Archetypes and the Hero
Archetypes are universal symbols. According to Jung, archetypes are "universal psychic tendencies or 'primordial images' of a 'collective unconscious' that, when given individual or cultural forms--in dreams, art, or literary expressions such as myths and fairy tales, and later, literature--became universally familiar human motifs." For [Eliade] archetypes are 'sacred paradigms' or 'exemplary models' that characterize the sacred or transcendent aspect of life that springs from primordial 'myth time'--archetypal time--as opposed to the profane aspect of life, that which is dominated by material things and linear time (Leeming 27).
Carl Jung, James Frazier, Northrop Frye, Joseph Campbell, and others have contributed much to the discussion of archetypes and their significance in art and literature (Lee 508). Jung explored numerous archetypes, including, the self, the anima/animus, the shadow, the hero, father, mother, (Lee 3), spirit, the trickster, and rebirth (Cleary 384) as well as various manmade and natural objects, including celestial objects, trees, animals, rings, and weapons (Hall and Nordby 41-2). Frazier, in his classic 12 volume work The Golden Bough, offered numerous examples of archetypal myths and rituals (Lee 508). The myth critic Northrup Frye believed that all literature could be classified according to four archetypal patterns: Spring (comedy), Summer (romance), Autumn (tragedy), and Winter (satire) (Frye162ff, see "Archetypal Criticism: Theory of Myths").
Hero myths often include various literary archetypes. A literary archetype is a "character, action, or situation that is a prototype or pattern of human life generally; a situation that occurs over and over again in literature, such as a quest, an initiation, or an attempt to overcome evil" (Roberts and Jabobs 1546).
There are several archetypal themes and plots that recur in myth and literature, including "the journey underground, the heavenly ascent, the search for the father" (Abrams and Harpham 14), death and rebirth (Abrams and Harpham 13-4), sacrifice (Roberts and Jacobs 699), loss of innocence, carpe diem, the quest for enlightenment (Kirzner and Mandell 3), the journey home, the apocalypse, and the hero quest.
Archetypal Characters
Sir Galahad, by George Frederic Watts, 1864, Wikipedia Numerous writers have identified archetypal or stock characters in literature. During the medieval age, the Italian commedia dell'arte included four stock characters: the harelquin, the capitano, the pierrot, and the scaramouche ("Commedia dell'arte," pars. 5-6). The harlequin was a humorous character, a "faithful valet, patient, credulous, and amorous,. . . . amoral without being vicious" ("Harelquin," par. 1). The capitano was a "pretentious but cowardly military man. . . . His blustering claims to wealth and military and amatory successes were exploded, often by the roguish asides of his squire and confidant" ("Capitano," par. 1). The pierrot was a young likeable but "simpleminded and honest servant," who was often "an unsuccessful lover" and the butt of his fellows' jokes ("Pierrot," par. 1). The scaramouche was a con man and ruffian, unreliable, who frequently was in trouble, but managed always to slip away unscathed leaving one or more of his companions to take the blame ("Scaramouche," par. 1).
Literature, especially fantasy, continues to include archetypal characters. Some common archetypal characters (with examples) include the hero (King Arthur, Theseus, Bilbo); the scapegoat (Tessie Hutchinson in "The Lottery"); the outcast (Cain, the Ancient Mariner, Gollum); a demonic figure (Lucifer, Darth Vader, Sauron); an earth mother (Galadriel); the temptress (Sirens, Delilah); the unfaithful wife (Anna Karenina); the wise old man (Yoda, Obiwan Kenobi); the shrew (Katherine in Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew); the neophyte or apprentice (Luke, young Arthur); the eternal youth [puer aeternas] (Peter Pan); and the rogue (Hans Solo)
In her book The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By, Carol S. Pearson identifies six archetypal characters. Influenced by Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell who saw the hero quest as a model for modern life, the purpose of Pearson's book is principally to guide individuals in their personal quest for fulfillment ( Pearson xv-xvii). While she does not see the six archetypes she identifies as stages or steps in this quest, she does suggest a movement through the archetypes (Pearson xxvi). In her supporting chapters, Pearson often illustrates these archetypes with examples from literary works.
| Innocent | Orphan | Martyr | Wanderer | Warrior | Magician | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Status Quo* | Safety | Goodness | Autonomy | Strength | Wholeness |
| Task | Fall | Hope | Ability to give up | Identity | Courage | Joy/Faith |
| Fear | Loss of Paradise | Abandonment | Selfishness | Conformity | Weakness | Superficiality |
Pearson's Innocent wants the world to stay as it is. He or she fears change, but in order to grow, the character must risk losing the safety of home and face the adventurous world. The Orphan character seeks safety, fearful of everything and everyone. The Orphan is especially afraid of being abandoned--by parents, siblings, friends, spouse, or others. In order to achieve hope, however, the Orphan must learn to face the world alone. The Martyr never thinks of himself or herself and avoids any question of self-desire or self-interest. However, to mature, the Martyr must give up self-sacrifice in order to achieve true self-worth. The Wanderer is a character who insists on living by his or her own rules. Wanderers especially fear conformity, being like everyone else. But, in order to achieve true identity, the Wanderer must integrate into society, giving up a certain amount of freedom for the common good. The Warrior is a character who focuses on strength, fearing any appearance of weakness. This character must learn that victory does not result from strength but from courage in the midst of weakness. Finally, the Magician is a character who seeks wholeness and connectedness. The Magician fears appearing superficial or shallow but needs to learn that true joy and faith exists apart from what others might think about the Magician.
Pearson's archetypes can be applied to a variety of works. For instance, the six archetypes can easily be identified in The Lord of the Rings. The innocents are the hobbits. Gollum is an orphan; Samwise Gamgee is a martyr; Aragon/Strider is a wanderer; Boromir is a warrior; and Gandalf is a magician. The archetypes can also be used to show the development or growth of a character. For instance, Gandalf is at first a wanderer and innocent of the ring's true nature. Then he becomes an orphan following Saruman's betrayal. During the fellowship he is seen as both warrior, defending Fordo and the others, and martyr, sacrificing himself in Moria in his battle with the Balrog; and then finally, appearing, changed and centered, as Gandalf the White.
Vladimir Propp was a Russian folklorist whose work Morphology of the Folktale examined the makeup of folktales. Propp identified thirty-one functions within the plots of folktales as well as several recurring characters (Kolesnikof 450).
| Archetype | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Villain | struggles with the hero |
| Donor | prepares and/or provides hero with magical agent |
| Helper | assists, rescues, solves and/or transfigures the hero |
| Princess | a sought_for person (and/or her father) who exists as goal and often recognizes and marries hero and/or punishes villain |
| Dispatcher | sends the hero off |
| Hero | departs on a search (seeker-hero) reacts to the donor and weds at end |
| False Hero | claims to be the hero, often seeking and reacting like a real hero |
Works Cited
Abrams, M. H. and Geoffrey Galt Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. 8th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2005. Print.
"Capitano." Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature. Merriam-Webster, Inc., 1995. Literature Resource Center. Web. 27 June 2006.
Cleary, Jean Coates. "Jung, Carl Gustav." Makaryk 383-6.
"Commedia dell'arte." Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature. Merriam-Webster, Inc., 1995. Literature Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Kolwyck Library, Chattanooga. 27 June 2006 <http://galenet.galegroup.com/>.
Frye, Northrup. Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1973. Print.
"Harlequin." Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature. Merriam-Webster, Inc., 1995. Literature Resource Center. Web. 27 June 2006.
Kirzner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell. Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. 4th ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt, 2001. Print.
Kolesnikoff, Nina. "Propp, Vladimire Iakovlevich." Makaryk 449-451.
Lee, Alvin A. "Archetype." Makaryk 508.
---. "Archetypal Criticism." Makaryk 3-5.
Leeming, David. The Oxford Companion to World Mythology. New York: Oxford UP, 2005. Print.
Makaryk, Irena R., ed. Encyclopedia of Contemporary Literary Theory: Approaches, Scholars, Terms. Toronot: U of Toronto P, 1997. Print.
Pearson, Carol S. The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By Rev. ed. New York: Haper & Row, 1986. Print.
"Pierrot." Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature. Merriam-Webster, Inc., 1995. Literature Resource Center. Web. 27 June 2006.
Roberts, Edgar V. and Henry E. Jacobs. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 2006. Print.
"Scaramouche." Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature. Merriam-Webster, Inc., 1995. Literature Resource Center. Web. 27 June 2006.
Webster, Michael. "The Hero's Three-Part Journey." Classics 201. Grand Valley State University. Web. 29 June 2006. <http://faculty.gvsu.edu/websterm/Hero.htm>.
HUM 2130 World Mythology