in a burning bush. God instructs him to return to Egypt and lead the Hebrew slaves to freedom. This call to adventure forces Moses to reconsider his purpose in life and determine whether or not he is willing to embark on the Hero’s Journey. Despite feeling uncertain about his abilities, God reassures Moses that He will be by his side. Moses’ hesitation and lack of enthusiasm are characteristic of the hero archetype.
According to Campbell (1972, p. 94), every hero story features the theme of “Refusal of the Call”. In an effort to convince Moses, God imbues his shepherding staff with divine power and assures him of assistance. Similar to other supernatural aids received by heroes, this enchanted staff proves instrumental throughout Moses’ journey (Campbell, 1972, p. 80). The most notable instance of this is when Moses employs it to part the Red Sea and facilitate the escape of the Hebrews. Without the aid of this supernatural power, Moses would not have successfully completed his journey.
Moses and Tzipporah arrive back in Egypt, where Moses is warmly received by Rameses, now the Pharaoh. Moses goes to the palace to speak with Rameses, despite his own doubts. However, God grants Moses a miraculous sign to perform, transforming a rod into a snake. This event exemplifies what Campbell refers to as supernatural aid. Such aid typically strengthens the hero to endure and conquer the challenges of their journey. (Campbell, 1972, p.80) Instead of being convinced, Rameses increases the Hebrews’ workload, leading them to become angered with Moses for his role in this situation. This moment of frustration is referred to as the Belly of the Whale. The Belly of the Whale signifies the ultimate separation from the hero’s familiar world and self. By entering this phase, the individual demonstrates their willingness to undergo a significant change. Initially, the hero may face minor setbacks or dangers in this stage. (Campbell, 1972, p. 82)
Moses experienced pain and doubt in his ability to lead during his journey. The Initiation stage of the Hero’s adventure in the film included The Road of Trials and The Ultimate Boon. In response to Pharaoh’s rejection, Moses brought upon nine Plagues of Egypt, each one more severe than the previous, but Rameses remained stubborn and refused to give in. God purposely made it harder for Moses by “hardening” Pharaoh’s heart. Moses delivered a final warning to Rameses at the palace, and it was only when the tenth plague struck that Rameses finally recognized the power of God.
Moses prepares the Hebrews and tells them to sacrifice a lamb and use its blood to mark their doors. During that night, the final plague kills all the firstborn of Egypt, including Rameses’ son, but spares the firstborn of the Hebrews. These plagues form Moses’ Road of Trials, as they are challenging obstacles he must overcome in order to successfully liberate the Hebrews.
The Road of Trials is a series of tests that the person must go through to start the Hero transformation. The Pharaoh in the movie constantly rejects Moses, making his journey difficult. However, after enduring ten devastating plagues and grieving for his son’s death, Rameses finally grants permission to free the Hebrews. Led by Moses, the Hebrews leave Egypt the following morning. As they reach the Red Sea, they discover that Rameses and his army are closely trailing them. When they arrive, Moses uses his Supernatural Aid – a magical staff – to part the sea, creating a barrier for the army with a fire.
The Hebrews cross the open sea bottom and when the fire vanishes and the army follows, the water drowns all the Egyptian soldiers. The Ultimate Boon is the achievement of the goal of the quest. It is what the person went on the journey to get. All previous steps serve to prepare and purify for this step (Campbell, 1972, p. 91). Thereafter, Moses leads them to Mount Sinai where he receives Ten Commandments from God at its peak and brings them back.
In the Hero’s Journey, the hero reaches the final stage by returning to the Threshold. At this point, he shares his knowledge and experiences with God to enlighten his people and guide them morally. By accomplishing this task, Moses demonstrates his dependability and strength as a leader to both God and the Hebrews. As he transitions from being a hero, Moses resumes his previous role as a shepherd while carrying the wisdom gained from his journey. It is customary for heroes to bring back significant information or lessons when they return home to their people (Campbell, 1972, p. 97).
“The Ten Commandments” movie teaches Moses a valuable lesson. In conclusion, “The Prince of Egypt” perfectly embodies Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey by following the monomyth. The film follows the Departure stage, with Moses’ Call to Adventure as he becomes a shepherd and his initial refusal due to self-doubt. He also encounters and uses a Supernatural Aid and crosses the First Threshold through assimilation into a new culture. Additionally, the film shows Moses facing the Belly of the Whale when he fails to convince Pharaoh. Moreover, it adheres to the Initiation stage by presenting Moses’ Road of Trials leading him to obtain his Ultimate Boon through plagues and Pharaoh’s stubbornness caused by God. Finally, it exhibits the Return stage when Moses carries God’s Ten Commandments as guidance for his people.
