“A hero can be a man who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by” or is “courageous enough to die” and risk his life for a greater cause (Alder, Jami). His quest can involve saving a cat from a tree or being as treacherous as killing the deadly Gorgons. However, despite the vagueness and vastness of the definition of a hero, in the world of Joseph Campbell, all heroes are the same; all their quests are essentially the same truth but merely wrapped in a different box. He argues that each hero quest or monomyth consists of the three basic components: departure, initiation, and return. In the Greek myth “Perseus and Medusa” from the novel Mythology by Edith Hamilton, Perseus…show more content… Nonetheless, his heart finds the path to heroism when Perseus “[stands] up… and… [declares] that he [will] give [King Polydectes] a present better than any there”, the head of Medusa (Hamilton 148). Medusa is one of the Gorgons, “[the] most horrible to mortals, each with wings and snaky hair, whom no man” shall dare to come near (Hamilton 149). As a young man with a determined will, Perseus takes on a deathly challenge and proves his possession of a heroic heart. This call to adventure is the start of Perseus’s heroic monomyth; its importance cascades over all the other events because it marks Perseus’s first step. At last, he finds his heroic self and is determined to prove it to the world through the treacherous mission of obtaining the head of Medusa. Throughout his quest, Perseus attains help, advice, and protection from Hermes and Athena, god and goddess of Olympus. From Hermes he receives an unbendable “sword”, and from Athena “a shield of polished bronze… [to be used] as a mirror” (Hamilton 150). These treasures, advice, and guidance from Hermes and Athena make a monolithic impact on Perseus’s quest because they are the main contributors to his success. They accompany him throughout his journey, “[guide] his hand” and point him to Medusa (Hamilton 151). Without the supernatural aid, Perseus will not have been able to easily pass through the