The Masked Minotaur

A critical difference between the hero’s journey and the heroine’s labyrinth is the nature of the primary villain. On the journey, the great villain is a typically a distant dragon who threatens to oppress or destroy the native culture from afar. But inside the labyrinth, our heroines often discover a masked minotaur, who is a member of her own native culture. The minotaur is often a tyrannical male figure (but not always). The wisdom of the heroine teaches that some monsters can be close by, near or inside the home, and camouflaged from public eyes. Her objective is not to slay a distant dragon in single combat, but to confront, unmask, and ultimately defeat the minotaur at the center of the labyrinth.

Like the mythical minotaur, which is half man and half beast, the villain is double-natured. He is half benevolent, a revered power that provides order and benefits, but he is also an oppressor who turns his cruelty on many within the labyrinth. The minotaur’s seductive nature is that he often assumes crucial responsibilities upon himself, such as providing safety, security, or stability for the heroine or even the native culture But in so doing, the minotaur also undermines the personal sovereignty of the heroine, the native culture, or both.