The Mythical Quest

July 11, 2003 6:25 AM

The Mythical Quest, an old exhibition at the British Library. 'Throughout the world, tales have always been told of heroes and heroines embarking on perilous quests in search of lost loved ones, the secret of immortality, earthly paradise or simply great riches. Many of these stories have elements in common, such as clashes with monsters, battles with the elements, interventions by the gods and tests of moral character, mental cunning and physical strength. These tales have been expressed in songs, literature, art and dance for thousands of years, and are still being reinterpreted today in books, comic strips, interactive games and adventure films.'
More British Library exhibits here, from early Indian photography to the secret life of maps.
Examples of mythical quests :- Monkey: Journey to the West (another version here, not to mention the TV series); the Ramayana (and the Ramakian, the Thai version); Cupid and Psyche at the Classics Pages (subject of a previous thread); the Holy Grail (more at the Catholic Enyclopaedia); the journey of Alexander the Great; Pilgrim's Progress and John Bunyan; the world of Dante and a map of Hell.
posted by plep (17 comments total)

up to your usual great standards, plep, thanks!
posted by jonson at 7:24 AM on July 11, 2003

"That plep is one baaaaad mother--"

"Shut yo mouth!"

"Just talkin' 'bout plep!"

"We can dig it!"
posted by eyebeam at 7:34 AM on July 11, 2003

This is so bookmarked. But what does it say about me that I clicked on "a map of hell" first, I wonder?

Well, regardless of my shortcomings, this is great. I especially thank you for the Alexander link ('cause he's like, you know, from my 'hood), but I love all mythical quests.
posted by taz at 7:43 AM on July 11, 2003

Dante's Inferno is by far the most read part of the Divine Comedy! Although the Paradiso is in my own opinion the best, the subject matter of Hell is most interesting to most people, I suspect...


Some more :-
Aeneas in the Underworld: A Multimedia Path; the Odyssey Game.
posted by plep at 8:04 AM on July 11, 2003

"Who's the cat who won't cop out, when there's danger all about?"

"Plep!"

"Right on..."
posted by eyebeam at 8:19 AM on July 11, 2003

"... But no one understands him but his woman..."

"plep!"

Testify, plep, testify!
posted by jokeefe at 8:21 AM on July 11, 2003

Just in case it gets too funky in the museum here...

"Did I ever tell you that you're my hero?"

"And you are the wind beneath my wings..."
posted by jokeefe at 8:24 AM on July 11, 2003

Aw, jokeefe. I was just about to have a funktastic orgasm, and you broke that out? That kind of trash is like calling out another man's name when we're making sweet sweet love.
posted by jonson at 9:18 AM on July 11, 2003

That's two Map Room posts that'll end up coming out of this thread. Curse that plep for finding half the stuff that ends up in the map blog.
posted by mcwetboy at 10:18 AM on July 11, 2003

My heartiest apologies, jonson. Obviously, a quick medicinal dose is required:

Paging Dr. Funkenstein!

Just, you know, it being the British Library and all...
posted by jokeefe at 10:34 AM on July 11, 2003

Great links, plep. Here's another you might like:

Buddha : A Hero's Journey to Nirvana
posted by homunculus at 12:18 PM on July 11, 2003

jonson and jokeefe, you know how to make an old man smile ;).
posted by plep at 2:04 PM on July 11, 2003

Great link - thanks homunculus.
posted by plep at 2:06 PM on July 11, 2003

... and thanks to eyebeam too... I feel like I'm being serenaded..
posted by plep at 2:07 PM on July 11, 2003

I am never leaving my computer again. I am in sheer bliss. Thanks, Plep.
posted by Joey Michaels at 6:07 PM on July 11, 2003

LOVE.
THIS.
POST.
PLEP!
posted by anastasiav at 6:28 PM on July 11, 2003

Thanks once again Plep :-)
posted by Tarrama at 8:41 PM on July 12, 2003