Archetypes: Beyond the Hero's Journey

1. Archetypes: Beyond the Hero's Journey

2. DEFINITION OF ARCHETYPE A universal image or symbol that may be found in the myths and literature of many different cultures. Archetypes can generally be divided into THREE categories:

3. THREE KINDS OF ARCHETYPES Character Situational Symbolic

4. What about the Hero’s Journey? The Hero’s Journey archetype is one of the most common. It would be classified as a situational archetype. In other words, it is a situation or pattern encountered in many stories.

5. The Hero’s Journey – A Situational Archetype Home/Beginnings Refusal of the Call Freedom to Live Supernatural Assistance Master of Two Worlds Crossing the First Threshold Crossing Threshold Rescue from Without Belly of the Whale The Quest Magic Flight Refusal Road of Trials The Return Meeting with the Goddess The Ultimate Boon Apotheosis Temptations Atonement

6. New Archetypes! Let’s take some time at the beginning of this quarter to learn about new archetypes that will enhance our understanding of literature. We will look at examples in all three categories. Character, Situation, Symbolic

7. Character Archetypes The first category, character archetypes, include many variations on the universal character of the HERO. See your notes to review the many HEROIC archetypes. A couple of highlights:

8. The Archetypal Hero • TRADITIONAL HERO—traditionally, the hero has unusual circumstances surrounding his birth. Sometimes he is an orphan. The hero always leaves his kingdom in search of a greater truth or life lesson and returns wiser. According to Joseph Campbell, heroes can take on different personalities, including the orphan hero, the warrior hero, the seeker hero, or the ruler hero. • YOUNG MAN FROM THE PROVINCES— oftenthehero is taken away as a young man and raised by someone other than parents; he often wishes to return to civilization. When he returns, he can view problems objectively and can solve them more easily.

9. There are also many archetypal characters who support or challenge the hero . . .

10. Character Archetypes MENTOR – The mentor is often a crusty old man who could wield magic and always had advice for the hero. Generally, the mentor serves a number of purposes: source of wisdom, gift giver and conscience. Objects, animals, and forces of nature may also act as mentors.

12. Character Archetypes • ALLIES – (archetypal characters that help the hero) • Hunting Group of Companions – loyal companions willing to face any number of dangers to be together • Loyal Retainers – somewhat like servants to the hero; their duty is to protect the hero and reflect the nobility of the hero; they are expendable

13. Character Archetypes • Friendly Beast- beast on the side of the hero showing that nature sides with the forces of good (also Allies)

14. Character Archetypes ALLIES – (archetypal characters that help the hero) Scapegoat – animal or human who is unjustly held responsible for others’ sins; sacrificed but they often become a more powerful force dead than alive. •Earthmother— offersspiritual and emotional nourishment to those she meets; sometimes shown in earth colors with a figure symbolic of her childbearing capabilities •Platonic Ideal— femalefigure who provides intellectual stimulation for the hero; he is not physically attracted to her

16. Character Archetypes - continued - • EVIL FIGURE WITH A GOOD HEART –the redeemable evil figure saved by the nobility or love of the hero • OUTCAST – figure banished from a social group for some crime against his fellow man (could be falsely accused of a crime or could choose to banish himself from guilt) • STAR-CROSSED LOVERS – two lovers forbidden to be together because of the rules of society or family; often ends tragically

18. Character Archetypes • ANTAGONISTS (characters that hurt hero) • Temptress— sensuous beauty; brings about the hero’s downfall because he is physically attracted to her • •Creature of the Nightmare— animal or creature disfigured or mutated; monsters who are the antagonists in the story • •Devil Figure-evil incarnate; offers worldly goods, fame, or knowledge to the hero in exchange for possession of the soul

20. Situational Archetypes • •THE QUEST– a hero’s journey, the search for someone or some object, which when it is found and brought back will restore life or truth.

21. Situational Archetypes The next category of archetypes involves situations or patterns repeated often in stories. Situational archtypes and symbolic archetypes sometimes overlap.

22. Situational Archetypes • THE INITIATION - this usually takes the form of an initiation into adult life. The adolescent comes into his/her maturity with new awareness and problems along with a new hope for the community.

23. Situational Archetypes THE FALL- describes a descent from a higher to a lower state of being. The experience involves a defilement and/or a loss of innocence and bliss. The fall is often accompanied by expulsion from a kind of paradise as a penalty.

25. Situational Archetypes DEATH AND REBIRTH- grows out of a parallel between the cycle of nature and the cycle of life. Thus, morning and springtime represent birth, youth, or rebirth; evening and winter suggest old age or death.

26. Situational Archetypes •NATURE VS. MECHANISTIC WORLD-Nature is good while technology and society are often evil.

27. Situational Archetypes •BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL-Obviously the battle between two primal forces. Mankind shows eternal optimism in the continual portrayal of good triumphing over evil.

28. Situational Archetypes •THE UNHEALABLE WOUND- The wound is either physical or psychological and cannot be healed fully. This wound also indicates a loss of innocence.

29. Situational Archetypes THE RITUAL- The actual ceremonies the initiate experiences that will mark his rite of passage into another state (weddings, funerals, etc.).

30. Situational Archetypes • LIGHT VS. DARKNESS—light suggests hope, renewal, or intellectual illumination; darkness suggests the unknown, ignorance, or despair.

31. Situational Archetypes WATER VS. DESERT- water is necessary to life and growth and so it appears as a birth or rebirth symbol; the appearance of rain in a work can suggest spiritual birth or rebirth

32. Situational Archetypes HEAVEN VS. HELL- gods live in the skies or mountaintops; evil forces live in the new of the earth

33. Situational Archetypes INNATE WISDOM VS EDUCATED STUPIDITY- uneducated characters can often be wise while some very educated characters have no common sense

34. Situational Archetypes •SUPERNATURAL INTERVENTION- the gods most often intervene on the side of the hero to assist him in his quest. •HAVEN VS. WILDERNESS- for the hero, places of safety are required for time to regain health and resources; these hideouts are often in unusual places

35. Situational Archetypes •FIRE VS. ICE- fire can represent , knowledge, light, and life while ice can represent ignorance, darkness, sterility, and death

36. Situational Archetypes •MAGIC WEAPON- some object used to fight the forces of evil that has magical properties