ARCHETYPE (from the Greek “archetypon” which means “original pattern”) Archetypal analysis of a work is one of the most common forms of literary analysis. It is easy to understand and use with a little knowledge of the basics. The idea of “archetype” was begun with Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung (who believed that archetypes were the result of a collective unconscious, that is, a product of the shared experiences of our ancestors) and expanded upon by Joseph Campbell and others. Archetypes are the characters, images, and themes that symbolically embody universal meanings and basic human experiences regardless of when or where those humans live. Remember, an archetype is a universal theme. These archetypes can be found all over the world and throughout history. The manifestation of the idea may be different, but the idea itself is the same. Secondly, archetypes are primordial. We have these archetypal images ingrained in our understanding even before we are born. A. SITUATIONAL ARCHETYPES
1. The Quest
2. The Task
3. The Journey
4. The Initiation
5. The Ritual
6. The Fall
7. Death and Rebirth
8. Nature vs. Mechanistic World
9. Battle between Good and Evil
10. Loss of Innocence
11. The Unhealable Wound
12. The Magic Weapon
B.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
SYMBOLIC ARCHETYPES
Light /Sun
Darkness
Water
Desert
Colors:
*red
*green
*blue
*black
*white
*yellow
6. Serpent
7. Tree
8. Garden
9. Forest
10. Creation
11. Numbers
*3
*4
*7
12. Seasons
*Spring
*Summer
*Fall
*Winter
13. The Great Fish
14. The Lion
15. The Lamb
16. The Eagle, etc.
C. CHARACTER ARCHETYPES
1. The Hero
2. The Outcast
3. The Wise Old Man
4. The Sacrificial King
5. The Scapegoat
6. The Star-Crossed Lovers
7. Don Juan
8. Young Person from the Provinces
9. The Initiates
10. Mentors
11. Father-Son Conflict
12. The Damsel in Distress
13. The Temptress
14. The Unfaithful Wife
15. The Earth Mother
16. The Shrew
17. The Devil Figure
18. The Evil Figure with (ultimately) a
Good Heart
19. Friendly Beast
20. The Blind Man