Archetypes What are they and how do they apply to

literature & life?

What Is An Archetype? •  Universal paerns in all stories regardless of culture or historical

time period. •  Part of the human mind contains ideas (which are unconscious) that

are shared by all members of the human species. •  Term was coined by a psychologist named Carl Jung. •  Joseph Campbell, an American professor of mythology, applied

Jung’s idea to literature to show how all cultures have the same idea of what a hero is and what kind of journey these heroes experience.

Application •  The term archetype can be referred to

–  An image –  A theme –  A symbol –  An idea –  A character type –  A plot paern

Expression •  Archetypes can be expressed in:

–  Literature –  Myths –  Dreams –  Religion –  Fantasy –  Folklore

Heroic Archetypes

•  Hero as a Warrior –  A near god-like hero faces physical challenges and external

enemies •  Example: Beowulf

•  Hero as a lover –  A pure love motivates hero to complete his quest

•  Example: Prince Charming

More Heroic Archetypes •  Hero as Scapegoat

–  Hero suffers for the sake of others •  Example: Jesus

•  Transcendent Hero –  Hero of tragedy whose fatal #aw brings about his

downfall but not before some kind of transforming realization or wisdom

•  Example: Oedipus

More Heroic Archetypes •  Romantic/Gothic Hero

–  Hero with a dark side •  Examples: Batman, Leonardo DiCaprio in The Departed

•  Proto-Feminist Hero –  Most female heroes (but can also be in other

categories) •  Examples: Mulan, GI Jane, etc.

More Herioc Archetypes •  Apocalyptic Hero

–  Hero who faces the destruction of society •  Examples: Will Smith in I Am Legend

•  Anti-hero –  Non-hero, given the vocation of failure; often humorous

•  Example: Homer Simpson

More Heroic Archetypes •  De"ant Anti-hero

–  Hero who opposes society’s de"nition of a hero •  Example: Will Smith in Hancock

•  Unbalanced Hero –  Protagonist who has (or must pretend to have) a mental or

emotional de"ciency •  Example: Sam from I Am Sam

More Heroic Archetypes •  The Other/The Denied Hero

–  The protagonist whose status or essential otherness makes heroism possible

•  Example: Po from Kung Fu Panda

•  The Superhero –  Exaggerates the normal proportions of humanity; frequently has

divine or supernatural origins. In some sense, the superhero is one apart, someone who does not quite belong, but who is nonetheless needed by society.

•  Example: Superman, mythological heroes

Archetypal Journeys •  The Quest for identity •  Epic journey to "nd the promised land/to found the good city •  Quest for vengeance •  Warrior’s journey to save his people •  Search for love (rescue damsel in distress) •  Journey in search of knowledge •  The tragic quest: penance or self-denial •  Quest to rid the land of danger •  Grail quest (quest for human perfection)

Characteristics of the Journey •  Not all of these will be present:

•  hero is naive and inexperienced •  The hero meets monsters or monstrous men •  Hero has a strange, wise being as a mentor •  Hero yearns for the beautiful lady who is sometimes his guide or mentor •  Hero must go on a journey, learn a lesson, change in some way, and return home •  Hero often crosses a body of water or travels on a bridge •  Hero is born and raised in a rural seing away from cities •  Origin of the hero is mysterious or hero looses his parents at a young age, being raised

by animals or a wise guardian •  Hero returns to the land of his birth in disguise or as an unknown •  Hero is special/one of a kind; may represent a whole nation or culture

Characteristics of the Journey continued…

•  Hero struggles for something valuable and important •  Hero has help for divine or supernatural forces •  Hero has a guide(s) •  Hero goes through a rite of passage/initiation, an event that marks a change

from immaturity to a mature understanding of the world •  Hero has a loyal band of companions •  Hero makes a stirring speech to his companions •  Hero engages in tests or contests of strengths (physical and/or mental) and

shows pride in his excellence •  Hero suffers an un-healable wound, sometimes an emotional or spiritual wound

from which the hero never completely recovers