Kamala: Goddess or Temptress
Kamala is a crucial cog in Siddhartha’s hero’s journey, however, there can be two very different interpretations of her role within Joseph Campbell's 17-step hero’s journey. The first is at the goddess, in whose presence the hero is supposed to experience unconditional love. Additionally, the goddess is supposed to drive the hero’s journey forward, usually by giving him something. The second possibility is that Kamala’s role is that of the temptress. The temptress is meant to distract the hero and lead him astray from his goals, usually through physical pleasures. Convincing arguments can be made for either of these roles, but on closer examination, it seems to be the case that she is both the Goddess and the Temptress. Kamala’s position as the goddess may not seem very convincing on the surface, but upon examination and taking what Siddhartha is trying to achieve into account, she actually seems to push him towards his goals rather than pull him away. Siddhartha aims to understa...