Oriental Mythology (The Masks of God) Paperback – November 1, 1991

Excelente libro, profundo y esclarecedor. A very enlightening book. People interested in religions must read this book.

Joseph Campbell was never considered on the cutting edge of scholarship. Popular in the late 1980's for his PBS special with Bill Moyers 'The Power of Myth', he's been criticized for his generalist appeal, and lack of a specialized approach. Ditching a PhD pursuit at Columbia U. in 1929, he spent five years during the Great Depression in a shack in Woodstock reading sixteen hours a day. Campbell was friends with John Steinbeck and Heinrich Zimmer, completing the latter's posthumous works on Indian art and philosophy. He lived in a Greenwich Village apartment with his wife for fifty years, teaching literature at a liberal arts college.Campbell's contributions were in the arenas of comparitive mythology and religion, and the idea that all myths are variations of the same story, 'the Hero's Journey'. He incorporated aspects of Freud and Jung into his understanding of the subconscious symbology within myths. His theory on the evolution of myth spanned primitive animal spirit worship, mother goddess cults, astrological priesthoods and modern romantic idealism. He saw Thomas Mann and James Joyce embodying the artist as makers of contemporary myth. His often repeated phrase 'follow your bliss' was meant to convey a connection with an inner spirit.The Masks of God is a lengthy exposition of Campbell's ideas on mythology and religion, from west to east. Primal beliefs in human sacrifice and reincarnation are superseded by the battle of good over evil and imperatives for heathen conversion. The western and masculine forces of Zoroastrianism and the Abrahamic religions are seen as subverting earlier eastern worship of feminine fertility. Ancient Egyptian and Hindu polytheism are swept away by monotheism and non-dualistic Hinduism. In the far east, Confucian moral philosophy and Taoist magic are challenged by Buddhism imported over Silk Road trade routes.Campbell's widely discursive style is sometimes entertaining, and otherwise trying. If you are familiar with the people and places he bounces between, it may be a stimulating montage of history and religion. If not, it will likely be disconcerting. Published in 1963, the research and sources are from the mid-20th century and earlier, and seem quite dated. Reading quotes from Mortimer Wheeler on archaeology, or Heinrich Zimmer on Indology are fun from a historical standpoint, but should be augmented with more recent interpretations. These shortcomings are partly mitigated by Campbell's keen perception and wit.

After examining the mythology of "primitive" societies in his previous volume, here Joseph Campbell turns his examination of mythology to the East, the Orient. He begins with ancient Egypt, before devoting the bulk of his text to the development of various movements (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism) in India, concluding with relatively short chapters on China, Japan, and Tibet.Egypt being included in this volume, while the Middle East is included in the succeeding volume on occidental mythology, shows that Campbell is not above glossing over the finer details in pursuit of making the case he wants to make. In this case, the second volume of Masks of God is where Campbell begins to make his argument that Eastern religion drives its adherents to turn away from the world, accepting one's place in the social strata while seeking to end the cycle of death and rebirth by detachment. That Campbell thinks Western religion drives its adherents to focus on what they can achieve with their single life, and is therefore ultimately superior to Eastern religion, isn't laid on super thick but is definitely obvious.But what we get through that sometimes distasteful bent is a well-researched and interesting examination of the development of Eastern religion. The largest portion of the text is devoted to Buddhism and reading about how it developed, grew in India, and then was pushed out to China, Japan, and Tibet (with mutations in each culture that reflect its unique perspective) is genuinely compelling. The chapter regarding Tibet does not shy away from the atrocities committed against the monks there by the Chinese, but one of Campbell's strengths is that he's not afraid to be critical. He certainly has no problem puncturing the ideals that religions would like you to believe about them by discussing the historical realities of how they actually functioned.There is a similar psychoanalytic frame of reference here as in the first volume, but it's not as prominent (probably because there's more substance here to work from than there was with the first) and so it's not as problematic. Indeed, this volume is superior to the first all around. It's still thick, and fact-dense, and reads like a textbook, but Oriental Mythology is a more rewarding read, both in information and readability (it's still very slow, though) than its antecedent.

Campbell never disappoints. After a read your world suddenly becomes more understandable, more meaningful.

Historical study of mythology is interesting and informative not entertaining unless you are into ancient cultures and learning about the roots of religions.

Good reading!

It is a must-have book for all who is interested in history of art, religion, folklore.

Joseph Campbell is brilliant.

This is a truly excellent exploration of its subject. The clarity of exposition demonstrates Joseph Campbell's grasp of his subject. Illuminating.I have to add that it is truly a pity that this Kindle edition is plagued by numerous typo's that grate and irritate throughout. Sometimes the sense of a passage is lost. It really is time that the publishers paid more attention to their electronic editions. However, I really do not wish to take any stars away given the book's excellence.

Thoroughly researched and very informative and interesting.

Great

I've heard a lot of praises for this book and the concept.It indeed is a great read, BUT the Quality of the Paper doesn't seem so good. It is a bit better than a pirated copy that's it.taking the Quality of the Paper and the Print at some pages, this book is not worth the price. 600/- is too much for a paperback of this substandard quality

I got the book but it's another edition and the print cover isn't the same i was looking to have all 4 with the circular design so they can match. I opened a ticket and did not help at all