Star Wars: The Magic of Myth

by Mary Henderson

The story of "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi" has had such an influence on our culture that it prompted Joseph Campbell, one of the most original and influential thinkers of our time, to hail the trilogy as a masterpiece of "creative mythology" - a work of art that gives new depth and dimension to our sense of self and our sense of place in the universe. For millions of viewers, the "Star Wars" epic presents a special vision that incorporates the wisdom and symbols of age-old myths in dynamic new ways that speak uniquely and unforgettably to our modern-day quest for meaning. Using hundreds of illustrations, "Star Wars: The Magic of Myth" presents the relationship between the creation of the movie trilogy and the mythic structure on which it is based. Here is a rich, detailed, and fascinating account of how characters, costumes, and settings were modeled on some of the most powerful imagery from the realms of history, myth, and the imagination. Incorporating elements from Greek mythology to Flash Gordon, "Star Wars" is not only entertainment in its grandest form but, like all great myths, a limitless source of imagery, insight, and universal emotion.

Genres: Star Wars, Nonfiction, Reference, Mythology, Film, Art, Unfinished

214 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 1997

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book for several reasons but I will admit that all of those pale in to the fact that I love star wars - I have a lot of history wit the films and the whole saga - so I will always give it a biased view.
But back to the book why is it so interesting, apart from the obvious. Well the fact that this was a companion book to a physical exhibition means that somewhere out there was an event I wished I could have seen. That aside the book presents some interesting views and concepts of myth and fable against the science fiction/fantasy film, sometimes intentionally and sometimes purely by coincidence. The wealth of research and material that went in to the book is impressive which I suspect is only a fraction of what there was at the exhibit.
Then there is the book itself, the book is full of images and details, a lot of which was from the supporting material and not directly taken from the films (the concept work always fascinates me seeing the evolution of the characters for example). So on many levels I am impressed by this greatly underrated book.

[Con · Rating 3 out of 5]

yet another case where i think if this interests you, you should just watch jessie gender's video LOL. cause i was really disappointed with the first chapter, basically just recapping the entire trilogy through the lens of campbell & other myths, without critiquing the monomyth at all. it was also just a real slog to get through, the text was big & it had a lot of pictures but that first chapter was just really hard to read. maybe it's cause i KNOW the story of the star wars trilogy, maybe its cause i don't know much about myths (i was hoping to learn, but it kinda just had one sentence descriptions connecting the plot of star wars to myths, i don't think i retained much), but i found it so hard to finish that first chapter. the rest was better, but i still feel like it was said better in other ways. maybe its not the books fault, since it came out in '97 (i thought the author REALLY hated the prequels IJBOL) but i still feel like some critique was in the discourse back then, too. it's disappointing how it was written by a woman but i feel like don't get anything about how both campbell & lucas put their women on the sidelines, except it was quite the opposite! praising lucas about how "ahead of her time" leia was when she doesn't get nearly enough to do, especially in the latter two movies. idk. unless this is a particular interest, i'd say skip the read & watch the video!

[Hank Stuever · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very canny move by the Lucas people to legitimize, in an academic and cultural sense, what was plainly in front of everyone's faces, via the Joseph Campbell approach. This museum exhibit and approach thereby granted permission to grown-ups to go on forever geeking out to "Star Wars." You can do it on a simple level or a complex (and historically age-old) level.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written about the first three movies (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and The Return of the Jedi) this book shows how the Star Wars saga takes many of its ideas from mythology, from the ageless battle of good versus evil, to the normal person making choices to become a hero, etc. It was interesting to read about the costumes and movie sets. My favorite part, of course, were the many pictures from the movies.

[Stormy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and interesting take on all the mythic themes that run through the Star Wars franchise. The Aspiring Young Hero, the Princess in Peril, Sacrifice and Betrayal, the Quest, the Trial, and more. The book also is filled with interesting photos from the whole series, with background on what the items and characters are based on in actual history.

[Alex Woodring · Rating 5 out of 5]

Focusing on the Original Trilogy, Mary Henderson views Star Wars from an academic, historical, and artistic perspective. What was just a supplemental piece to the exhibit of the same, stands on its own as a worthy read for fans of Star Wars, myth, and/or history. Though I think some comparisons and points miss, I’d say most hit the mark and those that don’t have a respectable basis.

[Thomas Gangert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erwartungen sowas von übertroffen. Leider ein paar Fehler enthalten (soweit ich das bewerten kann). Die Analyse nach Campell (Heldenreise,...) und die Bildvergleiche mit verschiedenen Inspirationen sind allerdings großartig.

[Jared Conti · Rating 5 out of 5]

The old familiar yellow words crawling amid the vast emptiness of space hit me every time:
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

It’s not like I haven’t seen the movies a ga-jillion times. It’s not like I have deep-seated issues concerning the prequels or (God forbid) get the angry shakes when I see Hayden Christensen primly seated next to Obi-Wan and Yoda. Blasphemy, I tell you.

I know every time I watch what I’m about to experience, I know what they say. And now, thanks to Mary Henderson’s Star Wars: The Magic ofMyth, I’ve a better understanding of what it’s all about.

Originally conceived as a companion volume to the exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, curator Henderson delves deep into the roots of the original Star Wars trilogy. These films take cues from all walks of classic and modern mythology, the battle that is forever taking place between good and evil. There’s also plenty of another of my favorites, the time-honored traditions of Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces.

The book, alongside the exhibit, follows the path of the hero’s journey that many myths and fairy tales tend to follow consciously or unconsciously. It shows through words and pictures why these stories affect us on such deep, personal levels. In one way or another, we can all relate.

I’ve seen a Star Wars science exhibit in Boston with life-size wookies and ship replicas, so I can only imagine what this presentation would have been like to a story writer and lover. The book itself is packed with quotes from creator George Lucas and Joseph Campbell among others. Movie stills and production and concept art round out the book’s sense of purpose, alongside Lucas’s ideas as to why he made the choices for including certain bits of history.

All in all, this book reinforces why Star Wars is one of the generations best film series. With its engaging storyline which comes hardwired into each and every one of our psyches, it’s no wonder that it all feels so real. A wonderful companion piece for personal discovery and learning with others.

[Patrickderaaff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing in-depth look into the nature of Fantasy and how George Lucas used the elements of the Hero's Journey to create Star Wars. It was the first time I read about the monomyth and it blew my mind! If you are lucky enough to find a copy of this (I own one myself), you are in for one heck of a treat!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reads like my senior honors thesis. A decent introduction to Jungian archetypes and Joseph Campbell. Actually, I did buy this in 1998 and flipped through it quite a bit even though I didn't read it cover to cover. It probably did have a huge influence on my senior honors thesis.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually didn't read the whole thing. I kind of got bored of it, and today I decided that I'm never actually going to finish it. It's a cool book, but it doesn't have especially interesting content, especially if you're a star wars geek (you already know a bunch of it). I wouldn't buy it.

[Micah Siegmund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Companion book to the Smithsonian tour from years ago. Leans heavily on the work of Joseph Campbell, explaining how Lucas used established mythical conceits and a blend of different historical and cultural elements to make the movie both timeless and reflective of the period it was made.

[RumBelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderfully illustrated companion to both the Star Wars Smithsonian exhibit, but Star Wars itself. It shows in full color detail what the exhibit was like, but it also expounds on some of the larger ideas running throughout Star Wars.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite non-fiction books on Star Wars. It is essentially walks you through the application of Joseph Campbell’s heroes journey concept with the Star Wars films. Very informative and accessible if you don’t want to tackle Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces.

[Riker · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is tons of hidden mythology within Star Wars that I never knew about.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an interesting read for any Star Wars fan, or anyone who enjoys the mythology behind worlds.

[Matthew Austin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Behind the scenes of the original trilogy. Interesting to flip through, once.