Lord Raglan's Scale

In The Hero : A Study in Tradition, Myth and Drama, Raglan lists twenty-two qualities that heroes typically share. Historical figures usually score six or less, mythic figures much more.

1. Born of a royal virgin.
2. His father a King and
3. Often a near relative of mother, but
4. The circumstances of his conception are unusual and
5. He is reputed to be the son of a god.
6. An attempt is made to kill him at birth(often by father or father-figure) but
7. He is spirited away and
8. Raised by foster parents in a far country.
9. We are told nothing of his childhood.
10. On reaching manhood he journeys to his future kingdom.
11. Faces trials and tests.
12. Marries a princess and
13. Becomes king.
14. Rules uneventfully
15. Prescribes laws
16. Loses favor with the Gods or his subjects and
17. Is driven away where
18. He meets with a mysterious death
19. Often at the top of a hill.
20. His children, if any, do not succeed him.
21. His body is not buried, however
22. He has one or more holy resting places.

When the scale was applied to various mythic and biblical figures, it came out like this:

• Oedipus scores 21
• Theseus scores 20
• Moses scores 20
• Dionysus scores 19
• Jesus scores 19
• Romulus scores 18
• Perseus scores 18
• Hercules scores 17
• Llew Llaw Gyffes scores 17
• Bellerophon scores 16
• Jason scores 15
• Mwindo scores 14
• Robin Hood scores 13
• Pelops scores 13
• Apollo scores 11
• Sigurd scores 11.

Out of curiosity I applied the scale to Star Wars:

Anakin (12):

1. Born of a (slave) virgin.
2. The circumstances of his conception are unusual and
3. He is reputed to be the son of a god (The Force).
4. On reaching manhood he journeys to his future kingdom (Coruscant).
5. Faces trials and tests.
6. Marries a princess (ex-Queen) and
7. Becomes king (Sith Lord).
8. Prescribes laws (Enforces order)
9. Loses favor with the gods (The Force) or his subjects (the Rebels)
10. He meets with a mysterious death (electrocuted by Palpatine)
11. His children, if any, do not succeed him. (His daughter goes on to lead the New Republic, not the evil Empire. His son goes on to lead the Jedi, not the Sith.)
12. His body is not buried (it is burned)

Luke (11):

1. Born of a royal virgin (Padme).
2. His father a King (Sith Lord).
3. He is reputed to be the son of a god (Father is a demi-god).
4. An attempt is made to kill him at birth (Anakin tried to kill Padme)
5. He is spirited away and
6. Raised by foster parents in a far country.
7. We are told nothing of his childhood.
8. On reaching manhood he journeys to his future kingdom. (Leaves the Outer Rim)
9. Faces trials and tests.
10. Prescribes laws (resurrects the Jedi Order)
11. Loses favor with the Gods or his subjects (Schisms emerge with his apprentices)

Leia (12)

1. Born of a royal virgin. (Padme).
2. His father a King (Sith Lord).
3. He is reputed to be the daughter of a god. (Father is a demi-god).
4. An attempt is made to kill her at birth (Anakin tried to kill Padme)
5. She is spirited away and
6. Raised by foster parents in a far country.
7. We are told nothing of her childhood.
8. On reaching womanhood she journeys to her future kingdom. (Goes to Coruscant as a senator)
9. Faces trials and tests.
10. Becomes ruler. (Leads the Rebel Alliance and New Republic)
11. Prescribes laws (Tries to reestablish the Republic).
12. Is driven away (Resigns as leader)