Picture this. The Hero, with the Mentor's help, finally decided to go on the Journey. He's preparing to leave, brimming with excitement. Then someone steps in and says, "You can't do this." That someone is the Threshold Guardian.
The Threshold Guardian represents the obstacles standing in the way of the Hero achieving his goal. It can be a person (maybe a clingy girlfriend saying "don't leave me!"), an external force (bad weather, prejudice, etc.), or an internal force (doubt, fear, apathy, etc.).
The Threshold Guardian's purpose in the story, or dramatic function, is to test the Hero, to see if he's really got what it takes to embark on the Journey. Because they test and don't antagonize, Threshold Guardians are meant to be overcome. They only block the Hero temporarily.
The Hero has several options for overcoming the Threshold Guardian. He can face it head on, get by it sneakily, bribe it, or even make it an ally. The Hero learns from his confrontation with the Threshold Guardian-- he gains confidence, motivation, determination, and maybe some knowledge of his enemy.
The Threshold Guardian is the first, but definitely not last, obstacle the Hero will have to face on his Journey.
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