Braveheart Hero's Journey Analysis

As time progresses forward, the idea of a “hero” will remain the same for many years to come. It is always a fable of success and failures of the protagonist that follow the steps of the “Hero’s Journey” by Campbell. These steps follow the hero in his ordinary world to the special world where his strength and bravery are tested with constant endeavors. A few stories about heroism follow these steps in the exact order but the evolution of the plot brings all of them together. In Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, Campbell’s steps are prominent in the film with Wallace facing many challenges and developing from a regular civilian to a strong, and inspiring, hero.

The movie begins with William Wallace as a child wanting to follow his father to go fight

Wallace leaps into the special world with the fury of Murron’s death driving him to become stronger. The first test that faces him is the soldiers that invaded the village. He assumes the role of a leader which is a very important part of his development of a character. He leads the charge against the oppressors and wins sparking the Scottish Revolution portrayed by the movie. Wallace then does to the magistrate what he done to Murron which is decapitating him. According to Campbell for every “test” there is a “reward”. The “reward” from the village ordeal is fame. Wallace’s name spreads around the country quickly and he gains a lot of followers and respect from the people of Scotland. The Scottish people have been waiting for a time to rebel from the tyranny of the king. Aside from fame, he gains new allies. The most prominent one being Stephen who is described as the “madman of Ireland.” He saves Wallace from being assassinated and states, “Sure didn’t the almighty...wasn’t right in the head.” Here is an example of the many allies that Wallace will make throughout his journey. The byproduct of his increase of allies is a rebellion that is tested on the battlefield of Stirling. This is a test of allegiance and strength. The rebellion is very anxious to fight. Wallace then gives a tirade about how the people deserve their “freedom”. Wallace aids the fire that lights up in the rebellions’ hearts for, “It’s all for nothing