Monomyth or Monogamyth? Polyamory’s Conceptual Challenges to the Hero’s Journey

Abstract

In the context of polyamorous relationships, a unicorn can be defined as a single, bisexual woman interested in forming a relationship with a heterosexual couple. Heroism scholars have suggested that the hero’s journey (or monomyth) can be used as a framework for understanding everyone’s life. By extension, it would be possible to frame the search for a receptive unicorn as a hero’s quest. Unicorn hunters are stigmatized by the general public for challenging the monogamyth, i.e., the monogamy norm. They are also criticized by the polyamorous community for privileging their own interests ahead of those of the women they are seeking. By finding a unicorn, a couple may disrupt the stability of their own relationship in addition to harming the unicorn’s well-being. The quest for a unicorn raises a warning about encouraging people to “follow their bliss” because of the possibility of producing collateral damage to the parties involved. In some instances, refraining from undertaking a heroic quest may be the better option.