Archetypes The Emergence of the Collective Unconscious Archetypes

Archetypes: The Emergence of the Collective Unconscious

Archetypes Ø Recurring patterns of situations, characters, or symbols existing universally and instinctively among different cultures.

Situational Archetypes Ø Quest: search for someone or something which when brought back will restore health to the people or land

Situational Archetypes Ø Task: what a hero must do to save the land, win the fair lady, prove one’s rightful place

Situational Archetypes Ø The Initiation: rite of passage to signify adulthood

Situational Archetypes Ø The Journey: A hero goes in search of truth or information to save the people or land; usually he/she descends into a real or psychological hell to discover the truth

Situational Archetypes Ø The Fall: descent from a high to low state of being which involves a loss of innocence; often characters are rejected

Situational Archetypes Ø Death and Rebirth: common to show the duality of the cycle of life and death, spring and winter

Situational Archetypes Ø Nature vs. Mechanistic World: natural order or nature is good; technology separates people from nature and is bad

Situational Archetypes Ø Battle between Good and Evil: future of the world at stake as the two opposing forces battle

Situational Archetypes Ø Unhealable Wound: either real or psychological that cannot fully heal.

Situational Archetype Ø The Ritual: ceremonies that mark rite of passage (e. g. princess becomes a queen)

Situational Archetypes Ø The Magic Weapon: symbolizes extraordinary quality of the hero, no one else can wield the weapon

Symbolic Archetypes Ø Light vs. Darkness: light usually means hope or renewal, while darkness is ignorance and despair

Symbolic Archetypes Ø Water vs. Desert: water is birth or cleansing, while desert is a place of exile

Symbolic Archetypes Ø Heaven vs. Hell: skies and mountains belong to the gods; the bowels and pits of the world hide evil

Symbolic Archetypes Ø Innate Wisdom vs. Educated Stupidity: instinctive intelligence vs. book learned ignorance; book smarts vs. street smarts

Symbolic Archetypes Ø Haven vs. Wilderness: places of safety vs. dangerous wild places

Symbolic Archetypes Ø Supernatural Intervention: gods intervene to help the hero

Symbolic Archetypes Ø Fire vs. Ice: fire is light, rebirth, knowledge; ice is darkness, ignorance, death

Character Archetypes Ø Hero/Heroine: some of the following must be present in the life of a hero: Ø Mother is pure Ø An attempt is made to kill mother or child Ø Raised by foster parents Ø (Male) proves himself, becomes king. (Female) has special powers, becomes warrior or spiritual leader Ø Falls from favor with gods Ø Becomes outcast Ø Upon death, body not buried

Character Archetypes Ø Young one from provinces: hero leaves kingdom and raised by strangers, later returns and saves kingdom

Character Archetypes Ø The Herald: calls hero to action, can be a person, event, or object

Character Archetypes Ø The Initiate(s): hero goes through training

Character Archetypes Ø Mentor/pupil relationship: teachers to the student (hero); teaches hero how to survive the quest/task

Character Archetypes Ø Parent/Child Conflict: usually results from early separation of hero from parent; greater attachment to mentor

Character Archetypes Ø Hunting group of companions: band of loyal friends willing to battle together to achieve a common goal

Character Archetypes Ø Loyal Retainers: side-kicks to the hero/heroine; duty is to protect the hero

Character Archetypes Ø Friendly Beast: animals that aid hero and symbolize how nature is on the hero’s side

Character Archetypes Ø The Devil Figure: character is evil incarnate; offers worldly goods for the hero’s soul

Character Archetypes Ø Evil Figure with Ultimately Good Heart: saved by love of the hero

Character Archetypes Ø The Outcast: figure banished from society for a crime (real or imagined); wanders from place to place

Character Archetypes Ø Creature of Nightmare: horrible monster that threatens the life of the hero and is a perversion of the human body

Character Archetypes Ø Earth Mother: spiritual & emotional health Ø The Temptress: brings downfall of hero Ø The Platonic Ideal: inspires, smart but no sex appeal Ø The Damsel in Distress: vulnerable, needs to be saved, trapped by devil figure Ø The Star Crossed Lovers: love affair fated to end tragically