The Heroine’s Journey: Redefining Women’s Roles in Heroic Narratives
Human beings have always sought patterns to give meaning to their lives. One such pattern is the “Hero’s Journey,” a recurring theme in stories and myths. Traditionally, these journeys have been derived from men’s experiences, with heroes typically portrayed as men who overcome external challenges and emerge victorious.
But does this pattern have a feminine counterpart? Can women live by the same narrative, or does the heroine’s journey, due to biological, cultural, and social differences, follow a distinctly different path? Asal Rad, a senior business consultant and leadership expert, offers a fresh perspective on these questions, arguing that the “heroine’s journey” needs redefinition in light of the unique challenges and opportunities women face.
In this article, we will explore the philosophy of the male hero’s journey and uncover its differences from the heroine’s. Our goal is to redefine, from both philosophical and scientific standpoints, the path of women’s heroism by demonstrating why this narrative needs a different approach for them. We posit that while the male archetype has long defined the journey, the challenge of successfully starting and running a business often falls harder on women’s shoulders. For women, success truly requires a heroic journey.
The Philosophy of the Hero’s Journey
Joseph Campbell, an American author and mythologist, described the Hero’s Journey as a universal pattern appearing in numerous stories, myths, and even real life. In his renowned work “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” Campbell outlines the hero’s path of self-discovery and world impact through three main stages: Departure, Initiation, and Return.
In the Departure stage, the hero leaves their familiar world and embarks on a perilous journey into the unknown. During the Initiation stage, they face various obstacles and enemies, overcoming them through wit, courage, and skill. Finally, in the Return stage, the hero comes back to their normal world, having defeated enemies and surmounted challenges, enriched with new knowledge and personal growth.
This pattern, largely designed around male experiences, suggests that sheer physical strength, courage, and determination can help the hero overcome external challenges. But can this template be applied to women? Many argue it cannot.
The Male Archetype vs. Cultural Realities
The male hero’s journey is rooted in cultural roles and social expectations placed on men over millennia. In many societies, men are defined as warriors, leaders, and family protectors, so their heroic journey often emphasizes physical strength, battlefield bravery, and confronting external dangers.
Where do women fit in these narratives? Traditionally, myths and tales have often relegated women to supportive roles, assisting the male hero in achieving his goal. This perspective frequently places women in secondary or even invisible positions.
These gender divisions, perpetuated through myths and historical tales, continue to impact the contemporary world. Many women across diverse cultures still face pressure to remain in supportive roles. Consequently, the male hero’s journey fails to fully account for women’s unique needs and challenges.
The Challenges of the Heroine’s Journey
While the male hero’s journey primarily focuses on overcoming external circumstances, the heroine’s journey often involves more complex internal and social challenges. Women striving for heroism must contend not only with external barriers like professional competition and business challenges but also with social pressures, cultural expectations, and internal conflicts.
A prevalent issue in the heroine’s journey is the struggle to balance personal and professional life. While male heroes can dedicate themselves entirely to overcoming external challenges, female heroes face additional family and social pressures, demanding they excel professionally while fulfilling roles as ideal wives or mothers.
Asal Rad explains, “Many women, during their business journey, reach a breaking point — a moment when they must either abandon their professional goals or devise new strategies to address societal challenges and inner conflicts.” These unique challenges distinguish the heroine’s journey from its male counterpart.
Redefining the Heroine’s Journey
Redefining the heroine’s journey must begin with a shift in perspective, acknowledging fundamental differences between male and female experiences. While the traditional hero’s journey emphasizes external challenges and physical battles, the heroine’s journey involves overcoming internal obstacles, social pressures, and psychological challenges.
According to Asal Rad, “The heroine’s journey must focus more on inner challenges: women grapple with low confidence, social doubts, and conflicting expectations.” It’s not merely a professional journey but one of self-discovery and identity reconstruction.
A key differentiator between the journeys of heroines and heroes is leadership through empathy. While male heroes often lead through power and determination, female heroes frequently achieve success through empathetic behavior and building human connections. This leadership style is considered a hallmark of women’s approach, fostering not only personal success but also improvements within their teams and communities.
Obstacles and Challenges Facing Women Entrepreneurs
Today’s heroic journey for women entrepreneurs is complicated by unique challenges. Beyond the obstacles common to all entrepreneurs, women face issues such as gender discrimination, limited opportunities, and traditional expectations associated with women’s roles. These barriers are integral to a woman’s heroic journey and require careful navigation.
A significant challenge for women entrepreneurs is the lack of financial resources to expand their businesses. Even in societies that ostensibly guarantee gender equality, many women encounter economic hurdles and limited investment opportunities. This issue necessitates a new articulation of the heroine’s journey — one focused on personal empowerment and social progress.
Stages of the Heroine’s Journey
1. Call to Inward Change:
Unlike the classic model, where the call manifests as an external challenge or grand mission, the heroine’s journey often begins with an internal impetus — a deep-seated urge for change, a desire for greater self-awareness, or dissatisfaction with societally imposed roles. For many women, this stage involves reevaluating their identity and challenging historical social limitations.
2. Confronting Internal and External Obstacles:
In the heroine’s journey, challenges extend beyond battling external enemies to include overcoming societal expectations and traditional female role models. A female hero contends with internal barriers, such as fear of rejection, low self-confidence, and identity confusion, alongside external obstacles like gender discrimination and social inequality. This dual struggle expands the heroine’s journey beyond that of the male hero, encompassing both inner transformation and outward struggle.
3. The Path to Growth and Liberation:
The heroine’s journey aims less at gaining power or external victory and more towards personal growth and self-realization. While male heroes often return from their journeys with social prestige, heroines achieve a state of mental and emotional liberation. This freedom may manifest as breaking free from conventional frameworks and forging an entirely new path.
4. Social Reintegration with a New Perspective:
While the male archetype typically concludes with the hero’s triumphant return and societal celebration, the heroine’s journey culminates in a return that redefines women’s roles within society. Heroines affect bigger changes upon their return, striving to alter social expectations and create new models for other women rather than simply proving themselves against others.
Conclusion
It’s time to rewrite the traditional hero’s journey to better reflect the challenges and opportunities women face. Beyond external obstacles, female heroes confront social pressures, inner turmoil, conflicting expectations, and hidden adversaries. Their journey harnesses inner struggles for self-discovery, empathetic leadership, and social change.
Asal Rad asserts that the heroine’s journey needs rewriting — it’s time to remind every woman entrepreneur and leader worldwide that they, too, can be the heroes of their own stories. Though complex and filled with unique challenges, this journey can and will be undertaken through determination and empathy by women who, in the process, become truly heroic.