Belly of the Whale

See also: belly of the whale

English

Alternative forms

• belly of the whale (less common)

Etymology

Coined by Joseph Campbell in 1949. Probably an analogy to the book of Jonah in the Bible, in which Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Noun

Belly of the Whale (uncountable)

1. A story element which represents the final separation from a hero's known world and self.

Usage notes

Mostly used in its capitalized form.

See also

• monomyth