Archetypes & the Archetypal
Journey
Definition
 Original models, images, characters, or
patterns that recur throughout literature
consistently enough to be considered a
universal concept or situation
Background: Leading
Researchers
 Joseph Campbell
Mythologist
Author of “The Hero with a Thousand
Faces”
Myths from all over the world seem to be built
from the same ‘elementary ideas’
Demonstrates that all stories are expressions
of the same story-pattern, which he named the
"Hero's Journey" or the "monomyth"
Background: Leading
Researchers
 Carl Jung
 Swiss Psychiatrist
 Defined the ‘elementary ideas’ as archetypes
 the building blocks not only of the unconscious mind, but
of a collective unconscious
 In other words, Jung believed that everyone in the world
is born with the same basic subconscious model of what
a "hero" is or a "quest," and that's why people who don't
even speak the same language can enjoy the same
stories
Background: Function of
Mythology
 Identifies four functions of mythology (Campbell)
 to instill in us a sense of awe, humility, and respect at the
wonder of the universe
 to provide an understanding of the world according to the
knowledge of the time
 to support the social order through rites and rituals or to
provide individuals with moral justifications to challenge the
existing state of things
 to guide the individual through the psychological crises of
life
Background: Function of
Mythology
 Citizens learn what is good and praiseworthy
and what is not; what is beautiful and
valuable and what is not; what is true and
right and what is not
 These understandings are the bedrock upon
which societies, religions, and individual lives
are built
Joseph Campbell’s Heroic
Journey
 Stage 1: Birth
Somehow unusual due to linage or
circumstances in upbringing
 Stage 2: Call to Adventure
 Is lured or goes willingly away due to some noble
cause
 Stage 3: Crossing the Threshold
 Enters lands unknown
Joseph Campbell’s Heroic
Journey
 Stage 4: Helpers
Other humans, animals, or creatures assist
the hero
 Stage 5: Magical Aid
 Receives or finds a special weapon
 Stage 6: Tests
 Is challenged by various enemies or hostile
surroundings, and gains strength and wisdom
Joseph Campbell’s Heroic
Journey
 Stage 7: Supreme Ordeal
Ultimate test of wit and courage that
threatens the hero’s life
 Stage 8: Return Home
 Stage 9: Gift to the World
 Brings some reward to help in the life thereafter
Common Archetypes
 Colors
 Black- darkness, mystery, the unknown, death, evil
 White- light, purity, innocence, timelessness
 Seasons
 Spring- rebirth
 Summer- life
 Fall- death/ dying
 Winter- without life/ death
 Locations
 Garden- paradise, innocence, unspoiled beauty
 Desert- lack of spiritual life, death, hopelessness
Common Archetypes
 Symbols
 Serpent- evil, corruption, sensuality, destruction
 Tree- growth, symbol of immortality
 Sun
 Rising sun- birth, creation, enlightenment
 Setting sun- death
 Characters
 Hero
 Often the heart of a story is not the obstacles he faces, but
the new wisdom he acquires, from a mentor, a lover, or
even from the villain.
 The hero can be an innocent, a wanderer, a martyr, a
warrior, a vengeful destroyer, a ruler, or a fool. But the
essence of the hero is the sacrifice he makes to achieve
his goal.
Common Archetypes
 Characters
 Mentor
 The mentor is a character who aids or trains the hero
 The essence of the mentor is the wise old man or woman
 The other major role of the mentor is to equip the hero by
giving him/ her a gift or gifts which are important in the
quest
 Threshold Guardian
 The threshold guardian is the first obstacle to the hero in
his journey
 The threshold is the gateway to the new world the hero
must enter to change and grow
 The role of the threshold guardian is to test the hero's
mettle and worthiness to begin the story's journey and to
show that the journey will not be easy
 The hero will encounter the guardian early in the story,
usually right after the start of the quest
Common Archetypes
 Characters
 Herald
 The role of the herald is to announce the challenge which
begins the hero on his journey
 The herald is the person or piece of information which upsets
the sleepy equilibrium in which the hero has lived and starts
the adventure
 The herald need not be a person. It can be an event or force:
the start of a war, a drought or famine, or even an ad in a
newspaper
 Shapeshifter
 The shapeshifter changes role or personality, often in
significant ways, and is hard to understand
 The shapeshifter's alliances and loyalty are uncertain, and
the sincerity of his claims is often questionable
 The shapeshifter is often a person of the opposite sex, often
the hero's romantic interest.
 The hero often assumes the role of shapeshifter to get past
an obstacle
Common Archetypes
 Characters
 Shadow
 The Shadow archetype is a negative figure, representing
things we don't like and would like to eliminate
 The shadow often takes the form of the antagonist in a
story
 Trickster
 The Trickster is a clown, a mischief maker. He provides
the comedy relief that a story often needs to offset heavy
dramatic tension
 The trickster can be an ally or companion of the hero, or
may work for the villain
 In some instances the trickster may even be the hero or
villain
 In any role, the trickster usually represents the force of
cunning, and is pitted against opponents who are stronger
or more powerful.