The hero’s journey is a familiar tale. It’s an archetype that follows The Hero on a quest where challenges are faced, insights are gained, after which the hero returns home transformed. That’s it. Simple, and very well used (see The Matrix, StarWars, The Lion King, etc).

Join host Lottie Bazley as she takes us on a journey with a new storyline. This one includes flipping this well-known narrative on its head to find different perspectives, and rejecting the all encompassing confines of the hero’s journey. 

Lottie speaks with author and academic Emily Hauser, as well as Professor of Classical and Early Mediterranean Studies Joel Christiansen. Listen in for their takes on how heroic most heroes really are (not very), and more importantly, what we lose when we ignore other narratives and what we gain when we invite the background characters to center stage.