Jesus as a Raglanian hero
1. Hero's mother is a royal virgin, (Mary is royal insofar as she is blessed among women, chosen by God, etc.) 2. His father is a king, and (well clearly) 3. Often a near relative of his mother, but (well, Creator and Father of all, also God of her ancestral fathers) 4. The circumstances of his conception are unusual, and (quite!) 5. He is also reputed to be the son of a god. 6. At birth an attempt is made, usually by his father or his maternal grand father to kill him, but (Herod) 7. he is spirited away, and (Joseph's visitation in a dream has them escape) 8. Reared by foster -parents in a far country. (Joseph is technically a foster parent, and they stayed in Egypt until the infanticide died down) 9. We are told nothing of his childhood, but (just a few isolated pictures, unsubstantiated when you come down to it) 10. On reaching manhood he returns or goes to his future Kingdom. (references to Prophets in Jerusalem leads to the Jerusalem journey) 11. After a victory over the king and/or a giant, dragon, or wild beast, (victory over the beast(liness) of the persecution and violence etc, victory over the king of Hell) 12. He marries a princess, often the daughter of his predecessor and (only if you consider the church the bride of Christ. otherwise not applicable) 13. And becomes king. 14. For a time he reigns uneventfully and (except for his own trial and execution) 15. Prescribes laws, but 16. Later he loses favor with the gods and/or his subjects, and (was sent specifically to the people of Israel as the Son of the God of their fathers...) 17. Is driven from the throne and city, after which (starting with Gethsemane it all goes downhill) 18. He meets with a mysterious death, (certainly mysterious aspects of his death even if the method was cultural convention) 19. Often at the top of a hill, (check.) 20. His children, if any do not succeed him. (no children succeed him, and his children (believers, that is) don't succeed him to the throne or otherwise, they worship and join him in the afterlife) 21. His body is not buried, but nevertheless (it ascended, after all!) 22. He has one or more holy sepulchres. (from the tomb to every single church, in a sense)