The Wizard of Oz under mythopoiec eyes...

A journey does not consist of a straight path; it contains many obstacles and challenges. It is never straightforward and easy to overcome; it must have certain obstacles, challenges or tasks for a hero to complete or it was not be a journey at all. In all journeys there is many figures or archetypes you will see like the classic hero, the devil figure, the temptress and many more. In the movie “The Wizard of Oz” you can see a major example of a journey and it extends father than any yellow brick road could. The challenge of getting or “finding” home is a difficult and complex road. The movie shows many different archetypes and proves that the quest to find where your real home is the journey of all journeys. Through mythopoeic eyes Dorothy’s journey in “The Wizard of Oz” to find where her real home is and where she belongs too can be looked as a hero’s journey in a mythological times.
In every great story there is a hero, although each may very if you look at each journey hard enough there will always be the hero figure being challenged by complex tasks and challenges. By concurring these tasks, challenges and difficulties it shows many of the different characteristics and attributes of the classic archetype “the hero”. Dorothy is looked as the hero in the “Wizard of Oz” because she carries so very many of the characteristics and traits a true hero has even though you may not notice at first. Although some of the other characters in the movie do show certain given attributes of a hero it does not mean they take Dorothy’s place, she shows the most signs of being a hero and has the most promise making her the true hero of the film.
Dorothy first proves that she is a hero when she lends a hand to those in need. She agrees to team up with not only one but also three other strangers (soon to become friends) so that they can all help each other. This act of kindness shows that she is willing to help others even if she might have to go out of her way. She didn’t have to take the time to oil the tin man, or she could of left the scardy cat behind but no, Dorothy decided to put their differences aside and make it through the journey as friends. By putting her and her other new found friends differences aside and deciding to help one another this act of kindness shows that she was not only a hero but also a leader.
Although Dorothy has a very gentle and calm charm in the film she still always pulled through tough and strong when she needed to. She had the courage and will power to stand up to the wicked witch of the west when she knew her friend was in danger. When the witch with her broom torched Scarecrow, Dorothy did not only save Scarecrow but she also had slayed the evil witch of the west. By realizing what she must do, Dorothy made the ultimate act of a hero and she saved him, this was the most unselfish, reckless act she could of done and she did it for the right reasons. She made the attempt to help her friend rather than just watch it happen showing that she did keep a level head in the situation and that she would do all in her power to protect or even in this case save her friends. This proves that Dorothy is the true representation of the archetype “the hero”.
Within every long tale, story or even journey there is always some sort of evil in one form or another. In “The Wizard of Oz” the evil witch of the west shows the archetype of the “devil figure” through many different ways. By showing absolutely no signs of good or light in her self it is easy to know that the evil witch of the west is the devil figure because of her evil nature. Within the film she tries with man attempts to retrieve the valuable ruby red slippers from Dorothy through any means necessary. The witch never cares about anything or even anyone else, she just concentrates on her self which shows she is the exact opposite of Dorothy the hero of “The Wizard of Oz”. By being the true opposite of the hero, the wicked witch of the west proves that she is the devil figure.
The wicked witch of the west shows the lack of the good inside of her by showing many different evil attributes. She tries to challenge the hero Dorothy in her journey to find go back home by attempting to steal the ruby red slippers. She threatens Dorothy in many different ways such as saying she would kill Todo her dog if she didn’t give up the precious slippers. This shows her lack or the absence of kindness, good will and prosperity in the wicked witch of the west. Without having just a little bit of any of those attributes means you have been subdued by evil, and that you are the devil figure. By threatening to kill Dorothy’s pet (something very close to her) the witch shows her true self and the true evil inside of her and shows the world that she is the devil figure attempting to block Dorothy’s journey home.
The witch or “devil figure” in the “Wizard of Oz” shows the complete lack of caring about others wellness that Dorothy does. She shows this by not caring about others like Dorothy and her friends, in actual fact she does the opposite she tries to torture Dorothy. The witch tells Dorothy that she will make her watch all her friends deaths before hers will come in order to hurt her emotionally. This is an extreme act of evil, not only does she says she will kill Dorothy but she wants her to suffer immensely before she is subdued by death. Then she tries to fallow through with this plan-igniting Scarecrow on fire knowing that since he is composed of straw with him being set on fire will be a fatal. These actions will lead anyone to believe that the wicked witch of the west is a sinner and that she truly must be the devil figure in Dorothy’s long and difficult journey to find home.
The journey is a huge archetype in “The Wizard of Oz”. The journey represents the hero’s path through different tasks, challenges and trails throughout their adventure. The journey down the yellow brick road and even the journey outside of it shows everyone that it is a true archetype “journey”. With it’s many challenges and even its devil figure the wicked witch of the west, Dorothy’s adventure down the yellow brick road to Emerald City is quite the journey. This shows all of Dorothy’s hero like attributes and shows those who watch the movie that the young Kansas is able to overcome the journey’s many difficult tasks, and challenges enable to find her home and where she is happy and where she belongs.
Every journey has a difficult task that the hero needs to overcome, if it didn’t have a difficult task or challenge it would not be a journey, it would be a walk in the park. In the “Wizard of Oz” the difficult challenge was overcoming each of everyone’s personal flaws. The lion had to be brave (to a certain extent), the tin man had to have a heart and the Scarecrow had to have knowledge. Dorothy had to find out where she is truly happy and where she belonged to and she could not do it alone so not only did she help her friends, but her friends helped her also. This allows the viewers to see that they all overcame their own personal challenges in their journeys not by them selves but with the help of each other.
One of the big symbols in the movie “The Wizard of Oz”” gives a great visual on a journey, this is the yellow brick road. This symbol allows you to see the set out “path” for the hero and her friends. Although the Dorothy’s journey along with Scarecrow, the tin man, and the lion stray from the yellow brick road time to time the symbol of the road still gives the picture of the path for the journey. This gives the viewers of the movie a slight visual idea of the journey that has to be taken by the young Kansa hero, Dorothy.
Oz may be a very strange land filled with tiny people, yellow bricked roads, and even a horse that changes color but the thing it is most filled up with is archetypes. Although the archetypes appear different in this movie one should not judge the majority of the characters at first glance. This is because many of the characters represent classic mythological characters from another time. These many archetypes like the hero, devil figure and journey show that “The Wizard of Oz” can be compared to old mythological tales and stories. The characters in the film (even though some are midgets) are still a representation of the actual characters in the mythological times (which are not midgets). By seeing many of these classic characters and archetypes being resurrected it proves to all the viewers that in fact it “The Wizard of Oz” can be compared to the old mythological tales and stories. Therefore by Dorothy’s journey along the yellow brick road and beyond on her quest to find where home is and where she belongs is a re-incarnation of the hero’s journey in mythological times.