The Masks of God Books in Order

by Joseph Campbell ·4 books · 1959–1968

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The Masks of God is a four-volume series by Joseph Campbell, published between 1959 and 1968, that examines the development of mythological traditions across diverse cultural and historical contexts. Each volume focuses on the evolution of mythic structures, analyzing their psychological and symbolic dimensions. The series traces the progression of myth from its earliest forms through more complex expressions in various world cultures. It builds on Campbell's earlier theory of the monomyth, presented in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, though it does not focus on the hero's journey. The work emphasizes comparative mythology and comparative religion, exploring how mythic narratives reflect universal aspects of the human experience. The volumes provide a systematic overview of mythic development, with each book addressing a distinct phase in the historical and cultural unfolding of myth.