The monomyth : an analysis of 20th century propaganda films from Nazi Germany and North Korea

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to critically analyze the narrative structures of propaganda in Nazi Germany and the DPRK to find if they are consistent with The Monomyth narrative structure coined by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The regimes offer a messianic solution to the perceived impending doom upon their nations that cause their rise to power. This analysis finds that the narrative structures of Hitlerjunge Quex and Pulgasari are consistent with the Monomyth narrative structure. However, limitations were discovered along the way which led the author to offer insights on future study on the subject of both propaganda and the Monomyth in non-fiction.