Firelight

Flying low through the mountains, Gideon allowed the tops of the pine trees to tickle the undersides of his wings. With only the barest sliver of a moon hanging low, the stars held dominion in the sky and the valleys slept in deep darkness. On the peaks shone a glimmering silver snow that defeated the pitch black. Gideon’s golden scales also shimmered softly. The smaller forest creatures scurried for cover when they saw his massive form gliding above them. He was not bothered because he was not hunting. He was playing.

The black night made it easy for Gideon to pick out a small fire set high on a rock face. He was familiar with the mountain passes and knew the fire to be out of place. The glaring beacon caught his attention and held it.  Even from a distance, Gideon was able to discern some useful things about it: not natural, not the effect of a lightning strike and not spreading as a forest fire. Nor did he smell burning pine. Also, it was not large enough to be a tribal bonfire.

Someone had to be tending it.  Most likely only one person, no doubt trying to keep warm. Yet even this last observation was troublesome because Gideon knew the crag on which this fire burned and it was not a place many humans could reach. One alone would either have to be very brave or else very foolhardy. Why would someone try on this near moonless night?

Intrigued, he changed course to investigate.

Gideon was still a good distance off when he spotted the young girl standing within the circle of light thrown by the fire. As the unusual nature of the scene increased, so did his interest.  As a thousand-year-old dragon, Gideon did not really believe in normalcy, but this girl was definitely a curiosity and those were sometimes hard to come by. He landed on an outcropping some distance above the girl’s ledge to observe without disturbing her.

She seemed very small to his eyes, but he knew he could not accurately estimate a human’s age. The fierce winds raging against the high peaks blew her bright red hair wildly. Gideon was briefly mesmerized by the way the tresses caught the firelight in snatches. Her hair was the only part of her which moved. She was strangely still and Gideon had to adjust his estimate of her age. None of the younger humans could be so still for so long.

Her gaze was fixed on the fire. It took him awhile to notice that her lips were moving. She was either talking to herself, or to the fire. Gideon clicked a sharp talon against the rock as he considered what to do.

Introducing himself would not be easy. She was on a precarious precipice. It might not hold his weight. And he might terrify the crazy little thing if he attempted to land next to her. Not generally the best way to strike up a conversation. Shifting into his human form seemed the only solution, but then he would still have the problem of reaching the ledge. Better to climb up or down? He might have found the problem bothersome enough to forget had it not occurred to him this girl had managed to get there. If nothing else he wanted to know how she had done it.

The great gold dragon got as close to the ledge as he could before shifting. The magic he used to transform himself also allowed him to design his garments. He chose sturdy leather boots, a loose tunic and plain brown pants – typical clothes for the time.

Still rather large, he maintained a strength and agility that made the climb down easy. He also managed to be stealthy about it and the girl was so absorbed in her own thoughts she was oblivious to him. Gideon stood at the edge of her circle of light briefly. Finally level with her, he could see her clearly for the first time and her beauty struck him. He had been mistaken. This was not a human at all. She was a shapeshifter, like himself, but not a dragon.

Introducing oneself to a Powerful One was tricky. Most were guarded and defensive at the best of times, not generally appreciative of revealing themselves without forewarning. Intermediaries were usually a good idea. Yet Gideon could not turn himself away. He was close enough now to catch pieces of her murmurings. They were definitely directed at the fire.

“I am not afraid of you… I can just walk to you and let myself burn… I fear no pain… I stand on the edge because I choose to… Fear does not control me… The pain you would inflict does not affect my courage…”

The fire. A phoenix. Gideon suddenly saw all the telltale markers. Her fiery hair, the gold eyes, the blushing skin, a certain inner radiance… It was her simple dress that had thrown him. She was in similar clothing to what he had chosen. All the phoenixes he had known in the past tended to wear flashier styles. All had been spectacularly beautiful, as this girl was. Still there was something different about her. He knew whatever it was seemed to already be seeping under his normally tough and scaly hide. He tried to tell himself to walk away before it was too late, but the fragility of this powerful creature was too fascinating to deny. It was not often one found an immortal who appeared frightened and small. He needed to understand her and what she was doing on this ledge speaking to the flames.

Stepping forward into the light, he saw the girl’s eyes lift and widen. Gideon remembered his human form was imposing. Had he been standing next to her, she would have been eye level with his chest and her legs were the size of his arms. Add in his dark skin, hair and eyes and she probably thought him a demon.

Epic fail at not frightening her, he chastised himself.

He kept his distance and waited for the shock to wear off before he spoke, “My name is Gideon.” He took it for a good sign she did not scream and run off into the night. “Are you alright?” he asked softly, hoping to appear friendly and gentle.

The girl did not seem to appreciate being interrupted. She eyed him warily and her voice shook when she asked, “How did you get here?”

Gideon smiled. “I flew, just like you did.” When she flinched, he realized he still had sizeable teeth. He was going to have to try harder to put her at ease.

“Have you been watching me?” she asked.

He hesitated to answer, doubting the truth would gain him her trust. “Yes…” he said, and then added quickly, “I had to be sure of you before I introduced myself.”

Surprisingly, she laughed, “And are you sure of me?”

Gideon could not help but smile this time, “Not entirely, but I am not afraid of you.”

“Afraid of me? Why should you have been afraid of me?”

“I thought you were human at first. I’ve had a volatile relationship with humans. But you are not human.” That does not mean we will have an easy time, Powerful One.

Her golden eyes narrowed, cautious again, “You saw me arrive here?”

“No.” Seeing she needed him to explain, he added,  “You are a shapeshifter, as I am. We have the sense to recognize each other. And I have been around long enough to know a phoenix when I see one, whatever your current form.”

“But you are not a phoenix,” she said, her tone suggesting this was a question.

“No,” he assured her.

“What are you?”

“A rather rude question when you have not even bothered to give me your name in return for mine.” Gideon was outwardly polite and courteous. At the same time he was scrutinizing every aspect of her to gather information. Her hair was still flying about her head in fiery waves and her gold eyes reflected the burning flames. She had a radiant light surrounding her. It was not a reflection of the fire. The grace of the immortals was strong in her, but she was hunched forward and hugging herself tightly – a mass of contradictions to puzzle over.

“Amara,” she answered.

“Mmmmm… That means unfading and eternal beauty.” He crossed the sandstone ledge to the other side of the fire so he could stand closer to her. “Well chosen for a phoenix, especially one as lovely as yourself.” He knew flattery to be an effective tool in making someone more congenial and he watched her relax slightly. Are you flirting with her now? he asked himself.

Even among his fellow dragons, Gideon was known for his ability to see hidden truths. He found the longer he lived the clearer it became. This was not true of all dragons, though it was more common to the gold dragons, like himself. Something about his vision made him strangely vulnerable to extraordinary beauty as well. He was wise enough to find beauty in the smallest things, but when confronted with magnificence, he could be entranced easily.

And this creature was not even trying. Well aware of this weakness in himself, Gideon was attempting to hold himself in check. Then she moved slightly to close the remaining distance between them and let her arms fall. He took a deep breath to steady himself; her scent filled him and made things worse. It had been a mistake to come this close to her.

Looking up into his eyes, she asked softly, “What does Gideon mean?”

He swallowed and composed himself before speaking. “In one of the human languages it means mighty warrior.”

“And are you?” Amara asked; her smile seemed to be a type of offering.

Gideon was pleased by her interest. She was flirting with him now and the simple pleasure of inspiring a smile on her beautiful face was enjoyable. He took a moment to relish it, uncertain if it would last. “I was. I have been many things. And to answer your question, I am a dragon.” His revelation was a test. He waited for her reaction.

“What kind?”  She shrank back and moved a few steps away.

Knowing the effect his admission might have, Gideon paused, “A gold chthonian.”

Amara’s eyes widened and she spoke in a terrified whisper, “One of the emissaries of the Underworld.”

“Yes,” he confirmed calmly. He could only wait for her to decide how she was going to respond. There was no way to sugarcoat his dark origins.

The fire crackled and spit. Amara cast an odd look at the flames. She shuffled back and forth and finally said, “I did not realize there were gold dragons from the Underworld.”

Did he detect a note of guarded interest in her voice? He hoped so.

Encouraged, he spoke, keeping his tone level, “We are not common. Then again, gold dragons from anywhere are not common. The alchemists saw to that.” He stopped himself from saying more. Was he trying to impress this girl? He growled under his breath for losing focus.

“Because they created the gold dragons, right?” Amara watched his face closely as she revealed to him her knowledge as he had done with her. “It was their magics which brought your race to life and graced it with immortality.” More softly she added,  “But it was a mistake they tried to undo.”

Wary, he regained his focus. “That is well guarded knowledge, Amara. You must be older than I estimated.”

Amara blanched as she stepped further away. He could see fear and shame in her eyes, both echoed in her voice when she spoke, “The years are meaningless for a phoenix. It is the transformations that count.”

Gideon paused. She had made a profound observation. There was wisdom in the girl after all. “How many times have you resurrected?”

“None.”

Gideon stared at her in stunned silence. He had never known a phoenix untested by fire. Truly fascinated now, he moved a step closer to her involuntarily. She had age and wisdom and innocence. The contradictions continued to amass. An extraordinary enigma.

Amara began talking nervously, “I cannot do it. I stand here looking at this fire and cannot step into it. I know in my mind I will not perish. I will die and be reborn. But I am still terrified and cannot move forward.” Her arms went back around herself and she hugged her form tightly in an unconsciously protective gesture.

“I see,” Gideon nodded. Still distracted by his own thoughts, he was not really listening. He was aware of a sudden protective instinct awakening within. But why? What was there to shield an immortal from? The only answer was: fear.

“Do you? Do you really? Do you see what it means to be a phoenix who will not catch fire? An immortal without faith in eternity?” her voice raised with each of her questions.

“Faith, by its nature, is constantly tested. What you need is knowledge.” But should I give it to you? he wondered. He needed to consider what to do next carefully.

“I would take either one at this point.” Her voice broke in desperation and Gideon impulsively reached out a hand to her. She hesitated before gripping it tightly in her own, as if he alone could save her from her fate.

Gideon could not ignore the call for help. “Knowledge comes from experience.” He paused. “I can help you. Let us sit by the fire together and talk.” He sat down on the rock and pulled her next to him.

At first, Gideon told Amara stories from his past. He made her laugh until she couldn’t breathe and knew the rest would come easily. Part of his mind was distracted by her physical proximity. He was aware this kind of closeness was only possible for them in their current forms.

For shapeshifters, it was important to remember what form would best serve the purpose. Form and function were interrelated. On this occasion he had chosen the human form, like her, to make her more comfortable. What it meant now was that certain avenues were open to them – the current forms allowed for this intimacy. He could put an arm around her, feel her breath against his skin, feel the vibration of her laughter, see her smile and watch the light dance in her eyes.

The more stories he told her, the more he saw in her eyes. She was analyzing and integrating it all, soaking in the knowledge of him. He told her stories about his warrior days and how he had come to leave them behind. There were stories of travel and adventure and friends and lovers. And then eventually, she began to offer her own stories in return. She made him laugh and he held her tighter. It was easy, reciprocal.

Somewhere in the coldest part of the night, Amara grew quiet. Gideon softened his voice and kept talking until he felt her breathing deepen and slow. Her head was in his lap and he stroked her hair, allowing his thoughts to progress down paths he had not considered in some time. He knew he needed to be clear in his purpose. A good deal of his interest was in her transformation. He wanted to watch the process and see her go through it for the first time. There really was no point in becoming attached to her. Everything could change when she passed through the fire. The nature of the change would depend on her intention, and perhaps his as well.

The thought pulled him up short. He was in dangerous waters. Not only did he need to know how much creative power he had, but how and when to use it. Such a task was not to be undertaken lightly. Attempting to manipulate the outcome of Amara’s first resurrection was not something he wanted to do, no matter how tempting.

It was the shadow side of power whispering he should control the result and get what he wanted. He knew pushing her to undergo the change right now was risky. He could lose her. But sometimes you had to settle for one night; sometimes it had to be enough. He was old enough to know that. The bond they were forging could be complicated anyway. Having similar forms did not mean they were the same. He was a creature of the Underworld, she the sky.

***

When Amara awoke the sun was just peeking over the mountains. Streaks of yellow, orange and gold set the morning clouds on fire, gilding the edges. Gideon stood quietly by the ledge, looking out over the precipice meditating. He hoped she would not disturb him. He was searching for the strength to do what had to be done. He could see the moment coming, but the night spent with Amara in his arms had only served to intensify his feelings and cement his attachment to her, despite his misgivings. He would have to find the selflessness necessary to commit the act. That required letting go of his ego and expectations and desires. There was no telling if she would forgive him for his actions later. He had to find his center and go from there. He needed to prepare her for the ordeal and help her to claim her power. He was now only an observer and guide. The future was uncertain.

“Visita interior terrae rectificando invenies operae lapidem.”

He was not looking at her yet he sensed her start. His voice sounded different to his ears and his manner had to be distant now. The words were for him as well as for her.

She moved to stand beside him. “What does that mean?” she asked.

“Go down into the bowels of the earth, by distillation you will find the stone for the work.” He kept his voice level and instructive. He was the teacher now. All else would wait. Amara did not respond. She waited for him to continue. “The alchemists believe that is the first step on the path to gold, the ultimate state of being, their path to immortality, which you and I are granted by grace.” He felt her body go rigid next to him, but she remained silent, listening. “Some think the idea is to mine the depths of the earth for the legendary philosopher’s stone. They believe it has the ability to turn metal to gold and produce the Elixir of Life. The more scientific alchemists design formulas in attempts to create the stone, believing the creative process to be the key. But the philosopher alchemists see the stone as a metaphor. They believe at the core of every being with a soul there is an eternal seed, an indestructible and infinite aspect which is the key to the work. They call it the Prima Materia.”

Gideon was intentionally creating an objective distance between them. He was equipping her with the necessary tools. She needed to be focused on her task. Deep down, he could feel the desire to bridge the distance between them already building again. He wanted to reach out and take her hand, feel its warmth against his skin. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and refocused himself. One must come before the other. There was a proper order here.

“As a chthonian dragon you must be uniquely positioned to observe these various approaches.” She had matched his tone, becoming distant with him as well.

“Yes. As a phoenix you will be, too. We are the guardians of eternal secrets. I have watched generations of mankind struggle with attachment to physical forms and their fears of death. I said grace had granted us immortality, but the truth is, it is granted to all who can perceive it. Fear of death clouds the vision. One need only lift the veil to understand.”

“How does one lift the veil?”

“By experiencing death. Undergoing the transformation. Letting go of the fear that this life is all there is. By realizing your own eternal nature. Gaining the knowledge.”

Amara crossed her arms, “Easy for you to say. You have lived with the secrets of death and transformation for centuries. You are one of the guardians of the Underworld. All you know is death.”

Gideon controlled a sudden flare of temper. He accepted her reaction. It was partially his doing. “I know death, that is different. And as I said, knowledge dispels fear. You speak of nothing but fear. Fear of change. Fear of pain. Fear of destruction.”  He dared to look at her.  “You know your nature defends you against them, yet you let fear cage you. Don’t let anything or anyone cage you.” The frustration was evident in his voice now. “You must stop, Amara.”

“I do not know how.” Her face flushed with shame.

Gideon turned to face her fully, but he had to force himself to keep his hands away. He wanted to shake her and remind her she was strong. “The answers will not be revealed standing here staring into a fire. The fire, or calcinatio as the alchemists call it, is merely a tool. It does not control the nature of the act. We are creatures of fire, both creative and destructive. You must learn those forces do not exist in opposition to each other, but are reciprocal. And I know you have already experienced reciprocity because I showed it to you.”

Silence fell between them. Gideon was thinking about the night before and the easy affection they had enjoyed. He began to wonder if he had become another obstacle for her. If she were getting too attached to him, she could hold herself back to protect their connection. Do not let me cage you, Amara. I know too well how tempting it is. He also knew the destructive influence fear could have on her transformation. She had to release it all.

“I can see you are getting impatient with me. You want the intimacy and friendship we found together last night,” he said. “But even in sleep we change and awaken someone else. Life is cyclical. We do not get to escape that simply because we are immortals. Change is the nature of every living thing. You cannot avoid transformation any more than you can avoid breathing.”

Her expression was tight, as if she might be fighting tears. “And yet change does not always come so easily. I have seen resurrections. I know what is meant to happen. But I have also seen too many of my kin step forward unprepared. Their transformations are superficial and meaningless.”

“You are not really in a position to judge,” he told her.

Glaring at him, Amara’s posture strengthened and she stepped closer. “I’ve spent a great deal of time in this form,” she said, motioning to her human body. “A phoenix who doesn’t resurrect is seen as a bit of an outcast, so I’ve sought the company of humans. I’ve been to their temples and seen the frightening guardians they place outside the doorways to keep the uninitiated out. You can walk past them easily, but the uninitiated effectively remain without. They do not pass into the sacred space and so do not experience the divine quickening. That is what I am trying to avoid. The ones who step lightly into the fire, come out the same. They’ve done none of the work.”

“So you do the work and stay out of the temple?”

She paused as if considering his words. “Yes. I suppose you could put it that way.”

Gideon smiled warmly at her, watching her reaching for readiness. “It’s time to go inside the temple, Amara. It’s time to find the stone for the work. You’ve come this far. You’re right on the edge.” He motioned out into the blue sky.

“I have been here before.”

“This time you have me to help you. I do not think I would be here if you were not ready.”

“How can you help me?”

Gideon was encouraged that she was becoming less frightened. “I am an agent of death. The death of an old way, a pattern that no longer fits. Life and death are not in conflict. We are uniquely designed to understand this. And I mean you and I, not myself and my fellow chthonian. This is going to happen. You would be best served to release your fear surrounding it and stop acting against your own nature.” He took a breath, wondering if he was being too harsh. “Have you seen the symbol they call the yin yang?”

“Yes.”

“It describes how seemingly contrary forces, what appear to be polar opposites, are interconnected and interdependent. They give rise to each other in turn. Opposites only exist in relation to each other. Though they are opposing, they are not in opposition to one another. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“The forces of life and death are closely interwoven. The chthonian dragons are masters of these forces. It is that power which makes us frightening. People fear us because all they can see is the sudden, violent, irresistible strength lashing out at those physical forms they are so attached to. They bury us underground, call them earthly secrets, make us loathsome monsters. But you have seen the warm and loving aspect as well. You’ve felt the embrace and desired closeness, even knowing my nature. You overcame your fear. You are ready.”

“To die?”

“To transform!”

Gideon could see the moment coming. She was still stalling, but her arguments were losing steam. He knew her weak procrastinations would not last. Time was running short.

On impulse, he grabbed her by the shoulders and he knew the intensity of his gaze would convey his earnestness. “This flesh is passing. Its desires. Its scars. Its pain. Release your attachment. Focus on the place within you where there is joy and the joy will burn out the pain.”

She stared at him for a long time. Then she turned and looked at the fire, recognizing her moment. “And now you would have me sacrifice myself to the fire.”

“It is a sacrifice to accept anything less than glory.”

Amara stepped away. She stood straight and proud before him. “I have glory.” In a flash of white flame, she shifted to her natural form and took flight.

Gideon watched her. He took in the long crimson and gold plumes of feathers flowing around her, reminding him of what it had been like to watch her hair blowing in the wind. An ethereal light surrounded her and she looked like flames blazing in the sky. She was magnificent. He felt a painful sadness, knowing what he was about to do. He knew why destiny had called him to this place with the light of her fire. The time had come to step up and become a tool of transformation.

Knowing she would resurrect did not ease the pain of losing her. Uncertain of her heart or intent, Gideon could not predict the nature of the act or what she would become.

Gideon transformed himself into the proud gold dragon. His wingspan could shelter a herd of deer. He took to the sky. Circling Amara easily, they began dancing in great spirals, reveling in being back in their natural forms. He enjoyed the feel of the cool, mountain air against his wings. They soared to great heights and then relished long free falls through the sky.

Beyond words, it was a silent communication between them that led them to land on the ground again at the same time. Gideon was back on his large outcropping above the ledge and Amara had settled in the top of a tree opposite him. He watched her in stillness for several moments before he took a deep, shuddering breath. Amara motioned with her wing, a sign of acquiescence and surrender.

Gideon exhaled an inferno. It incinerated her and the tree instantly.

Now you have glory, he thought to himself, even as his massive heart broke at the sight of her ashes falling to the ground below.

Nine days later, Gideon was back in his human form sitting next to another fire on the same ledge. Waiting.

It was dawn when he heard the call. Her proud, clear song echoed out across the peaks and he squinted into the eastern sky until he saw the dancing flames flying towards him. Shining and glorious, she was even more magnificent than she had been before. Gideon did not think the tears in his eyes were a reaction to the harsh glare of light.

The radiant phoenix flew directly to the ledge where he stood with astonishing speed. The winged beauty stopped and hovered above him, still in the air, taking a moment to look at him and let him look at her in all her new splendor. Gideon wondered if he should fear her, then she shifted back into her human form in mid flight and allowed herself to fall into his arms. The trust inherent in the act was all he needed.

It was not necessary. She could have landed without harm. He knew that. But she had wanted him to catch her.  It was an act of grace to make him part of the process, for his touch to be first she felt in her new form.

A Powerful One indeed, he thought. He was stunned by the changes in her as well as what remained from before. Physically, she looked much the same, though she had designed new garments. Now she was wearing a jeweled gown covered in amber and rubies and carnelians. They caught the morning light and made her look as if she was still on fire. There was no mistaking the new intensity of light and energy radiating from her. No more shrinking. No more defenses. She was open and free and without fear.

His voice broke slightly when he said, “Tell me.”

A brilliant smile broke across her face. It was like a ray of sunlight breaking through clouds. “You were right about the joy. The pain was excruciating, but I focused on joy and thought of you and the pain was extinguished. I was not afraid. I died to my flesh and was born into my spirit. I connected with the consciousness and life. It transcended my physical body. The vehicle was dead, but the consciousness able to perceive revelation remained.” Her fingers traced his cheek. “I understood the nature of soul and eternity, the spirit, the radiant manifestation shining in all things.” Her eyes glowed. “I know it now.”

He was awestruck, which made it difficult for him to speak. “You returned.”

“Yes.” The knowing smile on her face said she knew what he’d been thinking. “Thank you for the fire.”

Gideon closed his eyes and swallowed as relief flooded him. “You are welcome, Amara. You will always be welcome. My fire is yours whenever you need it. I am honored to have been the means.”

“I came down off the mountain. I will learn how to maintain the connection here, how to remember the truth of it. I want both – the flesh and the spirit. I want it all.” Her eyes locked with his. “And you.”

Gideon smiled. “We will have it all.”

**

Written in March 2010 – Published in http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Tales-Cats-Dragons-ebook/dp/B004VS35OU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375199246&sr=8-2&keywords=jessica+heckathorn

Artwork by Sam Perez of New York, NY

Heroic Endeavors—Part Three: Return

“I certainly think Star Trek is an example of a science-fiction franchise that at its heart really possesses a sense of optimism and faith in humanity and I think those are things that are never more relevant than they are today.” –Zachary Quinto

Here we are in the final stages of the heroic journey and the problem is that we have passed the new incarnation of James Kirk. No doubt there will be more stories in this new series, but for now I will have to get creative when it comes to providing you with examples. Luckily, there are many other stories about Kirk to draw from. I’m going to use the movie Star Trek Generations to help me. Being circa 1994, it may seem outdated and those of you who have seen it will have to dig deep into your memory banks, but it has the pieces I need. I’ll be as clear as possible. These are the trickiest steps, yet. Make sure you haven’t missed Part One and Part Two of this series.

Return – 1. Refusal of the Return

Once the heroic quest has been accomplished, what remains is for the hero to return to the real world with his prize. Whether he has attained enlightenment, or has rescued the princess, or found the Holy Grail, it is then up to him to bring his trophy back and share it with the world. As in the beginning, when the hero didn’t want to leave his childhood sphere of relationships and connections, he doesn’t always want to leave the bliss found in the presence of grace. It’s a nice place and it is difficult to leave by choice.

Example: In Star Trek Generations, Kirk finds himself in a place called The Nexus. Guinan describes the Nexus to Picard as:

“Like being inside joy, as if joy was something tangible and you could wrap yourself up in it like a blanket. And never in my entire life have I ever been as content… None of us wanted to go. And I would have done anything, anything, to get back there… If you go, you’re not going to care about anything, not this ship, not Soren, not me, nothing. All you’ll want is to stay in the Nexus; you’re not going to want to come back.”

It is a place where the mind has the power to grant any desire and command time. It is the bliss place and while Kirk is there, he does not want to leave. He sees the chance to live his life over again and do everything differently. When Captain Picard seeks out his help, Kirk refuses to return to the real world with him.

Return – 2. The Magic Flight

If the hero does decide to return to the world, there are two ways it can go. One, he has the blessing of the gods. They have specifically commissioned him to take their grace back to the world and share it with humanity. In that case, his return is supported by all the supernatural forces and goes swimmingly. Or, if the hero has stolen his prize or tricked it from the grasp of the gods, then the return can look like a great chase scene. The hero tosses obstacles behind him to delay his pursuers. His allies attempt to block the path and give him a greater lead. We’ve all seen this play out. But the truth of the monomyth is this: to fulfill its promise, not human failure or superhuman success but human success is what we have to be shown.

Example: Let’s go back to the new film for a moment and consider the red matter as the divine grace our hero steals. Kirk teams up with Spock to steal the ship with the red matter and destroy the Nerada’s drill that threatens Earth. Then Spock flies off, leading the enemy ship to the Enterprise, while Kirk is rescuing Captain Pike—they all beam to safety. The Enterprise destroys the missiles aimed at Spock, he crashes the ship into the Nerada and thus a black hole is created which destroys the “supernatural” enemy. A very magic flight.

Spock In Magical Flight

Return – 3. Rescue from Without

But what happens if the hero maintains the refusal of stage one? Someone has to go get him. The journey is not complete until the hero re-enters, with his boon, “the long-forgotten atmosphere where men who are fractions imagine themselves to be complete.” He has to confront society with his elixir of enlightenment; he has to take the blow of people’s questions and resentment and inability to understand. If he refuses to do so, then the supernatural forces that have been helping him all along, will come to rescue him and set him back on his path.

Example: We’re going back to the Kirk in The Nexus (I apologize for the back and forth—I trust you can keep up). Kirk is enjoying the power of fulfilling all his desires, fixing his mistakes, healing his regrets. He doesn’t want to go back to the world where his life is coming to an end, where his glory days are past. But Picard needs his help. Picard persuades him to come back and make a difference in the world again. He persuades him to put himself at risk again to make the world a better place and save millions of lives, 230 million lives.

Kirk and Picard in The Nexus

Return – 4. The Crossing of the Return Threshold

Ah, another one of those thresholds! I’ll let Joseph explain this one:

“The two worlds, the divine and the human, can be pictured only as distinct from each other—different as life and death, as day and night. Nevertheless—and here is a great key to the understanding of myth and symbol—the two kingdoms are actually one. The realm of the gods is a forgotten dimension of the world we know. And the exploration of that dimension, either willingly or unwillingly, is the whole sense of the deed of the hero. There must always remain, however, from the standpoint of normal waking consciousness, a certain baffling inconsistency between the wisdom brought forth from the deep, and the prudence usually found to be effective in the light world. The boon brought from the transcendent deep becomes quickly rationalized into nonentity, and the need becomes great for another hero to refresh the word. How teach again, however, what has been taught correctly and incorrectly learned a thousand thousand times, throughout the millenniums of mankind’s prudent folly? That is the hero’s ultimate difficult task. The first problem of the returning hero is to accept as real, after an experience of the soul-satisfying vision of fulfillment, the passing joys and sorrows, banalities and noisy obscenities of life. The returning hero, to complete his adventure, must survive the impact of the world.”

I think the last few lines are the most important to understand. There have been heroes making this journey throughout time. We know of some and not of others. But they come back and try to tell us what is true about ourselves. They try to tell us that we are all capable of this journey, that we all have this potential within ourselves—and we close our ears and ignore them. Most of us cannot accept that as possible. We call it myth. We put it on a big screen and call it a movie. We put it in a book and call it fiction. And then we ignore it as irrelevant to our own lives. That is our mistake.

Example: In the film, there is an energy ribbon that travels through the universe that acts as a doorway to the Nexus. This is the threshold Picard and Kirk must cross to return to the world. The Nexus also allows them to choose which moment to return to, so they are both masters of crossing space and time.

Threshold

Return – 5. Master of the Two Worlds

The hero has been blessed with a new perspective. He has seen beyond the scope of normal human destiny and been granted an awareness of the essential nature of the cosmos. His personal fate is now only part of the fate of mankind, the fate of life, the solar system, the atom. All of this knowledge has opened to him. He transcends personal ambition and stops resisting whatever may come to pass. He accepts the truth that there is nothing to gain or fear because all things are one. If that’s hard to grasp, consider this metaphor: just as an actor is always a man, whether he puts on the costume of his role or lays it aside, so is the perfect knower of the Imperishable always the Imperishable, and nothing else. That is the hero, whether in the state of perfect enlightenment or not, he remains at one with the imperishable force. The truth is that we are all at one with that force, we just don’t know it.

Example: After successfully returning from the Nexus and saving part of the galaxy, Picard ruminates on time with his first officer.

Captain Picard: Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives, but I rather believe that time is a companion that goes with us on the journey, reminds us to cherish every moment, because they’ll never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we’ve lived. After all, Number One, we’re only mortal.

Commander Riker: Speak for yourself, sir. I plan to live forever.

Return – 6. Freedom to Live

The goal of the myth is to reconcile the individual consciousness with the universal will (The Force). Once the hero has completed his journey, he is able to recognize his own relationship with the passing phenomena of time and the imperishable life that is within everything. As Joseph says:

“The Self cannot be cut nor burnt nor wetted nor withered. Eternal, all-pervading, unchanging, immovable, the Self is the same for ever. The hero is the champion of things becoming, not of things become, because he is.”

It is tricky to explain these last pieces. They are deeply spiritual states of being that I certainly have not achieved myself. I have not passed beyond my own attachments to this world of duality where life and death are different things. I perceive change everyday. But the hero is beyond thoughts of permanence or attachment. He does not fear change or loss. He knows that nothing retains its form forever. Nature, the great renewer, is always making up forms from forms. Nothing perishes, it simply varies and renews its form. That is the lesson.

In the broad sense, what does it mean that we have “rebooted” the series? Our vision of time and events is altered because the mythology continues to grow and change. What came before is intact for all who experienced it and it is there for anyone who wishes to experience it in the future. But the great thing about mythological heroes is that they vary and renew their forms to teach us yet again what has been taught a thousand times. We see Kirk die to this world twice in Generations. But he lives again! The lessons transcend time and space. The stories are meant to grow and change as we do. Long live Star Trek!

Our Hero

Heroic Endeavors—Part Two: Initiation

Attention, crew of the Enterprise. This is James Kirk. Mr. Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to acting captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with the fleet but I’m ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth. I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes. Either we’re going down or they are. Kirk out. –James T. Kirk

In my last post (Part One: Departure), I described the Departure stages of Joseph Campbell’s heroic journey theory using examples from James Kirk’s story in the latest Star Trek film. This will be part two of three in which I will cover the Initiation stages. So without further delay…

Initiation – 1. The Road of Trials

The heading for this stage should give you the basic idea. The path is fraught with danger and pain. Obstacle after obstacle must be fought and overcome. The original departure into the land of trials represented only the beginning of the long and perilous path of initiatory conquests. There will be momentary victories, glimpses of the promised land, unretainable ecstasies. Anyone who undertakes the journey into the crooked lanes of the spiritual labyrinth will find himself surrounded by symbological figures, any of which may swallow him. From Campbell:

“The psychological dangers through which earlier generations were guided by the symbols and spiritual exercises of their mythological and religious inheritance, we today must face alone, or, at best, with only tentative, impromptu, and not often very effective guidance. This is our problem as modern, ‘enlightened’ individuals, for whom all gods and devils have been rationalized out of existence.”

Example: This should be a bit self-explanatory. All of the obstacles and conflicts that Kirk faces are his Road of Trials. Some moments include: the space jump onto the drill above Vulcan, Spock banishing him from the ship and exiling him on Delta Vega, provoking Spock so he could take command of the Enterprise, the fight on the Nerada to save Earth and rescue Captain Pike, etc.

Kirk's Road of Trials

Initiation – 2. Meeting with the Goddess

“She is the paragon of all paragons of beauty, the reply to all desire, the bliss-bestowing goal of every hero’s earthly and unearthly quest… She is mother, sister, mistress, bride… Incarnation of the promise of perfection… The soul’s assurance that, at the conclusion of its exile in a world of organized inadequacies, the bliss that was once known will be known again.” I think you probably get the point. The goddess in this stage is the Universal Mother, a source of desire but also a nourishing and protecting presence. But she also has a destructive aspect. Life and death are both necessary. The goddess is not meant to be greater than the hero, but she can seem to be beyond him at a certain point. She is part of what must be earned in the process of the journey. She is luring him, guiding him, motivating him to rise above his current state and achieve greatness. The meeting with the goddess (who is incarnate in every woman) is the final test of the talent of the hero to win the boon of love, which is life itself enjoyed as the encasement of eternity.

Example: This is my favorite example, because it’s pure symbol. Kirk’s goddess is the Enterprise. Often, ships are referred to using feminine pronouns. Scotty refers to the Enterprise as a “well-endowed lady.” But here’s an excerpt from the novelization that illustrates this point nicely:

“He only had eyes for one of them, its markings stood out clear and sharp against the ivory-hued metal and composite skin: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701. He remembered the first time he had set eyes on her, unfinished, skeletal, with gaping holes in her sides where her multiple outer hull had yet to be completed. She had been striking then, awkwardly balanced within a web of construction scaffolding on the hard, cold plain of central Iowa. Incomplete and out of her element she had appeared ungainly and graceless, an adolescent starship. Finished and sitting in her service dock she was a thing of beauty. He could not wait to embrace her.”

Kirk Meeting His Goddess

Initiation – 3. Woman as the Temptress

Here enters a different kind of feminine energy. This woman is all about the desire of the flesh. She keeps the hero’s focus on the physical world and the pleasures to be experienced here. Not in a good way. This temptation distracts the hero from his quest and delays his success. “Not even monastery walls, however, not even the remoteness of the desert, can defend against the female presences; for as long as the hermit’s flesh clings to his bones and pulses warm, the images of life are alert to storm his mind.” Sometimes, once the hero has broken free of the spell, there is a feeling of revulsion that’s directed toward all the acts of the flesh, the acts of life. Then woman becomes a symbol of defeat and sin instead of life and glory. But this is a diminishment of her role. The hero must find a way to balance the goddess and the temptress, love and accept both as pure and natural.

Example: Kirk is a legendary lothario. He’s well in touch with the pleasures of the flesh, a consummate flirt. I learned from the novelization that it is Kirk’s affair with Gaila, Uhura’s Orion roommate, which allows him to “cheat” on Spock’s test, thus landing him on probation. Uhura is another temptation for Kirk, but she is the unattainable one.

Kirk with His Temptress

Initiation – 4. Atonement with the Father

The son must grow in to his birthright and take his father’s place. One cannot be reliant upon a parent’s nurturing or protection, nor can one suffer their judgments or punishments. The time has come for the hero to be fully his own person. This requires accepting the dualities of the father—vengeful and merciful, arbiter of justice and wrath. For the son, the father is a sign of the future task. For the daughter, he’s a sign of the future husband. The father can’t pass along the duties of his office to a child who isn’t ready. The son must be able to rule justly without motives of self-aggrandizement, personal preference, or resentment. This is the moment where the hero achieves a perspective on the tragedies of life and lets go of his judgment about them.

Example: Since his real father is dead, we’ll use the moments when Kirk rescues Pike from the enemy ship and then relieves him as Captain of the Enterprise, thus taking on the role that his father assumed just before he died.

Initiation – 5. Apotheosis

Boom. Hero achieves his godlike potential. He transcends ignorance, fear, change. Pain and pleasure do not enclose him, he encloses them—and with profound repose. God is love, that He can be, and is to be, loved, and that all without exception are his children. This is not a state that is necessarily meant to be maintained. We are still talking about a human journey. Some of us have experienced moments of illumination, moments of broadened perspective and understanding. But we don’t stay there. These moments are meant to be drawn upon later, reminders to us of what is possible to achieve. But this isn’t a way of functioning in the world on a day-to-day basis. Once the hero attains this place, the task becomes holding onto it as best he can. Reminding himself that the people he encounters are merely lost souls and that we all have this godlike potential, we’re just not all aware of it, or in the same place along the path. But the truth is that the sufferer within us is that divine being as well. We and the protecting father are one. And, that protecting father is every man that we meet. So the “hero does not abandon life—he perceives without the same ocean of being that he found within. And he is filled with compassion for the self-terrorized beings who live in fright of their own nightmare.” The agony of breaking through personal limitations is the agony of spiritual growth.

Example: I’m not sure Kirk has one of these moments during the course of the film. But there are two places near the end where a more experienced and level-headed Kirk is shown. One, after escaping from the Nerada with Captain Pike, upon observing a moment between Spock and Uhura:

“The briefest of glances was exchanged between the Enterprise’s science officer and its communications chief. No one noticed it but Kirk. Varying from the sly to the snide several suitable comments took shape in his mind. Ultimately he voiced none of them. Like lightning, maturity can strike anyone unexpectedly and at the most peculiar moments.”

And then when he offers assistance to the crew of the Nerada as their ship is going down. A show of mercy. Not exactly an apotheosis, but a sign of a broader perspective. There are undoubtedly more films to come in the series. I am sure he will get there.

Initiation – 6. The Ultimate Boon

Gods and goddesses in the mythical realms are not meant to the be the end in themselves. They are guardians or bestowers of power. They have the elixirs of life, the creative fire, the grace of immortality to give the hero. What the hero seeks from them is their grace, the power of their sustaining substance. The gods can either choose to give the power to the hero who has overcome all his obstacles to reach them, or he may have to trick them in order to get it, as Prometheus did to Zeus. “When is this mood even the highest gods appear as malignant, life-hoarding ogres, and the hero who deceives, slays, or appeases them is honored as the savior of the world.”

Example: At the end of the film, James Kirk is made captain of the Enterprise by the threshold guardians—Starfleet Academy Administration—who were operating against him at the beginning. And Spock, who was his accuser, has become his friend and first officer. The Enterprise, his goddess, is under his command.

That’s it for the stages of Initiation. Think we’re done? Not yet! There’s still one phase left: The Return. I’ll continue next time…

Kirk as Captain of the Enterprise

Heroic Endeavors–Part One: Departure

Where there is a way or path, it is someone else’s path. –Joseph Campbell

The first time I read the above quotation my brain gave a hearty and resounding YES! I have never been one for following any kind of traditionally prescribed path. The idea that most people do something in a particular way has never seemed like a valid reason for me to do it that way. Guess I haven’t grown out of my rebellious stage, yet. I will do as Robert Frost suggested and choose the less-traveled road. We don’t need no stinking path!

And yet… And yet…

For many years now I have been fascinated by Joseph Campbell’s work on the heroic journey. Once I learned how to see the underlying structure, I suddenly couldn’t help but see it everywhere. And not just in fiction or mythology either. A few years back I wrote out my best friend’s personal heroic journey using the outline. He hasn’t achieved godhood, yet, so it’s not done, but he has time and the potential. We all have the potential. That’s kind of the point. It’s a path for everyone, as well as Christ, Buddha, Shiva, Frodo Baggins, Anakin Skywalker and Harry Potter.

Anyway, as I plan to spend a good deal of time talking about Campbell’s outline here in this blog, it seems appropriate to offer a kind of beginner’s course for those of you who are unfamiliar. In his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell theorized that mythologies from around the world and throughout history share a fundamental structure, which he called the monomyth. The monomyth has three main stages: Departure, Initiation, Return. Some classic examples of the monomyth that Campbell used to illustrate his ideas include the stories of Osiris, Prometheus, the Buddha, Moses, and Christ, although Campbell cites many other classic myths from many cultures which rely upon this basic structure. Here’s a snippet from his introduction:

“The whole sense of the ubiquitous myth of the hero’s passage is that it shall serve as a general pattern for men and women, wherever they may stand along the scale. Therefore it is formulated in the broadest terms. The individual has only to discover his own position with reference to this general human formula, and let it then assist him past his restricting walls. Who are his ogres? Those are the reflections of the unsolved enigmas of his own humanity. What are his ideals? Those are the symptoms of his grasp of life.”

Remember that myths speak in a symbolic language. They’re metaphors, not to be taken literally. I’ll be dividing this into three separate blog posts in hopes of making it accessible. And I’ll be taking my examples from James Kirk’s journey in the new Star Trek film because it’s fresh and convenient and I think it will make sense even if you haven’t seen the movie. So, we begin with the five stages of the Departure.

Departure – 1. The Call to Adventure

Fairly self-explanatory, the first step is to call the hero. Some event marks a shift in the unsuspecting hero’s life. This is the beginning of a transfiguration—a rite, or moment, of spiritual passage. When the passage is complete, it amounts to a dying and a birth. For the hero, his familiar life has been outgrown. It is time for him to let go of old patterns, beliefs, concepts, ideals, emotional connections, etc. Sometimes it appears as a blunder, apparently the merest chance, reveals another world. Other times, a herald may appear who calls the hero forth.

Example: Kirk gets into a bar fight and serendipitously runs into Captain Christopher Pike, who urges Kirk to get out of his own way and enlist in Starfleet.

Departure – 2. The Refusal of the Call

So, maybe the hero isn’t too excited about giving up everything he’s ever known in order to go on some dangerous adventure whose reward is uncertain. Joseph says: this refusal represents “an impotence to put off the infantile ego, with its sphere of emotional relationships and ideals.” But, not all who hesitate are lost. And sometimes, the refusal is about being unwilling to respond to anything but the deepest, highest, richest answer to the question of destiny.

Example: Kirk tells Captain Pike that he has no interest in joining Starfleet. As “the only genius-level repeat offender in the Midwest” Kirk is safe and unchallenged.

Departure – 3. Supernatural Aid

This is the wizard, hermit, shepherd, smith, Jedi, guide, teacher, ferryman, conductor of souls to the underworld. He comes along to give the hero amulets and talismans of protection so that he can complete his journey. Even to those who have apparently hardened their hearts, the ageless guardians will appear to get them on their way. Sometimes they even come along for a bit of the ride. Their purpose is to show the hero what he is capable of achieving, giving him the opportunity.

Example: Pike responds with: “Do you feel like you were meant for something better? Something special? Enlist in Starfleet… You understand what the Federation is don’t you? It’s a peacekeeping and humanitarian armada. It’s important.” Later, when Pike is leaving the ship under Spock’s command, he raises Kirk to second-in-command, helping him on his way to becoming captain of the Enterprise.

Departure – 4. The Crossing of the First Threshold

I’ll let Joseph’s words sum this stage up:

“With the personifications of his destiny to guide and aid him, the hero goes forward in his adventure until he comes to the “threshold guardian” at the entrance to the zone of magnified power. The first, or protective aspect of the threshold guardian: one had better not challenge the watcher of the established bounds. And yet—it is only by advancing beyond those bounds, provoking the destructive aspect of the same power, that the individual passes, either alive or in death, into a new zone of experience. The adventure is always and everywhere a passage beyond the veil of the known into the unknown.”

Example: Kirk’s first threshold is probably leaving the Midwest via shuttlecraft to join Starfleet, thus leaving his previous life behind. But, to use an example with threshold guardians, I’ll use the example of his journey to the Enterprise. He’s on academic probation at that point, so there are forces trying to keep him on the ground. He risks a great deal by joining with Dr. McCoy in a subterfuge that gets him on board. But that is the moment that he truly leaves Earth for space, the final frontier. Space is one of our greatest unknowns. But he is the bold adventurer and he has allies. Pike is on that ship.

Departure – 5. The Belly of the Whale

This is the point where we head deep into metaphoric waters. Remember the story of Jonah being swallowed by the whale? That’s where we get our heading. The belly of the whale is a symbol of the worldwide womb, which is itself a symbol of a zone of rebirth. It is a place where one goes to realize or remember one’s true nature. A worshipper passes into a temple to be quickened by the recollection of who and what he is, dust and ashes, unless immortal. It is a form of self-annihilation. “Allegorically, then, the passage into a temple and the hero-dive through the jaws of the whale are identical adventures, both denoting, in picture language, the life-centering, life-renewing act. No creature can attain a higher grade of nature without ceasing to exist.” Many times the hero is severely physically wounded at this stage, dismembered, even slain, scattered over land and sea.

Example 1: Kirk descending into the hall for a trial in front of all of his peers. He is accused of cheating, placed on academic probation, and stripped of his privileges. He is reminded that he is under the power of the Starfleet administration.

Example 2: A slightly more interesting and provocative example of this stage might be when Spock banishes Kirk from the Enterprise and exiles him on the ice planet, Delta Vega. This is a more complete separation from his world. He is alone and threatened by the great red crab-squid from hell. He finds refuge in a cave with a wizened elder who tells him that his place is on the bridge of the Enterprise as her captain.

That’s it for the Departure stages of the monomyth. I’ll leave you with that for a few days before continuing with the Initiation stages.

Chris Pine as James T. Kirk Before Joining Starfleet

Playing in the Promethean Fields

“A mighty lesson we inherit:
Thou art a symbol and a sign
To Mortals of their fate and force;
Like thee, Man is in part divine,
A troubled stream from a pure source”
-Lord Byron, “Prometheus”

I have recently finished drafting my first novel, so it is time for me to start putting myself out there and creating a presence. I must crawl out of my cave. This place will help me to promote my work and develop a readership as I begin trying to sell the book to agents and publishers. So, welcome to the launch!

This will not be a blog about me or my life. As a writer, I find my internal life far more interesting and worthy of circumspection. Or perhaps, more accurately, the way I internalize the things I find inspirational in my experience of the world is what’s interesting. So this will be a blog about story, the germination, the roots, the evolution, the actualization of story. I will pull apart the works that interest me so that I can forge tools for my own use.

I like the idea of using Prometheus as a metaphor for that forge. According to myth, he brought the creative fire of art and technology to mankind. He suffered Zeus’s wrath and a millennium of unspeakable torment in order to do so. Prometheus’s theft of fire signified his enlightenment of primitive men, rescuing them from the mental darkness of ignorance and savagery. That is the field on which I want to play. I want to be a participant in the creative world, one of the people who provide entertainment, escape, and sometimes insights that change people. I certainly don’t want to write anything easily forgotten. I want to create moments that will stick with my audience, as so many great writers have done for me. So this blog is going to be about how I mine the work of the people who inspire me and through a magical alchemy turn it to my own kind of gold. That’s what the tagline means by searching for the creative fire. Find it in others and it will ignite in you. What you do with it from there is entirely up to you.

I chose the name Promethean Fields because for me it invokes an image of place, a place that is a tabula rasa right now. I can fill it with anything that I want and invite others to dwell here as well. It’s a place where we can sit around the campfire and trade stories. Then what? What can we do with a story once we’ve experienced it? I will use it to fuel my own storytelling. But even more than that, I can abstract ideas and themes from stories in order to enhance my own life experience. I find science fiction and fantasy to be a virtual playground for philosophy and lessons about human natures. And the more I understand about human nature, the more able I am to create human characters that resonate. Here I can show you how to dig down into characters that ignite my imagination and show you how to use their motivations to create new characters. Not only do I use books, movies and television shows, I use the stories I hear from people I know, that I see on the news. All these things are tools and inspiration.

Something else that you will find here is an ongoing fascination with mythology and how it influences our lives and stories. In his book The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell talked about the universal underlying themes of myths and stories that cross the boundaries of time and culture. With his work I can wrap modern stories into a larger context and give them even broader-reaching lessons. The lessons we take from stories and apply to our own lives can help us to achieve greater things, reach higher and realize more potential within ourselves. The world-transcending deed of Prometheus follows Campbell’s nuclear unit of the monomyth: a separation from the world, a penetration to some source of power, and a life-enhancing return. So let’s go back to him for a moment. Hesiod’s works Theogony and Works and Days depict Prometheus as a wily trickster who deserved Zeus’s wrath. Later, Aeschylus revised the myth in his play Prometheus Bound. There, Prometheus becomes a heroic rebel and savior. Zeus is a despot, an embodiment of amoral power that rules without justice or mercy. This is an amazing piece of character evolution. Suddenly, Prometheus is a champion of freedom and savior of mankind. He gave us the celestial fire and taught us the arts and skills of civilization, raising humanity from primitive savagery to a place of greater potential, narrowing the gap between gods and men. The hero’s function is redemptive: by his half-divine nature, his glorious deeds, and his relentless pursuit of immortality, the hero uplifts humanity from its dismal condition and reminds it of its godlike potential. No wonder Zeus was mad.

We’re told that Prometheus could have escaped Zeus’s punishment by simply taking his gift back. But he had a free mind, a consciousness that could distinguish between absolutes of good and evil and he would not corrupt his awareness by conforming to Zeus’s demands. That act would extinguish the light he had brought to earth. In this respect, Prometheus’s intellectual honesty—a virtue—is the quality that occasions his suffering.

Aeschylus was certainly not the last to find inspiration in the Prometheus myth. In the Romantic period, his heroic rebellion against oppressive authority ignited the imagination of a generation being reborn into a new age unleashed by the French Revolution. Percy Bysshe Shelley, in his Prometheus Unbound, saw the suffering of the Titan as an image of the human mind remaining free to explore the universe and liberation despite a physical bondage to tyrannical rulers.

To suffer woes which Hope thinks infinite;
To forgive wrongs darker than death or night;
To defy Power, which seems omnipotent;
To live, and bear, to hope till Hope creates
From its own wreck the thing it contemplates;
Neither to change, nor falter, nor repent;
This, like thy glory, Titan, is to be
Good, great and joyous, beautiful and free;
This alone is Life, Joy, Empire, and Victory.

Percy’s wife Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley gave her master work the title Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. Her protagonist defies conventional moral limits in order to release the human spirit, attempting to take the power of god and create life. So what is it that we learn from all these stories that are connected to a single source? For myself, I see what power rebellion has to save us. You’ll see a healthy questioning of authority showing up as common theme in my work. I encourage everyone to question all kinds of authority. Make your own decisions about what you will accept and believe. Honoring your own truth is what will set you free.

That leads me to one final note about Prometheus and my connection to him: According to David Keirsey’s temperament sorter I am an ENTJ (though an extremely borderline extrovert.) Keirsey chose Prometheus to represent the Rationals (NTs). The Rational personality generally has little respect for authority, simply because it is authority. Our respect must be earned and we will willingly act against the majority if our internal moral compass points away from the mainstream. We question everything. I find Keirsey’s work fascinating and I think his book Please Understand Me is an invaluable tool for character development. It is so crucial to understand the different ways that people think, the different motivations people act upon, the wondrous variety of values possible in this world. Understanding others also has the added benefit of promoting tolerance. Bonus.

Gaston Bachelard, a psychologist from the University of Miami proposed to place under the name of Promethean complex all those tendencies which impel us to know as much as our fathers, more than our fathers, as much as our teachers, more than our teachers. I’m pretty sure I have that complex. And here is where I will share the treasures of my never ending search for knowledge through character deconstructions, plot analysis, drawing correlations to the monomyth, exploring personality types and more.

Finally, here’s a personal photo of Paul Manship’s sculpture of Prometheus that resides in the heart of Rockefeller Center, here in New York City. Funny thing, I had no idea this was Prometheus until I did the research for this blog. One of the great things about this city is how it can surprise you; it breathes story.

Prometheus at Rockefeller Center, New York City

*See my More Resources page for links to information about Joseph Campbell and David Keirsey.

*For more information about Hesiod’s Theogony and Works and Days
en.wikipedia.org/Hesiod

*For more information about Aeschylus and Prometheus Bound
en.wikipedia.org/Aeschylus

*A full copy of Lord Byron’s poem “Prometheus” is available at:
www.poetry-archive.com/b/prometheus