The Heroic Journey in Yeats's Cuchulain Plays

According to Joseph Campbell, there is always a similar pattern in the hero myth, which is called hero's journey. The legends about Cuchulain, the great Irish warrior, also follow this pattern. W. B. Yeats adapts the legends into his plays with Cuchulain as the protagonist. This paper discusses the protagonist's heroic journey in the five Cuchulain plays written by Yeats. In the five plays, Cuchulain grows, matures, weakens, dies, and resurrects, completing and meanwhile sublimating his heroic journey. In At the Hawk's Well, Cuchulain shows potential qualities of a hero. The Green Helmet displays his self-growth through the depiction of his heroic merits which make him a true hero. In On Baile's Strand, the hero suffers from the major frustrations and tribulations in his heroic journey and is stricken down consequently. The Only Jealousy of Emer reflects the hero's inner struggle and vulnerability. The last play, The Death of Cuchulainn, marks the end and reincarnation of the hero's life. Through the depiction of Cuchulain's heroic journey in the five plays, his heroic qualities are well demonstrated. Meanwhile, Yeats's views of heroism can be found as well.