Chapter VIII, Masks of Eternity Summary and Analysis

Before addressing the main subject of this chapter, Campbell and Moyers undertake a wide-ranging discussion of many topics, some of them digressions and some revisitations of topics from previous chapters.

The evolution of the archetypical stages of human life are restated and the concept of man being an image of god who is the archetype of man, and the related idea of the "Christ within" are reiterated. The underlying message of the book, the universality of the myths and legends of different cultures in different epochs, is also reaffirmed.

Campbell recalls his own experiences as a teacher of comparative mythology when he describes the reinforcement of the personal beliefs of his students as he exposes them to images and symbols of religious traditions other than their own. In doing so he invokes the...