Archetypes:
The Emergence of the
Collective Unconscious
Archetypes
 Recurring
patterns of
situations, characters, or
symbols existing universally
and instinctively among
different cultures.
Situational Archetypes
 Quest:
search for
someone or
something which
when brought
back will restore
health to the
people or land
Situational Archetypes
 Task:
what a
hero must do
to save the
land, win the
fair lady,
prove one’s
rightful place
Situational Archetypes
 The
Initiation: rite
of passage to
signify adulthood
Situational Archetypes
 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
 The
Fall: descent
from a high to low
state of being
which involves a
loss of
innocence; often
characters are
rejected
Situational Archetypes
 Death
and Rebirth: common to show
the duality of the cycle of life and
death, spring and winter
Situational Archetypes
 Nature
vs. Mechanistic World: natural
order or nature is good; technology
separates people from nature and is
bad
Situational Archetypes
 Battle
between
Good and Evil:
future of the
world at stake as
the two opposing
forces battle
Situational Archetypes
 Unhealable
Wound: either
real or
psychological
that cannot fully
heal.
Situational Archetype
 The
Ritual:
ceremonies that
mark rite of
passage (e.g.
princess
becomes a
queen)
Situational Archetypes
 The
Magic
Weapon:
symbolizes
extraordinary
quality of the
hero, no one else
can wield the
weapon
Symbolic Archetypes
 Light
vs. Darkness: light usually means
hope or renewal, while darkness is
ignorance and despair
Symbolic Archetypes
 Water
vs. Desert: water is birth or
cleansing, while desert is a place of
exile
Symbolic Archetypes
 Heaven
vs. Hell:
skies and
mountains belong
to the gods; the
bowels and pits of
the world hide evil
Symbolic Archetypes
 Innate
Wisdom vs.
Educated Stupidity:
instinctive
intelligence vs. book
learned ignorance;
book smarts vs.
street smarts
Symbolic Archetypes
 Haven
vs. Wilderness: places of safety
vs. dangerous wild places
Symbolic Archetypes
 Supernatural
Intervention: gods
intervene to help the hero
Symbolic Archetypes
 Fire
vs. Ice: fire is light,
rebirth, knowledge; ice is
darkness, ignorance, death
Character Archetypes
 Hero/Heroine:
some of the following
must be present in the life of a hero:
 Mother is virginal
 An attempt is made to kill mother or
child
 Raised by foster parents
 (Male) proves himself, becomes king.
(Female) has special powers, becomes
warrior or spiritual leader
 Falls from favor with gods
 Becomes outcast
 Upon death, body not buried
Character Archetypes
 Young
one from provinces: hero leaves
kingdom and raised by strangers, later
returns and saves kingdom
Character Archetypes
 The
Herald: calls
hero to action,
can be a person,
event, or object
Character Archetypes
 The
Initiate(s): hero goes through
training
Character Archetypes
 Mentor/pupil
relationship: teachers to
the student (hero); teaches hero how to
survive the quest/task
Character Archetypes
 Parent/Child
Conflict: usually
results from early
separation of hero
from parent;
greater attachment
to mentor
Character Archetypes
 Hunting
group
of companions:
band of loyal
friends willing
to battle
together to
achieve a
common goal
Character Archetypes
 Loyal
Retainers: side-kicks to the
hero/heroine; duty is to protect the
hero
Character Archetypes
 Friendly
Beast: animals that aid hero
and symbolize how nature is on the
hero’s side
Character Archetypes
 The
Devil Figure: character is evil
incarnate; offers worldly goods for the
hero’s soul
Character Archetypes
 Evil
Figure with Ultimately Good Heart:
saved by love of the hero
Character Archetypes
 The
Outcast: figure
banished from society
for a crime (real or
imagined); wanders
from place to place
Character Archetypes
 Creature
of Nightmare: horrible
monster that threatens the life of the
hero and is a perversion of the human
body
Character Archetypes
 Earth
Mother: spiritual & emotional
health
 The Temptress: brings downfall of hero
 The Platonic Ideal: inspires, smart but
no sex appeal
 The Damsel in Distress: vulnerable,
needs to be saved, trapped by devil
figure
 The Star Crossed Lovers: love affair
fated to end tragically