In literature, an archetype is a common character, action, theme, symbol, setting, or situation that represents the universal patterns of human nature and shapes the structure of a story. According to the founder of analytical psychology Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work was influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philosophy, and religious studies. Jung worked as a research scientist at the famous Burghölzli hos…
What are two characteristics of an archetypal?
The following are just a few of the various archetypes that Jung described:
- The father : Authority figure; stern; powerful
- The mother : Nurturing; comforting
- The child : Longing for innocence; rebirth; salvation
- The wise old man : Guidance; knowledge; wisdom
- The hero : Champion; defender; rescuer
- The maiden : Innocence; desire; purity
- The trickster : Deceiver; liar; trouble-maker
What are the 12 spiritual archetypes?
- The Self. The Anima. The Animus.
- The Tyrant. The Sadist. The Detached Manipulator.
- The High Chair Tyrant. The Grandstander Bully. The Know-it-all Trickster.
- The Innocent. The Orphan. The Hero.
- Addict. Advocate.
- Zeus. Hera.
What are the characteristics of an archetypal hero?
What are the characteristics of the Hero archetype?
- Unusual Circumstances of Birth.
- Leaves Family and Lives With Others.
- Traumatic Event Leads to Quest.
- Special Weapon.
- Supernatural Help.
- Proves Himself on Quest.
- Journey and Unhealable Wound.
- Atonement With Father.
What is an archetype to develop a character?
What is the most common archetype?
- The Hero. Summary: The hero is always the protagonist (though the protagonist is not always a hero).
- The Mentor. Summary: The mentor is a common archetype in literature.
- The Everyman.
- The Innocent.
- The Villain.
What is an example of an archetypal character?
A character archetype in novel terms is a type of character who represents a universal pattern, and therefore appeals to our human 'collective unconscious' . For example, 'hero' is the most fundamental character archetype, which directly corresponds to us each being the hero (or protagonist) of our own life story.
What are the 12 archetypes in literature?
Carl Jung created 12 archetypes:Ruler.Creator or Artist.Sage.Innocent.Explorer.Rebel.Hero.Magician or Wizard.More items...•
What are the 7 character archetypes?
The ArchetypesHero. A hero willingly sacrifices their needs for others. ... Mentor. A teacher or trainer who aids the hero by teaching and protecting them. ... Threshold Guardian. A character who serves to keep the unworthy from entering. ... Herald. ... Shadow. ... Trickster. ... Shapeshifter.
What are the 4 character archetypes?
Here's a list of some of the most commonly found archetypes in literature.The Hero. Summary: The hero is always the protagonist (though the protagonist is not always a hero). ... The Mentor. Summary: The mentor is a common archetype in literature. ... The Everyman. ... The Innocent. ... The Villain.
What are the 3 main archetypes?
Archetypes are in many ways enduring, but their visual representation evolves over time. Consider three of the most common archetypes: the Caregiver, the Creator and the Explorer.
What is the most common archetype?
The HeroThe Hero is one of the most common character archetypes there is in stories, and this is because good stories often have a “triumphant” character who prevails over evil and save others. Many heroes also embody other character archetypes as well.
What is the best definition for character archetype?
An archetype is an emotion, character type, or event that is notably recurrent across the human experience. In the arts, an archetype creates an immediate sense of familiarity, allowing an audience member to relate to an event or character without having to necessarily ponder why they relate.
What archetype is Winnie the Pooh?
Each character is a vivid archetype, a bundle of distinctive personality traits. Pooh is the archetypal phlegmatic or easy-going character. The self-described 'bear of little brain' plods along, seldom ruffled. Milne contrasts this with Pooh's friend Piglet, who is timid and usually in a state of high anxiety or panic.
Can a character be two archetypes?
Archetypes denote certain general roles or functions for characters within the system of the story. There is ample room for variation within each role or function. Boundaries between one archetype and another may be fuzzy. And it is possible for one character to stand for more than one archetype.
What is an archetype simple definition?
archetype, (from Greek archetypos, “original pattern”), in literary criticism, a primordial image, character, or pattern of circumstances that recurs throughout literature and thought consistently enough to be considered a universal concept or situation.
What are the main archetypes?
Carl Jung identified four main archetypes—the persona, the shadow, the anima or animus and the self.
Why are archetypes important in literature?
Why are archetypes important in literature? Archetypes allow the reader or audience to connect certain parts of themselves with the characters, which can help them to become more invested in the story. This experience can help readers to see parts of themselves that maybe they hadn't considered before.
What are the 12 shadow archetypes?
12 Shadow or Negative ArchetypesPositive: Maiden. Passive: Damsel. Aggressive: Vixen.Positive: Hero. Passive: Coward. Aggressive: Bully.Positive: Queen. Passive: Snow Queen. Aggressive: Sorceress.Positive: King. Passive: Puppet. Aggressive: Tyrant.Positive: Crone. Passive: Hermit. Aggressive: Wicked Witch.Positive: Mage.
Where do the 12 archetypes come from?
The Origins of Jung's Archetypes Jung believed that archetypes come from the collective unconscious. He suggested that these models are innate, universal, unlearned, and hereditary. Archetypes organize how we experience certain things.
How many archetypes are there in literature?
12 archetypesA funny character or trickster who provides comic relief, but may also speak important truths. These 12 archetypes, each with highly identifiable traits, populate our books, poetry, films, and theatrical productions.
What are the main archetypes?
Carl Jung identified four main archetypes—the persona, the shadow, the anima or animus and the self.
How many archetypes are there in Screencraft?
Ken Miyamoto wrote a great list for Screencraft of 99 archetypes and stock characters useful for screenwriters.
What is the creature of nightmare?
The creature of nightmare is a monster the protagonist—generally the hero, a character that is explained below—must face. Examples of this archetype include Grendel in Beowulf and Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula. The femme fatale or seductress is a provocative woman who brings danger and catastrophe to the hero.
What is an archetype in psychology?
According to Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, archetypes are universal ideas or images that arise from humans’ “collective unconscious” and are indicative of a deeper realm of myths, yearnings, beliefs, and dreams that help illuminate each individual’s psyche.
What is an archetype?
In literature, an archetype (AHR-kih-typuh) is a character, situation, emotion, symbol, or event that is recurrent throughout different stories from many cultures. Because of the frequency with which these are seen, they’re considered universal symbols.
What is a friendly beast?
The friendly beast is an animal companion who assists the hero and shows that nature is on the hero’s side. Examples include Falcor the Luck Dragon in Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story, Reepicheep in The Chronicles of Narnia, and Toto in The Wizard of Oz. The hero is a protagonist whose life is filled with adventures.
What is a femme fatale?
The femme fatale or seductress is a provocative woman who brings danger and catastrophe to the hero. The sorceress Circe from The Odyssey or Natasha Fatale from the Rocky and Bullwinkle series are examples of femme fatales; the latter even takes her name from the archetype.
What are the similarities between archetypes, stock characters, clichés, and stereotypes?
There are some similarities between archetypes, stock characters, clichés, and stereotypes, but the terms are not interchangeable. Clichés are descriptions, events, details, or ideas that occur so frequently in literature and pop culture that they become predictable and lack originality.
Why does Darcy lose his pride?
Darcy is required to lose his pride in order to win the heart of the woman he loves – the hero almost always gets the girl too! Another character in Pride and Prejudice personifies another typical literary archetype – the villain.
Why do the Bennett sisters use manipulation?
The two are determined to interfere in the lives of those around them, utterly focused on class and as a result use manipulation and cruel slights in order to try to undermine the likelihood of Bingley and Darcy marrying the Bennett sisters.
What is literary archetype?
A literary archetype is a literary device used by writers when they are creating characters or plots whereby they use a set of identifiable qualities or traits which are familiar and identifiable to the readers in order to help them relate to the content of the work.
What did Jung believe about archetypes?
Jung believed that archetypes are part of humanity’s collective unconscious or memory of humanity’s universal experiences. As such, he believed that all humans would therefore recognise these archetypes and being able to tap into them could reveal something to each person about their own nature.
What are the archetypal elements of literature?
In literature, characters, plots, symbols, images and themes can all be archetypal and as a result embody universal truths, meanings and human experiences.
What does it mean to act purely from selfish?
This archetype is the character lacking in morality and acting purely from selfish means with a determination to use their beauty and allure in order to seduce others if it will help them achieve what they want.
What are the qualities of a hero?
He possesses numerous heroic qualities – bravery, courage, determination, endurance, morality, a sense of justice – and puts others before himself.
What does a character archetype do?
In fact, this is one of the best ways to make sure that your story is a bit more fresh and a bit less tired and derivative.
Why are character archetypes important?
Character archetypes are great building blocks for your stories. You don’t want to make your characters too one dimensional, but understanding why people seem to gravitate to a particular set of character traits will help you analyze human behavior. Which leads to crafting better characters in your scripts.
Why do caregivers connect with professors?
They will connect with a professor often because they are willing to overlook negative traits and cast them aside as “necessary evils.”. The Caregiver — Enemies.
What is an archetype?
An archetype is a consistent and typical version of a particular thing. It can be a human, an object, or a particular set of behaviors, but the point is that it fits into a time-tested mold that embodies a pure form. A character archetype is the core traits, values, and decision making patterns of a particular type of person.
Why do wildcards pair well with warriors?
The Wildcard pairs well with a Warrior because they both are all about the action, and they often needs one another’s skill set.
What does it mean to be a warrior?
A warrior needs something to fight for, and often that can be a leader rather than a cause. Warriors are driven by honor and by a code, which means they respect those with a code of their own like a professor.
What is a leader in a professor?
The Leader is often someone who takes their work seriously, which will earn the respect of a Professor more than almost anything else.
Why are archetypes so popular?
These archetypes are popular because they reflect the human condition. Utilize them carefully and thoughtfully, and make sure they’re dynamic to avoid cliche, boring filler. If you keep those things in mind, you’ll create awesome new characters who can truly affect and drive your plot.
What is an archetype in art?
An archetype is defined as “a very typical example of a certain person or thing” or “a recurrent symbol or motif in literature, art, or mythology.”. Back in the early 20th century, a psychiatrist named Carl Jung developed all of these “Jungian” archetypes that seemed to be in humanity’s collective unconscious.
What is an archetypal character?
Creating an Archetypal Character. Characters can be a combination of flat, round, static, and dynamic. A flat character is a one-dimensional character who isn’t fully developed. A round character is a multi-dimensional character with different (and sometimes contradictory) features, just like real humans.
How to make an archetypal character round?
To make a character round, introduce different elements of characterization including, but not limited to, thoughts, actions, physical description, reactions, and dialogue. This will help readers understand the ins and outs of that archetypal character.
What are the archetypal events?
An archetypal event might be birth, death, separation (from home), initiation, marriage, or the union of opposites. Archetypal characters include the mother, father, child, god, wise old man/woman, trickster, and of course, the hero. Archetypal motifs are the apocalypse, the deluge, or the creation.
How to make a character round?
To make a character round, introduce different elements of characterization including, but not limited to, thoughts, actions, physical description, reactions, and dialogue. This will help readers understand the ins and outs of that archetypal character.
What is the purpose of an explorer?
The Explorer. The Explorer wants to experience new things and be free. They often seek self discovery through a physical journey. They seek a better, authentic life and fear conforming to the status quo, and believe adventure is around every corner. They can also be seen as pilgrims, individualists, or wanderers.
Why are archetypes important?
When literature includes various archetypes, it allows for a universal understanding of the story and for people of various cultures to relate to the archetypal figures by the author.
What is an archetype in literature?
Archetype definition: An archetype is a setting, character, image, or story pattern that is universally understood.
What is the difference between a villain and a lover?
Villain: The villain is a type of antagonist that is cruel or evil and goes to great extents to continue the injustice that the hero is fighting against in the story. Example: The Joker can be seen as a villain in the DC Comic Batman. Lover: The lover is an archetype that goes to great lengths to experience love.
What is the archetypal character?
Here are some commonly used archetypal characters: Hero: The hero is defined as the character, usually the protagonist, who displays such positive characteristics as honesty and innate goodness. The hero often must overcome evil in order to bring order back to society.
What is the scapegoat in the book?
Scapegoat: The scapegoat is a character that during the course of the story accepts blame for all of the unfortunate events that occur.
What is an example of an archetype?
Example of Archetype. The evil stepmother is an archetype that is presented across various cultures. This archetype is often found in fairy tales such as Cinderella that has versions in many different cultures.
Who is the mentor in Lion King?
Example: Simba can be seen as the hero in Disney’s The Lion King. Mentor: The mentor is the character who during the hero’s journey against evil provides guidance and aid to the hero. Example: Phil can be seen as the mentor to Hercules in Disney’s Hercules.
What Are Literary Archetypes?
29 Archetypes in Literature
Literary Archetypes of Your Favourite Books
- One of the most common literary archetypes is the hero. Almost all stories have a hero, and their qualities can be illustrated by examining the hero of Jane Austen’s famous novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’, Mr Darcy. The hero is almost always the central protagonist of the novel, as Darcy is. He possesses numerous heroic qualities – bravery, courage, de...
Literary Archetype Examples
- Hero
- Journey
- Quest
- Task