The Hero Model in Philip Pullman’s “The Golden Compass”

The Hero in His Ordinary World

Joseph Campbell’s hero model starts with the introduction of the hero in his ordinary world.  This serves to heighten the differences between the everyday world with which the hero is familiar and the new world to which the hero must venture to fulfill his quest.  The hero of “The Golden Compass” by Philip Pullman is Lyra Belacqua, later renamed Lyra Silvertongue.  She is a stubborn, slightly wild girl who tends to lie.  Her ordinary world is Jordan College in Oxford University, where she is raised by scholars.  However Lyra’s Oxford is “in a universe like ours, but different in many ways.” (preface)  One major difference in this universe is that every person has a “daemon,” a constant companion, separation from which causes severe physical and emotional pain and ultimately death.  Daemons are animals but can speak and communicate, and often serve as the person’s conscience.  Lyra’s daemon is Pantalaimon.  Another established fact of this universe is that children in Oxford are disappearing, taken by the “Gobblers.”

The Call to Adventure

According to Campbell’s hero model, the hero encounters a problem or challenge that must be solved.  Lyra stumbles into her quest accidentally, although later the reader learns that Lyra’s role in the quest had been prophesied hundreds of years earlier.  While hiding in one of Oxford’s many meeting rooms, Lyra foils a plot to kill her father, Lord Asriel; hears about a mysterious substance called Dust; and also learns that Lord Asriel has discovered a new world in the North.  Lyra leaves Oxford to begin her quest, which is two-fold.  She must rescue her friend Roger who has been taken by the Gobblers.  She must also deliver “something” to Lord Asriel in the North so that he can finish building a bridge to the other world.

The Wise Old Man / Advisor

Campbell’s hero model is also characterized by a mentor character who often gives the hero a weapon or instrument to aid in the quest.  Before Lyra leaves Oxford for the North, the Master of Jordan College gives her an “alethiometer” which looks to Lyra like a golden compass.  The Master has no time to instruct Lyra in its use and tells her only, “It tells you the truth.  As for how to read it, you’ll have to learn by yourself.” (p. 73)  She eventually learns to read the alethiometer which tells her to deliver something to Lord Asriel.  She assumes that “something” is the alethiometer itself, and discovers too late, that she is meant to deliver something much more precious.

The Hero Encounters Trials and Helpers

Campbell’s model includes the hero making allies and enemies, and having to pass challenges and tests as he strives to fulfill the quest.  Lyra’s main ally is her daemon Pantalaimon, who is with her the entire time.  Other allies include Gyptians who are searching for their missing children; witches who prophesied Lyra’s quest; Lee Scoresby, a Texan and hot-air balloonist; and Iorek Byrnison, an armored bear.  Lyra’s enemies are the Gobblers, who are revealed to be agents of the General Oblation Board or GOB, headed by the beautiful Mrs. Coulter and her golden monkey daemon.  Lyra discovers that the GOB is performing horrific experiments on the missing children in their laboratories in the North.  They are severing the children from their daemons to harness the power of Dust released by the separation.

The Hero in the “Belly of the Whale”

By “the belly of the whale,” Campbell means the dangerous place where the goal of the quest can finally be obtained.  Lyra’s “belly of the whale” is the GOB laboratory, which is located on the outskirts of the North.  There, after being captured by the Gobblers and nearly being severed from Pantalaimon, she rescues her friend Roger.  She also manages to free the other captive Gyptian children.  She and Roger continue to the North to deliver the alethiometer to Lord Asriel.

The Hero’s Supreme Ordeal / Sacrifice

This is the climax of Campbell’s hero model.  The hero undergoes a tremendous sacrifice in order to realize his goal.  Sometimes the hero’s sacrifice is his own life.  In “The Golden Compass” Lyra does not die, but she does make a great sacrifice.  She and Roger finally reach Lord Asriel in the North.  Lyra, expecting Lord Asriel to be elated to receive the alethiometer, is shocked by his response to her arrival.  “His eyes widened, in horror, as he recognized his daughter. ‘Get out!’ Lord Asriel cried.  ‘Turn around, get out, go!  I did not send for you!’” (p.364)  Lyra believes her trials are over with the delivery of the alethiometer and that Lord Asriel can now complete his bridge to the new world.  She is only half right.  Lyra is horrified to discover that she did indeed deliver what her father needed, but it is not the alethiometer.  The only power great enough to bridge the new world is the Dust unleashed when a child is severed from his daemon.  Lord Asriel does not need the alethiometer, he needs a child.  He needs Lyra’s best friend Roger.

To be continued…

“The Golden Compass” does not follow the full arc of Campbell’s hero model.  We do not see Lyra’s journey back, her resurrection, or her return to the ordinary world. Instead, we see Lyra, heartbroken over her betrayal of Roger, following Lord Asriel over the bridge into the new world.  This is the first book of Pullman’s trilogy “His Dark Materials.”  Lyra’s quest, and the completion of the hero model arc, continues in the next two books “The Subtle Knife” and “The Amber Spyglass.”

LIS 682 Spring 2005