In this blog post, we’ll examine the movie “Shrek”—based on familiar fairy tales and parodies—through the lens of Campbell’s hero’s journey framework, reflecting on Shrek’s adventures, journey, inner growth, prejudice based on appearance, and the meaning of true love.
The Movie “Shrek” and Campbell’s Hero’s Journey
The movie ‘Shrek’ is a remarkable film that draws on well-known fairy tales, blending them with parody and absurd, comedic imagination to captivate not only children but also teenage and adult audiences. While it retains the universal framework of a fairy tale—the adventures of a knight rescuing a princess—it can be described as a comic adventure fantasy that reimagines familiar fairy-tale traditions, such as ‘Snow White’, through a mix of pastiche and parody.
“Shrek” was first published as a children’s story in 1990 by William Steiger. In the story, Shrek is abandoned by his parents at birth simply because he is ugly. He also hears a witch’s prophecy that he will marry the ugliest princess in the world. The story concludes with the two of them complimenting each other on their ugliness and living happily ever after.
Campbell identifies the narrative structure of the hero’s journey as consisting of three main stages. Chapter 1 covers the “Departure on the Quest,” which deals with the stages from the hero receiving the call to adventure to passing the first gate. Chapter 2 covers the “Initiation,” which marks the entry into the adventure phase, and Chapter 3 covers the “Return,” in which the hero successfully completes the adventure and returns to the original world.
When broken down into Separation, Initiation, and Return, the structure is as follows. Separation includes the call to adventure, refusal of the call, supernatural aid, passage through the first threshold, and the whale’s belly. Initiation includes the road of trials, the meeting with the goddess, the woman as temptress, reconciliation with the father, deification, and the ultimate gift. The Return phase includes the refusal to return, the miraculous escape, rescue from outside, passing through the gateway of return, the teacher of the two worlds, and the freedom to live.
So why the hero’s myth?
If we consider the context in which the hero’s myth has survived—or why it arose in the first place—it is said to stem from humanity’s dream of perfection and immortality, despite being inherently imperfect and inevitably mortal. It is said that the individual desires to become a perfect, god-like being—just like a hero—have taken root within the system of mythology; this, precisely, is what constitutes the hero myth.
Thus, through mythology, we dream of heroes, and because we dream, mythology is able to sustain its vitality.
The core pillars of the hero myth are “adventure” and “journey.”
Fundamentally, the core of the narrative structure in heroic myths lies in “adventure” and “journey.” Every heroic myth is broadly structured around this adventure, comprising the story before the adventure, the story of the adventure itself, and the story of returning to the world before the adventure after its conclusion. In other words, the stories of the past, present, and future form the main framework centered on the adventure.
So why was the medium of the travel story used? It is said to be because the travel story itself serves as a metaphor for life.
In any case, for this reason, heroic myths are closely related to road movies. Both share the common element of being travel stories. Furthermore, both share the common trait that the protagonist undergoes significant personal growth, both before and after the journey. The movie ‘Shrek’ not only possesses the narrative structure of a heroic myth but can also be viewed as a road movie in which the protagonist, Shrek, undergoes significant personal growth.
“Journey” and “adventure” signify the search for an essential answer to the existential question, “Who am I?”—in simpler terms, the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery. Broadly speaking, this can be expanded to encompass the search for universal truth.
Heracles’ journey to become a god by overcoming twelve labors, or Jason’s quest to find the Golden Fleece in order to reclaim the throne, are prime examples of the former; whereas Siddhartha Gautama and Jesus walking the path of asceticism in search of enlightenment are examples of the latter.
We often tend to think only of iconic examples like Hercules or Jason when we hear the term “hero’s myth,” but I believe Jesus and the Buddha also belong to this category of heroic myths.
The Narrative Structure of “Shrek”
Campbell outlined 18 stages, which I have broken down into five phases for analysis.
When divided into Separation, Initiation, and Return, the structure can be composed of the Call to Adventure, Crossing the First Threshold, the Ordeal, Refusal of the Return, Exaltation, the Ultimate Gift, Crossing the Return Threshold, and Rescue from Without.
The entire story was divided into the following seven stages.
First, the encounter between Donkey and Shrek. This includes the dialogue between Donkey and Shrek, as well as the dialogue between Donkey and Fiona. Second, after finding Dulac, Shrek is tasked with rescuing the princess. Third, he rescues Princess Fiona from the Pterodactyl’s castle. Fourth, on the way back to Dulac, a conversation unfolds between Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona. Fifth, Fiona and Shrek part ways, and Shrek returns to his swamp. Sixth, Shrek confronts Farquaad. Seventh, Fiona and Shrek find love.
Separation
The first is the “Call to Adventure.”
Where an adventure begins, there is always a chance encounter with a herald—that is, a messenger—waiting. A hero’s adventure also begins through a completely fortuitous opportunity. The herald has two roles: one is to signal the start of the adventure, and the other is to reveal its ultimate destination.
As Donkey and the fairy-tale characters gather in Shrek’s swamp—where he had been living quietly—they signal the beginning of Shrek’s adventure. If we consider that they were driven out of the castle because they were different from the people inside—because their appearances were strange—and that Shrek sets out on his adventure to bring them back into the castle, this implies the ultimate goal of the adventure. Therefore, we can see that the heralds leading Shrek on his adventure are none other than Donkey and the fairy-tale characters.
There are many different reasons why adventures and journeys begin. Most adventures begin in an attempt to solve the simple yet difficult question: “Who am I, really?” Or, as seen in the story of Hercules, a hero sets out on a journey to prove his heroism; when we consider that this, too, is a process of affirming one’s existence, we can confirm that the “adventures” and “journeys” depicted in mythology are processes designed to resolve the question, “Who am I, really?”
What is noteworthy here is the setting where the call to adventure is delivered. Typically, such calls occur in deep forests, beneath large trees, or by a spring. In ‘Shrek’, the call to adventure is delivered right in Shrek’s swamp. The protagonists in fairy tales are banished precisely because they are different from ordinary people. Therefore, bringing them back into the castle can be seen as a challenge to the culture of appearance-based discrimination; viewed from this perspective, this is ultimately the goal of Shrek’s adventure, and that is why the place where the call to adventure is delivered in this film is Shrek’s swamp.
Why specifically the forest or the swamp? They symbolize the current state of the self. They represent a state of unconsciousness or an incomplete self; the fact that the characters emerge from these places signifies their entry into a stage of self-awakening, which is said to mark the beginning of the adventure.
A supernatural ally is a helper whom the hero encounters at the moment they enter the adventure phase; this figure appears as a guide and collaborator on the hero’s journey. When the hero faces a difficult threshold in life that is hard to cross, such characters provide the strength needed to overcome those trials and tribulations and fulfill their mission.
In the movie ‘Shrek’, Donkey plays the role of the ally. It is Donkey who opens Shrek’s previously closed heart, who re-ties the bond with Fiona that had been loosely knotted, and who contributes to defeating Farquaad at the final gateway of return. Donkey strongly embodies the character of a guide and collaborator on the adventure.
Passing the First Gate and the Symbolism of the Pterosaur
The first gate symbolizes the current situation or the limits of one’s life horizon; it can be described as the boundary separating this world from the next. The deep-sea monsters or dragons that appear at this gate are generally depicted as dangerous guardians who protect that boundary. In the movie ‘Shrek’, this first gate is the dragon guarding the castle where the princess is imprisoned, and that dragon is the gate’s guardian.
It is often said that in mythology, dragons and monsters—which heroes typically must defeat—are less a representation of something tangible and more a metaphor for the hero’s inner fears and hesitations. Therefore, the dragon Shrek encounters when he goes to the castle to rescue the princess can be understood as a process through which he overcomes his own inner fears and hesitations.
We can infer the nature of these fears and hesitations more clearly from a conversation Shrek has with Donkey partway through the film. Shrek lives a lonely, solitary life, secluded in the forest and having cut off all contact with people. Even the people he happens to encounter by chance—simply because he is different from them—all vanish after uttering nothing more than a single “Eek!” before they even get to know him.
In other words, Shrek attacked the dragon—another version of himself whom he encountered in the castle—and I believe this serves as foreshadowing that Shrek will overcome his fear and hesitation toward others and ultimately find true love. Furthermore, by doing so, Shrek demonstrates that he can grow from an incomplete being into a complete one, while simultaneously showing that he has left behind the world he once belonged to and entered a new one.
The whale’s belly is a space where the protagonist’s passage through the first gateway is revealed through the form of self-annihilation or enlightenment. It signifies the place where the protagonist must abandon his former self and transform into a new hero in order to enter this new world. Therefore, the space of the whale’s belly symbolizes the image of a womb, and this womb is also a space of rebirth.
In ‘Shrek’, the whale’s belly is the very castle where the princess was imprisoned. Entering this castle, safely rescuing the princess from the dragon, and successfully escaping mirrors the hero’s journey of entering the whale’s belly, safely passing the first gateway, and successfully entering nirvana.
Meanwhile, when Shrek appears, Fiona pretends to be asleep, hoping for a romantic kiss. This is a story we’ve seen countless times in traditional fairy tales, but why does the princess pretend to be asleep and wait for a kiss?
I looked into what the sleeping princess and the kiss symbolize. It is said that the sleeping princess represents a state of unconsciousness, a state of stagnation, or a state of preserved virginity, and the kiss is like a spell that awakens that unconsciousness, that stagnation, and that virginity.
However, in ‘Shrek’, this rule is broken, and no kiss is given. Shrek was, after all, a gentleman. It is said this reflected his determination not to force a one-sided kiss on someone who was asleep when they first met.
The Path of Initiation and Trials
The hero who successfully passes the first gate encounters a more advanced version of that initial challenge. Under the motif of a difficult mission, various gates of trials await; in ‘Shrek’, there are two major trials—two gates Shrek must pass through to achieve mental growth—on the journey back to Dulac. There, mental tests through dialogue await.
The first of these is the conversation between Shrek and Donkey on the first night of their return to Dulak, and the second is the conversation between Donkey and Fiona.
On that first night, Shrek and Donkey talk while gazing at the stars. During their conversation, Donkey asks, “What will we do when we find our swamp?” Shrek replies, “There’s no ‘we,’ no ‘our’”—adding, “There’s only my swamp. As soon as we get there, I’m building a wall.” Seeing how sensitively Shrek reacts to the word “we,” Donkey asks, “Who are you trying to avoid so badly?”
Shrek replies, “Everyone,” adding, “It’s not me—it’s the world. Before anyone even gets to know me, they see my appearance and scream ‘Eek!’ and run away. That’s why I want to be alone.” In the somber atmosphere that follows, Donkey speaks up.
“When I first saw you, I didn’t just see an ugly, big guy…”
It all starts when Donkey begins to probe Shrek, asking, “Who are you trying to avoid so much?” Shrek evades the question at first, but this moment marks the first hurdle he must overcome to surmount his insecurities about his appearance and realize the truth that beauty lies not in outward appearance, but in what’s inside. After struggling with inner conflict, he finally confesses his long-hidden feelings. By doing so, Shrek begins to open up his previously closed-off self for the first time, bringing him closer to enlightenment.
The second conversation takes place between Donkey—who has discovered Fiona’s secret—and Fiona herself. Shrek happens to overhear Fiona saying, “Who would ever like an ugly monster?” and “A princess and a monster don’t go together.” Believing that the “monster” she was referring to was actually himself—when in fact she meant herself—Shrek sinks into deep self-loathing. Once again, a woman startled by his appearance is trying to leave him.
As a result of this conversation, Shrek is hurt once more and closes off his heart just as it was beginning to open.
Meanwhile, in the second conversation, Fiona says, “I have to break the spell. It’s my only way to survive.” Here, the spell is said to symbolize “bondage.” Of course, Fiona likely meant that she wanted to break the spell that turned her into a monster at night—allowing her to become a beautiful princess again—but when we reflect on the symbolic meaning of the spell, it seems to represent liberation from the constraint—and the prejudice—that a princess must be beautiful. Therefore, the statement that “the spell must be broken” can be interpreted as something like, “Let go of the prejudice that a princess must be beautiful.”
Deification and the Ultimate Gift: The state attained by those who complete the quest of the adventure is precisely the state of deification. Heroes are born at the intersection of gods and humans; thus, while they possess extraordinary abilities, they remain imperfect beings. Only those who prove their heroism through adventure become flawless gods, like Hercules.
Furthermore, the hero is granted a gift to save this world—or his own microcosm. In ‘Shrek’, for instance, after realizing the truth that beauty lies within and transcending himself, Shrek is given the ultimate gift: the true love of Fiona.
Return and Rebirth
Having misunderstood Fiona’s words, Shrek sends her back to Far Far Away and parts ways with Donkey, returning to his swamp. He returns before completing his adventure or receiving the ultimate gift; this is not a true return but a state of refusal—a retreat back to his former condition, or rather, a descent into an even deeper swamp.
In this state of rejection, Shrek learns the truth from Donkey, receives a renewed call to his mission, and sets out once again to rescue the princess.
The final hurdle for Shrek to return to his swamp is to rescue the princess from Farquaad and win her love by expressing his true feelings to her. The guardians of this final hurdle are Farquaad and his soldiers.
When Shrek confronts Farquaad, he is overpowered by Farquaad’s knights. Donkey and the pterosaur appear and rescue Shrek from this crisis.
In mythology, the protagonist’s return is often depicted as a journey back to the forest, river, or distant homeland where they once lived; this moment also marks their entry into the archetype of the womb—the forest or river from which they emerged—which represents the unknown world and the place where life began. In other words, the protagonist’s return manifests as a form of death, which can be either literal or symbolic.
In ‘Shrek’, the protagonist Shrek’s return to the forest signifies precisely this symbolic death: it shows that Shrek—who was plagued by insecurities about his appearance and a fear of social interaction (?)—has found true love and been reborn as a more mature and expanded self.
The scene where Shrek first emerges from the forest represents the stage where he breaks free from his familiar world and embarks on an adventure into the unknown; his return to that place signifies that his former self has died and he is returning to the forest to be reborn anew.
Furthermore, at the end, this film once again shatters the “rule of the kiss” found in traditional fairy tales.
Watching the final kiss scene in this film, everyone expected Fiona to return to her form as a beautiful princess, but—as if to mock Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’—Fiona is transformed into a monster forever.
