Ccampbell on the meaning for a "happily ever after"

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MariBenci
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Ccampbell on the meaning for a "happily ever after"

Post by MariBenci »

As children, as love the "happily ever after" of fairy tales; this makes us feel relieved, snug and tucked away happy-safe and sound. This sense of absolute reassurance is pleasing to a child. As adults, many of us laugh about the happily ever after; when I taught the Cinderella chapter in an English composition text, many of my students would say, "Oh, what is there to know about 'happily ever after?'" and laugh about it, perhaps a jaded state, as we all project the trials that will surely come even after the hero prince and the heroine princess are married. There are bills to pay, the ceiling of the castle might leak and so the roof might need repairs. We tend to have this flat view of happily ever after, thinking it by now so simple, cliché, and misleading--and therefore, false.

However, in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, on p. 23 on the topic of "Tragedy and Comedy," Campbell wrote, "The happy ending of the fairy tale, the myth, and the divine comedy of the soul is to be read, not as a contradiction, but as a transcendence of the universal tragedy of man." This is really not anymore so simple a notion.

Also, many laugh at how the happily after ever seems too ridiculously a static state of being where nothing noteworthy ever happens and that it refers to the time in life when there is no more story to tell, thus predicting an insignificant (boring) life--even as a king and queen! However, Campbell continued his thoughts on this with, "The objective world remains what it was, but, because of a shift of emphasis within the subject, is beheld as though transformed." Again, it is not so simple or so static per say, because a transformation is an active process of becoming. Yes, it seems to settle things and make everything "just so" and right with the world finally, but this settled end, with the above in mind, can perhaps be seen as not something to just roll our eyes at (and thus brush off the significance of the fairy tale to adults) but, according to Campbell, Tragedy is the shattering of the forms and of our attachment to the forms; comedy, the wild and careless, inexhaustible joy lof life invincible." If we find comedy in the happily ever after, or simple happiness, it must be that invincibility that satisfies the ending and the human psyche. For then the hero's journey has been won, and all the suffering has not been for naught.

For Campbell to have such profound insight on a simple few words as "happily ever after" is something I have enjoyed sharing with those I have taught who wonder what adults have to learn from fairy tales! And some of us see no reason to put all things of childhood behind us.
Mary Ann Bencivengo

Roncooper
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Post by Roncooper »

Mary,

Your post is truly beautiful. I will need some time to read it again and digest it before I comment.

Roncooper
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Post by Roncooper »

Mary,

I reread your post and I agree with you. To use Campbell's terms, happily ever after comes from the realization of the reality beyond the field of opposites. What people call transcendent reality, and this is a very adult message.

I would like to add that for me fairy tales have another important dimension. My experience of fairy tales came from Walt Disney. In the 1950s Disney studios would occasionally show one on TV, and I loved them as a child.

30 years later they came out on tape and I watched them as an adult. What struck me most deeply was their uncompromised beauty. Certainly they were pure and innocent, but they used this to speak directly to the soul. They were messages of transcendent beauty, which is the goal of art (according to Campbell).

For example, in Sleeping Beauty, Aurora lives in harmony with nature. The animals of the forest are her friends. She is not responsible for them, they play together.

As an adult I can respond in two ways. I can say, "that is ridiculous she is going to step in deer poop," or I can say, "wow, beautiful."

Finally, I would like to link to an utterly ridiculous song, although it does remind me of Campbell saying, " Follow your bliss and doors will open where there were no doors." Enjoy the beauty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pguMUFyJ3_U


Ron

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