I understand that and thanks for the Ramayana links, but I think one has to stretch the template so far to fit such epics that it kind of loses its meaning. It

I understand that and thanks for the Ramayana links, but I think one has to stretch the template so far to fit such epics that it kind of loses its meaning. It gets to the point where everything is "a hero goes on a journey" which can really describe everything and anything ("John went to the corner shop to buy a beer"). At that point it's not about stories with common characteristics, it's just an over-generalisation broad enough to cover anything. For example the Illiad is about Achilles being a major asshole, throwing a hissy fit and then getting his arrogant self killed. What's hero's-journey about that? Yet people will find ways to (try and) do it anyway: https://thetrojanwar.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/trojan-war-tradition-and-the-monomythheros-journey/ https://thetrojanwar.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/trojan-war-tra... (Bonus Odyssey application in the link).