Examples of Classic and Modern Archetypes
Use the chart to compare the traits of a character from literature to a modern day character
Archetype
Synonyms
Classic Character – Before 1960
Some Examples
Doppelganger
Double
Shadow
Mirror Image
Evil Twin
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Frankenstein
Wolf Man
Green Goblin
Hero
Epic Hero
King Arthur
Beowulf
Dorothy (book)
Gilgamesh
Hercules
Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)
Gawain
Frodo
Thor
1
Modern Character
Some Examples
The Incredible Hulk
She Hulk (Jennifer Walters)
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Atlantean Lara (Lara Croft – Tomb
Raiders)
Tyler Durden (Fight Club)
Lily (The Black Swan)
Wulfgar (movie Nighthawks)
The Punisher
Buzz Lightyear
Ichabod Crane (TV Show)
Luke Skywalker Harry Potter
Aladdin
John 117 (Halo)
Aragon
William (Knights Tale)
King Leonidas (300)
Simba
*Katniss (Hunger Games)
*Fiona
Rocky
*Mulan
King Leonidas
Harry Potter
*Rapunzel in Tangled
Archetype
Anti Hero
Byronic Hero
Synonyms
Unlikely Hero
Gothic Hero
Tragic Hero
Flawed Hero
Classic
Modern
Achilles
McMurphy (One Flew Over)
Mater (Cars 2)
Paul Blart (Mall Cop)
Aladdin
Goku (Dragon Ball Z)
Jack Sparrow
Hans Solo
John McClane (Die Hard Movies)
Sawyer (TV Lost)
Sam Witwiki (Transformers)
Bilbo
Thorin Oakenshield
Hamlet
Dracula
Rick (Casablanca)
Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights)
Rochester (jJane Eyre)
Dorian Gray
Lestat
Romeo
Icarus
Severus Snape (Harry Potter)
Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Batman
Allen (The Other Guy)
Spiderman, Batman
Spawn, Jack Sparrow
Superman
Dr. Gregory House (TV show)
Elphaba (Play: Wicked)
Edward Cullen (Twilight)
The Crow
Spawn
Dominic Santiago (Gears of War)
Ned Stark (Game of Thrones)
Jay Gatsby
2
Archetype
Female Archetypes
Including
Heroine(Female
Hero) ***(*see
other examples
under Hero)
Archetype
Sage
Synonyms
Earth Mother
Great Mother
Mother Goddess
Female Hero – see
epic
hero(princess
hero or maiden
hero warrior)
Damsel in Distress
(see early fairy
tales
Hag/Witch
Wicked Stepmother
Synonyms
Wise Man/Woman
Mentor
Guide
Soothsayer
Classic
Modern
Alice in Wonderland
Cinderella
Cinderella’s step mother
Lady Macbeth
Guinevere
Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother
Queen (Snow White)
Snow White
Sleeping Beauty
Glenda
Wicked Witch of the West (Wizard of Oz)
Cruella de Vil
Elphaba Wicked
Glinda the Good Witch
Dorothy from Wizard of Oz
Ursula (Little Mermaid)
Ripley from Aliens
Ariel and Mulan
Katniss (Hunger Games)
Fiona
Agent Carter (Captain America)
Carol Danvers (Ms. Marvel)
Zatanna Zatara (Justice League – Batman)
She Hulk (Jennifer Walters) - can also be
considered a dopplegange)
Power Girl (counterpart to Superman)
Alice in Wonderland (TV show)
Classic Character
Some Examples
Gandalf
Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother
Glinda (Wizard of Oz)
Merlin
Carlisle
3
Modern Character
Some Examples
Yoda
Jimminy Cricket
Obi Wan Kenobi
Mr. Miagi (Karate Kid)
Dumbledorf
Fairy Godmothers
Archetype
Social Outcast
Trickster
Villain/Monsters
Can also be specific
types such as
Wicked Step
Mother/witch
Synonyms
Scapegoat
Outcast-
Haymitch (Hunger Games)
Mr. Keating (Dead Poet’s Society)
Classic
Modern
Willy Loman
Grendel
Rev. Parrish (Crucible)
Piggy (Lord of the Flies)
Grendel
Gollum
Tom Robinson (To Kill a Mockingbird)
Boo Radley (To Kill a Mockingbird)
Mumble
Grinch
Bella Swan (Twilight)
Lena Duchannes (Beautiful Creatures)
Cady Heron (Mean Girls)
Juno (movie)
Shrek
Coyote
Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland)
Bugs Bunny
Loki
Hermes
Brier Rabbit
Cheshire Cat
Wiley Coyote
Rumplestilskin
Smaug the Dragon (Lord of the Rings)
The Riddler
Joker
Batman
Alien Q from Star Trek
Aang from Avatar Eric Carman from
South Park,
V from V is Vendetta,
Ferris Bueller from Ferris Bueller’s Day
Off
Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote
Jack Sparrow (Pirates)
Wicked Witch of the West
Grendel
Jadis (Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe)
Modred in King Arthur
Captain Hook
Sauron Lord of the Rings
Terminator
Scar
Jigsaw
Step mom from a Cinderella Story (w/
Hilary Duff)
Lady Trnaine (step mom Cinderella)
Ursula
4
Medusa
Witch(Queen) Snow White
Big Bad Wolf (Little Red Riding Hood)
5
Jafar (Aladdin)
James Bond villains: Dr. No, Oddjob,
Goldfinder
Neal Gaiman’s American Gods
Voldemort
Darth Vader
Freddy Krueger
Jason
Frank Lucas/Tyler Darden (Fight
Club)Voldemort (Harry Potter)