Katabasis
Katabasis, from the Greek katabasis meaning "descent," is a narrative and mythological pattern in which a protagonist travels from the ordinary world into a lower, liminal realm—often the underworld—and returns. The term is used chiefly in classical Greek literature and is frequently paired with anabasis, the ascent from the underworld or exile. Katabasis can function as a rite of passage, a test of the hero, and a source of prophetic knowledge or transformation.
Classical examples include Odysseus’ descent to Hades in the Nekuia (Book 11) of the Odyssey, where he
Common features include crossing a boundary or threshold, encounters with beings in the underworld, the assistance
In modern criticism and theory, katabasis is used more broadly to describe any descent into a hidden