Perseus

ORDINARY WORLD
• The story begins on the island of
Seriphus, the home of Perseus and
his mother, Danae. Polydectes, the
king of Seriphus, wishes to marry
Danae, and plots to get rid of
Perseus because he may object.
CALL TO ADVENTURE
• King Polydectes tricks Perseus into
promising to bring back the head
of Medusa, one of the dreaded
Gorgons. It is an impossible task
that will almost certainly get
Perseus killed.
REFUSAL
• Perseus does not want to leave his
mother, but he must keep his
word.
MENTOR / HELPER
• Athena and Hermes guide Perseus
to the home of the Graeae. The
two gods often give him advice
along the way.
CROSSING THE THRESHOLD
• The pressure of the task forces
Perseus to blackmail the Graeae
into telling him how to find the
Hesperides.
TESTS/ALLIES/ENEMIES
• The path to defeating the
Gorgons...
APPROACH
• When Perseus reaches the
Gorgons' lair, he has reached the
point of no return. From here on
out. danger and adventure await
him.
ORDEAL
• Perseus finds Medusa, and
beheads her. Two Gorgons chase
him, but Perseus escapes with the
help of the helmet of invisibility.
REWARD
• Perseus has Medusa's head.
ROAD BACK
• Perseus flies back home with
Medusa's head. On the way, he
rescues a princess, Andromeda,
from a sea dragon.
ATONEMENT
• When Perseus arrives home, he
confronts King Polydectes, who's
been trying to force Danae to
marry him. Perseus kills
Polydectes, using Medusa's head
to turn him into stone.
RETURN
• Perseus saves his mother, and his
journey is concluded. He returns
the magical items he borrowed,
and gives Medusa's head to
Athena. All is restored to its
rightful state.