Product Description

Campbell offers a systematic and fascinating comparison of the themes that underlie the art, worship, and literature of the Western world. "The high function of Occidental myth and ritual . . . is to establish a means of relationship--of God to Man and Man to God."--Joseph Campbell.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30057 in Books
• Published on: 1991-11-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 576 pages

Customer Reviews

Evolution of Occidental Religious Thought as an Epic Dialogue Between Levantine and European Beliefs
Many other excellent longer reviews have been written for this book, so I'll just keep mine (relatively) short. I bought and read this volume first, and it inspired me to order the other three volumes of "The Masks of God". Although I'm not a specialist in comparative religion, I found this volume an excellent introduction: covering the entire history of religion west of and including Persia, but not neglecting to make connections between these and the Oriental religions. But Campbell's approach is more than presenting a hodge-podge of connections between world religions. He was trying to paint a picture of an epic tale of the dialogue and development of religious thought throughout history. For lots of details on particular religions, other sources are probably better, but for presenting the big picture and illuminating the main ideas and trends in Occidental religions, and showing how these threads of belief interacted with one another over time, I found the book very illuminating. Judeo-Christian faithful might be upset with his treatment of their religion as another among many world myths, but those who are open to seeing how their religion fits into the context of other world beliefs might find the comparisons enlightening. For example Jews and Christians might find it interesting to learn that some of their beliefs (afterlife, angels, heaven and hell) may have come from the influence of ancient Zoroastrianism on early Judaism.

I look forward to reading the other three volumes. (Volume 1 is on primitive mythology (e.g. aboriginal, Native American, etc.); Volume 2 is on oriental mythology; and Volume 4 is, I think, Campbell's take on the direction modernity has been going with religious belief. It was a little hard to find the other 3 volumes on Amazon, but they are all there, if you click on the links of the reviewers that point to the correct volumes.

Sign of a true genius
I learned a great deal from the Masks of God series.Joseph Campbell was a true innovator and one of a kind. I've continued to purchase all of his works. I highly recommend The Masks of God Volumes 1-4 to anyone.

A Review For the Series Entire (& a Brief Review of This Volume)
A Myth is not a lie, but, like Art, a rendering of Truth. Subsequently, religion is the extension of myth through ritual. Despite the titles, these texts are as much about religion as myth, and the works are all the better for it. Campbell skillfully explores the Human experience, and what Man has made of it, over the course of these four seminal works. At times, one feels the influence of Toynbee, but Campbell has gone beyond the author of A Study of History and into a world all the more full of wonder.

Man is the most conscious participant in Nature, and, as the Image of God, the only creature capable of reshaping Nature according to his own interpretations of its meaning. These little shapings, which we call art, myth, religion, culture, and philosophy are the stuff a rich existence is made of.

Stated simply, this work dutifully charts the progress, derivations, and points of origin of these shapings. Campbell's prose is warm, friendly, compassionate, loving but stern, and creative. One could not ask for a better introduction to the Man's works.

Occidental Mythology is the third in the series, and deals principally with Indo-European (Hellenism, Zoroastrianism) and Semitic (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) traditions. Through the thick swaths of these mythological histories we can make out a wonderful tapestry that ties the two together in profound ways while clearly outlining their differences. This is an essential work, as for we Westerners it clearly outlines who we are and how we came to be.

For those not familiar with some of the artistic themes discussed in this and other works, Campbell's Mythic Image (Illustrated Edition) makes a strong companion.