The Hero’s Journey: The Miltonian Satan of the British Epic in Opposition to the Kingian Roland of the American fictional West*

Abstract

This article focuses on the concept of “monomyth” or “the hero’s journey”, applied to the character of Satan in the poem Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton and Roland in the saga of contemporary fiction The Dark Tower (1982-2012) by Stephen King. We observe the peculiarities of these writings, paying special attention to their structures, whose meanings contribute to the creation of the characters and to the way in which the narrative scheme of separation-initiation-return works in both cases.

Opsomming 

Hierdie artikel fokus op die konsep van “monomiet” of “die held se reis”, toegepas op die karakter van satan in die gedig Paradise Lost (1667) deur John Milton en Roland in die sage van kontemporêre fiksie The Dark Tower (1982-2012) deur Stephen King. Ons let op die eienaardighede van hierdie geskrifte, met spesiale aandag aan hulle strukture, wie se betekenisse bydra tot die skepping van die karakters en die manier waarop die verhaalskema van skeiding-inisiasie-terugkeer in beide gevalle werk.