The Theology of Trilogies

Anyone who has studied theories of epic narrative has most likely come across the notion that all classic stories contain the same basic elements -- themes of heroism and archetypal characters that are essentially the same across the board. The bulk of these patterns are summed up in Joseph Campbell's concept of the "monomyth," or hero cycle, a template for heroic stories that many modern day and historic stories unconsciously follow.

Interestingly enough, many aspects of the hero cycle resemble Biblical concepts. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is a close parallel to the mythical hero's descent into and eventual triumph over darkness. Secularists would argue that the story of Jesus is nothing more than another incarnation of the monomyth, succumbing to the same archetypes as the rest. However, Christians like myself are of the opposite belief -- that archetypes resonate so strongly with humanity because God has "hard-coded" aspects of his being into creation.

A common form for the telling of such hero stories is the trilogy, a genre that has been especially popular in film throughout the last 25 years. Star Wars, The Matrix, and The Lord of the Rings are all saturated with monomythical elements. Again, I believe that Christian theology goes a long way towards explaining why the three-part structure is so well suited to telling epic tales.

The number three holds a high significance in Christianity, as it symbolizes the perfection found in the trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In a discussion about trilogies I had with my cousin, he suggested that humanity found trilogies appealing because they mirror God's triune nature. While there is certainly something to this, I think the natural tendency of hero stories to unfold as trilogies has an explanation that goes a bit deeper.

When looking at human history through a Biblical lens, three divisions of time emerge. The first era, spanning the years chronicled by the Old Testament, involves the fall of man in the Garden of Eden and a period of waiting for Christ to come. Man currently lives in the second time period, where Christ has arrived and his work to redeem us from the clutches of sin is ongoing. The third and final stage of human existence will occur when Christ returns and the relationship between God, man, and creation is restored to its rightful state.

So, if people are living in the midst of a real-life trilogy, it makes sense that they would write their stories according to the same structure. Even non-Christians, like George Lucas or the Wachowski brothers, unknowingly divide their stories into three parts that correspond to the stages of God's salvation of humanity. I won't go into depth analyzing Star Wars and The Matrix in terms of Christianity here, but if you've seen those movies you probably have an idea of what I'm talking about. And if you liked the stories they told...

...I can think of a few books to recommend.