UGC CPE PROJECT

THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES: Universality of Archetypes in a Selection of Literature, Films and Television for Children
BY Anurima A. Deshpande

Under the Supervision of: Dr. Chitra Sreedharan

Introduction
Archetypes are a collective inheritance of general, abstract forms that structure the personal acquisition of particular, concrete contents. The theory was first propounded by Swiss psychologist, Carl Gustav Jung, the founder of the school of analytical psychology. No other term is more basic to Jungian analysis than archetype. He distinguished more precisely between archetypes as unconscious forms devoid of any specific content and archetypal images as the conscious contents of those forms. Archetypes are purely formal, categorical, ideational potentialities that must be actualized experientially. According to Jung, they are only innate possibilities of ideas.i Although archetypes do not produce any contents by themselves, they give definite form to contents that have already been acquired through experience. Archetypes, as forms, are merely possibilities of images. What is consciously experienced and then imaged is unconsciously informed by archetypes. A content, or image, has an archetypal, or typical, form. James Hillman, and a number of other Jungians in the 1960s and 1970s, founded the school of archetypal psychology in Zurich. Hillman prefers to regard archetypal psychology not as a school but as a direction or an approachii. Archetypal psychology is a post-Jungian psychology, a critical elaboration of Jungian theory and practice after Jung.

The mythological approach has an obviously close connection with Archetypes. According to Mark Schorer, Myth is fundamental, the dramatic representation of our deepest instinctual life, of a primary awareness of man in the universe, upon which all particular opinions and attitudes dependiii. Alan W. Watts writes that myth can be defined as a complex of stories- some fact, some fantasy- which human beings regard as demonstrations of the inner meaning of the universe and the human life. Myths and archetypes are by nature collective and communal; they bind people together in common psychological and spiritual activity. Put simply, archetypes are Universal Symbols. Philip Wheelwright says in Metaphor and Reality that, Such symbols are those which carry the same or very similar meanings for a large portion, if not all, of mankind. It is a discoverable fact that certain symbols such as the Sky father and the Earth mother, Light. Blood, Up-down,

the axis of a wheel and others, recur again and again in cultures so remote from one another in space and time that there is no likelihood of any historical influence and causal connection among them.iv

Archetypes in Literature:

Northrop Frye details his theories of archetypal criticism in his seminal work, Anatomy of Criticism. Frye relies heavily on both the insights and the methods of anthropology; indeed, he calls the search for archetypes "a kind of literary anthropology."v Because Frye's attempts to organize a systematic and comprehensive critical theory involve him in schematics, charts, and maps, with classifications and sub classifications that tend to get increasingly baroque, he has himself been called a poetic myth-maker and not a scientist; and indeed his work, which is both bold and imaginative, has had a strong and continuing influence on criticism as much for the strikingly suggestive quality of his style as his ideas. A frequently voiced criticism of the archetypal approach is that it ultimately tends to wash out the specifics of individual works in favor of the universals charted in the larger patterns. It is worth considering whether, in actual practice, his classification is reductionist, and takes away the quality of individual uniqueness from works.

The Heros Journey: Joseph Campbell has long provided the blueprint for the character of the traditional hero.

The 17 Stages of the Monomyth Departure The Call to Adventure The hero starts off in a mundane situation of normality from which some information is received that acts as a call to head off into the unknown. Campbell: "This first stage of the mythological journeywhich we have designated the 'call to adventure'signifies that destiny has summoned the hero and transferred his spiritual center of gravity from within the pale of his society to a zone unknown. This fateful region of both treasure and danger may be variously represented: as a distant land, a forest, a kingdom underground, beneath the waves, or above the sky, a secret island, lofty mountaintop, or

profound dream state; but it is always a place of strangely fluid and polymorphous beings, unimaginable torments, superhuman deeds, and impossible delight. The hero can go forth of his own volition to accomplish the adventure, as did Theseus when he arrived in his father's city, Athens, and heard the horrible history of the Minotaur; or he may be carried or sent abroad by some benign or malignant agent as was Odysseus, driven about the Mediterranean by the winds of the angered god, Poseidon. The adventure may begin as a mere blunder or still again, one may be only casually strolling when some passing phenomenon catches the wandering eye and lures one away from the frequented paths of man. Examples might be multiplied, ad infinitum, from every corner of the world." Classic examples: Sometimes the call to adventure happens of the character's own choice. In Herman Hesse's Siddhartha, the titular character becomes weary of his way of life and decides he must venture away from his accustomed life in order to attain spiritual enlightenment. In narratives describing Gautama Buddha's journey, he leaves his ordinary life in pursuit of spiritual awakening after observing three men: an old man, a sick man, and a dead man, and raising the question as to why misery exists in the human world. Other times, the hero is plunged into adventure by unforeseen events. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus is caught in the terrible winds of the angered god Poseidon and sent off to distant lands. Refusal of the Call Often when the call is given, the future hero first refuses to heed it. This may be from a sense of duty or obligation, fear, insecurity, a sense of inadequacy, or any of a range of reasons that work to hold the person in his or her current circumstances. Campbell: "Refusal of the summons converts the adventure into its negative. Walled in boredom, hard work, or 'culture,' the subject loses the power of significant affirmative action and becomes a victim to be saved. His flowering world becomes a wasteland of dry stones and his life feels meaninglesseven though, like King Minos, he may through titanic effort succeed in building an empire or renown. Whatever house he builds, it will be a house of death: a labyrinth of cyclopean walls to hide from him his Minotaur. All he can do is create new problems for himself and await the gradual approach of his disintegration."vi Classic examples: Mythology is rife with examples of what happens to those who refuse the call too long or do not take it seriously. In Judeo-Christian belief, Lot's wife is turned into a pillar of

salt for looking back with longing to her old life when she had been summoned forth from her city by Yahweh and is thus prevented from being the "hero". One of the clearest references to the refusal and its consequences comes in the voice of the personified Wisdom in Proverbs 1:24-27 and 32: Because I have called, and ye refused ... I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. ... For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. Supernatural Aid Once the hero has committed to the quest, consciously or unconsciously, his or her guide and magical helper appear, or become known. More often than not, this supernatural mentor will present the hero with one or more talismans or artifacts that will aid them later in their quest. Campbell: "For those who have not refused the call, the first encounter of the hero journey is with a protective figure (often a little old crone or old man) who provides the adventurer with amulets against the dragon forces he is about to pass. What such a figure represents is the benign, protecting power of destiny. The fantasy is a reassurancepromise that the peace of Paradise, which was known first within the mother womb, is not to be lost; that it supports the present and stands in the future as well as in the past (is omega as well as alpha); that though omnipotence may seem to be endangered by the threshold passages and life awakenings, protective power is always and ever present within or just behind the unfamiliar features of the world. One has only to know and trust and the ageless guardians will appear. Having responded to his own call, and continuing to follow courageously as the consequences unfold, the hero finds all the forces of the unconscious at his side. Mother Nature herself supports the mighty task. And in so far as the hero's act coincides with that for which his society is ready, he seems to ride on the great rhythm of the historical process."vii Classic example: In Greek mythology, Ariadne gives Theseus a ball of string and a sword before he enters the labyrinth to confront the Minotaur. Modern Examples: In Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope Obi-wan Kenobi gives Luke Skywalker a lightsaber, an object that later helps him confront his father, Darth Vader. In Harry

Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter buys a magic wand that later helps him fight Voldemort. The Crossing of the First Threshold This is the point where the person actually crosses into the field of adventure, leaving the known limits of his or her world and venturing into an unknown and dangerous realm where the rules and limits are not known. Campbell: "With the personifications of his destiny to guide and aid him, the hero goes forward in his adventure until he comes to the 'threshold guardian' at the entrance to the zone of magnified power. Such custodians bound the world in four directionsalso up and down standing for the limits of the hero's present sphere, or life horizon. Beyond them is darkness, the unknown and danger; just as beyond the parental watch is danger to the infant and beyond the protection of his society danger to the members of the tribe. The usual person is more than content, he is even proud, to remain within the indicated bounds, and popular belief gives him every reason to fear so much as the first step into the unexplored. The adventure is always and everywhere a passage beyond the veil of the known into the unknown; the powers that watch at the boundary are dangerous; to deal with them is risky; yet for anyone with competence and courage the danger fades."viii Belly of the Whale The belly of the whale represents the final separation from the hero's known world and self. By entering this stage, the person shows willingness to undergo a metamorphosis. Campbell: "The idea that the passage of the magical threshold is a transit into a sphere of rebirth is symbolized in the worldwide womb image of the belly of the whale. The hero, instead of conquering or conciliating the power of the threshold, is swallowed into the unknown and would appear to have died. This popular motif gives emphasis to the lesson that the passage of the threshold is a form of self-annihilation. Instead of passing outward, beyond the confines of the visible world, the hero goes inward, to be born again. The disappearance corresponds to the passing of a worshipper into a templewhere he is to be quickened by the recollection of who and what he is, namely dust and ashes unless immortal. The temple interior, the belly of the whale, and the heavenly land beyond, above, and below the confines of the world, are one and the same. That is why the approaches and entrances to temples are flanked and defended by

colossal gargoyles: dragons, lions, devil-slayers with drawn swords, resentful dwarfs, winged bulls. The devotee at the moment of entry into a temple undergoes a metamorphosis. Once inside he may be said to have died to time and returned to the World Womb, the World Navel, the Earthly Paradise. Allegorically, then, the passage into a temple and the hero-dive through the jaws of the whale are identical adventures, both denoting in picture language, the life-centering, life-renewing act."ix Classical example: In the story of Dionysus, Hera sends hungry titans to devour the infant Dionysus. The Titans tore apart the child and consumed his flesh. However Dionysus's heart is saved by Hestia, goddess of the hearth, allowing Dionysus to be reborn as a god. Initiation The Road of Trials The road of trials is a series of tests, tasks, or ordeals that the person must undergo to begin the transformation. Often the person fails one or more of these tests, which often occur in threes. Campbell: "Once having traversed the threshold, the hero moves in a dream landscape of curiously fluid, ambiguous forms, where he must survive a succession of trials. This is a favorite phase of the myth-adventure. It has produced a world literature of miraculous tests and ordeals. The hero is covertly aided by the advice, amulets, and secret agents of the supernatural helper whom he met before his entrance into this region. Or it may be that he here discovers for the first time that there is a benign power everywhere supporting him in his superhuman passage. The original departure into the land of trials represented only the beginning of the long and really perilous path of initiatory conquests and moments of illumination. Dragons have now to be slain and surprising barriers passedagain, again, and again. Meanwhile there will be a multitude of preliminary victories, unretainable ecstasies and momentary glimpses of the wonderful land."x Classical Example: "In fitting in the theme of tests often occurring in threes, Jesus is tempted by Satan three times in the desert. Jesus passes each of these three temptations, and the narrative moves more firmly to Jesus' divinity. The Meeting with the Goddess This is the point when the person experiences a love that has the power and significance of the all-powerful, all encompassing, unconditional love that a fortunate infant may experience with

his or her mother. This is a very important step in the process and is often represented by the person finding the other person that he or she loves most completely. Campbell: "The ultimate adventure, when all the barriers and ogres have been overcome, is commonly represented as a mystical marriage of the triumphant hero-soul with the Queen Goddess of the World. This is the crisis at the nadir, the zenith, or at the uttermost edge of the earth, at the central point of the cosmos, in the tabernacle of the temple, or within the darkness of the deepest chamber of the heart. The meeting with the goddess (who is incarnate in every woman) is the final test of the talent of the hero to win the boon of love (charity: amor fati), which is life itself enjoyed as the encasement of eternity. And when the adventurer, in this context, is not a youth but a maid, she is the one who, by her qualities, her beauty, or her yearning, is fit to become the consort of an immortal. Then the heavenly husband descends to her and conducts her to his bedwhether she will or not. And if she has shunned him, the scales fall from her eyes; if she has sought him, her desire finds its peace." xi Woman as Temptress In this step, the hero faces those temptations, often of a physical or pleasurable nature, that may lead him or her to abandon or stray from his or her quest, which does not necessarily have to be represented by a woman. Woman is a metaphor for the physical or material temptations of life, since the hero-knight was often tempted by lust from his spiritual journey. Campbell: "The crux of the curious difficulty lies in the fact that our conscious views of what life ought to be seldom correspond to what life really is. Generally we refuse to admit within ourselves, or within our friends, the fullness of that pushing, self-protective, malodorous, carnivorous, lecherous fever which is the very nature of the organic cell. Rather, we tend to perfume, whitewash, and reinterpret; meanwhile imagining that all the flies in the ointment, all the hairs in the soup, are the faults of some unpleasant someone else. But when it suddenly dawns on us, or is forced to our attention that everything we think or do is necessarily tainted with the odor of the flesh, then, not uncommonly, there is experienced a moment of revulsion: life, the acts of life, the organs of life, woman in particular as the great symbol of life, become intolerable to the pure, the pure, pure soul. The seeker of the life beyond life must press beyond (the woman), surpass the temptations of her call, and soar to the immaculate ether beyond."xii

Atonement with the Father In this step the person must confront and be initiated by whatever holds the ultimate power in his or her life. In many myths and stories this is the father, or a father figure who has life and death power. This is the center point of the journey. All the previous steps have been moving in to this place, all that follow will move out from it. Although this step is most frequently symbolized by an encounter with a male entity, it does not have to be a male; just someone or thing with incredible power. Campbell: "Atonement consists in no more than the abandonment of that self-generated double monsterthe dragon thought to be God (superego) and the dragon thought to be Sin (repressed id). But this requires an abandonment of the attachment to ego itself, and that is what is difficult. One must have a faith that the father is merciful, and then a reliance on that mercy. Therewith, the center of belief is transferred outside of the bedeviling god's tight scaly ring, and the dreadful ogres dissolve. It is in this ordeal that the hero may derive hope and assurance from the helpful female figure, by whose magic (pollen charms or power of intercession) he is protected through all the frightening experiences of the father's ego-shattering initiation. For if it is impossible to trust the terrifying father-face, then one's faith must be centered elsewhere (Spider Woman, Blessed Mother); and with that reliance for support, one endures the crisisonly to find, in the end, that the father and mother reflect each other, and are in essence the same. The problem of the hero going to meet the father is to open his soul beyond terror to such a degree that he will be ripe to understand how the sickening and insane tragedies of this vast and ruthless cosmos are completely validated in the majesty of Being. The hero transcends life with its peculiar blind spot and for a moment rises to a glimpse of the source. He beholds the face of the father, understandsand the two are atoned."xiii Apotheosis When someone dies a physical death, or dies to the self to live in spirit, he or she moves beyond the pairs of opposites to a state of divine knowledge, love, compassion and bliss. A more mundane way of looking at this step is that it is a period of rest, peace and fulfillment before the hero begins the return.

Campbell: "Those who know, not only that the Everlasting lies in them, but that what they, and all things, really are is the Everlasting, dwell in the groves of the wish fulfilling trees, drink the brew of immortality, and listen everywhere to the unheard music of eternal concord."xiv The Ultimate Boon The ultimate boon is the achievement of the goal of the quest. It is what the person went on the journey to get. All the previous steps serve to prepare and purify the person for this step, since in many myths the boon is something transcendent like the elixir of life itself, or a plant that supplies immortality, or the holy grail. Campbell: "The gods and goddesses then are to be understood as embodiments and custodians of the elixir of Imperishable Being but not themselves the Ultimate in its primary state. What the hero seeks through his intercourse with them is therefore not finally themselves, but their grace, i.e., the power of their sustaining substance. This miraculous energy-substance and this alone is the Imperishable; the names and forms of the deities who everywhere embody, dispense, and represent it come and go. This is the miraculous energy of the thunderbolts of Zeus, Yahweh, and the Supreme Buddha, the fertility of the rain of Viracocha, the virtue announced by the bell rung in the Mass at the consecration, and the light of the ultimate illumination of the saint and sage. Its guardians dare release it only to the duly proven."xv Return Refusal of the Return Having found bliss and enlightenment in the other world, the hero may not want to return to the ordinary world to bestow the boon onto his fellow man. Campbell: "When the hero-quest has been accomplished, through penetration to the source, or through the grace of some male or female, human or animal, personification, the adventurer still must return with his life-transmuting trophy. The full round, the norm of the monomyth, requires that the hero shall now begin the labor of bringing the runes of wisdom, the Golden Fleece, or his sleeping princess, back into the kingdom of humanity, where the boon may redound to the renewing of the community, the nation, the planet or the ten thousand worlds. But the responsibility has been frequently refused. Even Gautama Buddha, after his triumph, doubted whether the message of realization could be communicated, and saints are reported to have died

while in the supernal ecstasy. Numerous indeed are the heroes fabled to have taken up residence forever in the blessed isle of the unaging Goddess of Immortal Being."xvi The Magic Flight Sometimes the hero must escape with the boon, if it is something that the gods have been jealously guarding. It can be just as adventurous and dangerous returning from the journey as it was to go on it. Campbell: "If the hero in his triumph wins the blessing of the goddess or the god and is then explicitly commissioned to return to the world with some elixir for the restoration of society, the final stage of his adventure is supported by all the powers of his supernatural patron. On the other hand, if the trophy has been attained against the opposition of its guardian, or if the hero's wish to return to the world has been resented by the gods or demons, then the last stage of the mythological round becomes a lively, often comical, pursuit. This flight may be complicated by marvels of magical obstruction and evasion."xvii Classic examples: In many fairy tales and folktales, it is literally a magic flight, such as in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with the hero or heroine transforming objects to stop the pursuit (The Master Maid, The Water Nixie) or transforming himself and any companions to hide themselves (Farmer Weathersky or Foundling-Bird). Rescue from Without Just as the hero may need guides and assistants to set out on the quest, oftentimes he or she must have powerful guides and rescuers to bring them back to everyday life, especially if the person has been wounded or weakened by the experience. Campbell: "The hero may have to be brought back from his supernatural adventure by assistance from without. That is to say, the world may have to come and get him. For the bliss of the deep abode is not lightly abandoned in favor of the self-scattering of the wakened state. 'Who having cast off the world,' we read, 'would desire to return again? He would be only there.' And yet, in so far as one is alive, life will call. Society is jealous of those who remain away from it, and will come knocking at the door. If the hero. . . is unwilling, the disturber suffers an ugly shock; but on the other hand, if the summoned one is only delayedsealed in by the beatitude of

the state of perfect being (which resembles death)an apparent rescue is effected, and the adventurer returns."xviii The Crossing of the Return Threshold The trick in returning is to retain the wisdom gained on the quest, to integrate that wisdom into a human life, and then maybe figure out how to share the wisdom with the rest of the world. Campbell: "The returning hero, to complete his adventure, must survive the impact of the world. Many failures attest to the difficulties of this life-affirmative threshold. The first problem of the returning hero is to accept as real, after an experience of the soul-satisfying vision of fulfillment, the passing joys and sorrows, banalities and noisy obscenities of life. Why re-enter such a world? Why attempt to make plausible, or even interesting, to men and women consumed with passion, the experience of transcendental bliss? As dreams that were momentous by night may seem simply silly in the light of day, so the poet and the prophet can discover themselves playing the idiot before a jury of sober eyes. The easy thing is to commit the whole community to the devil and retire again into the heavenly rock dwelling, close the door, and make it fast. But if some spiritual obstetrician has drawn the shimenawa across the retreat, then the work of representing eternity in time, and perceiving in time eternity, cannot be avoided".xix The hero returns to the world of common day and must accept it as real. Master of Two Worlds This step is usually represented by a transcendental hero like Jesus or Gautama Buddha. For a human hero, it may mean achieving a balance between the material and spiritual. The person has become comfortable and competent in both the inner and outer worlds. Campbell: "Freedom to pass back and forth across the world division, from the perspective of the apparitions of time to that of the causal deep and backnot contaminating the principles of the one with those of the other, yet permitting the mind to know the one by virtue of the other is the talent of the master. The Cosmic Dancer, declares Nietzsche, does not rest heavily in a single spot, but gaily, lightly, turns and leaps from one position to another. It is possible to speak from only one point at a time, but that does not invalidate the insights of the rest. The individual, through prolonged psychological disciplines, gives up completely all attachment to his personal limitations, idiosyncrasies, hopes and fears, no longer resists the self-annihilation that is prerequisite to rebirth in the realization of truth, and so becomes ripe, at last, for the great at-one-

ment. His personal ambitions being totally dissolved, he no longer tries to live but willingly relaxes to whatever may come to pass in him; he becomes, that is to say, an anonymity.xx Biblical application: In the Christ story, Jesus is able to return to the ordinary world after resurrection. Freedom to Live Mastery leads to freedom from the fear of death, which in turn is the freedom to live. This is sometimes referred to as living in the moment, neither anticipating the future nor regretting the past. Campbell: "The hero is the champion of things becoming, not of things become, because he is. 'Before Abraham was, I AM.' He does not mistake apparent changelessness in time for the permanence of Being, nor is he fearful of the next moment (or of the 'other thing'), as destroying the permanent with its change. 'Nothing retains its own form; but Nature, the greater renewer, ever makes up forms from forms. Be sure there's nothing perishes in the whole universe; it does but vary and renew its form.' Thus the next moment is permitted to come to pass."xxi Biblical application: Christ returns to the ordinary world after his resurrection, but not as an ordinary man. He can seem to be as others are and interact with them, but his body is a "glorified" body, capable of assuming visible and palpable form, but freed from the bonds of space and time. He is now able to give life to others through his own death and resurrection. Other traditional examples of something similar are Elijah, Enoch, and Khidr, the "immortal prophet" of the Sufis. Other formulations Campbell's proposed structure has been expanded and modified since its conception. Many modern characterizations of it add in new steps (such as the hero having a miraculous birth) or combine or prune others. For instance, Phil Cousineau, in his book, The Hero's Journey, divides it up into the following eight steps:
i. ii. iii.

The Call to Adventure The Road of Trials The Vision Quest

iv. v. vi. vii. viii.

The Meeting with the Goddess The Boon The Magic Flight The Return Threshold The Master of Two Worlds

Another eight-step formulation was given by David Adams Leeming in his book, Mythology: The Voyage of the Hero:
i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii.

Miraculous conception and birth Initiation of the hero-child Withdrawal from family or community for meditation and preparation Trial and Quest Death Descent into the underworld Resurrection and rebirth Ascension, apotheosis, and atonement

The Hero's Journey The phrase "the hero's journey," to describe the monomyth, first entered into popular discourse through two documentaries. The first, released in 1987, The Hero's Journey: The World of Joseph Campbell, was accompanied by a 1990 companion book, The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work (with Phil Cousineau and Stuart Brown, eds.). The second was Bill Moyers's series of seminal interviews with Campbell, released in 1988 as the documentary (and companion book) The Power of Myth. The phrase was then referenced in the title of a popular guidebook for screenwriters, released in the 1990s, The Writers Journey, by Christopher Vogler. Though they used the phrase in their works, Cousineau, Moyers, and Vogler all attribute the phrase and the model of The Hero's Journey to Joseph Campbell.

Jungian psychology: The Collective Unconscious The collective unconscious is an important concept in the psychology of Carl Gustav Jung. The collective unconscious is shared by us all. This means that it is present in each of us, a vast reservoir of the archetypes of the whole of humanity. It is accessible to everyone. In general, the collective unconscious consists of characteristics that many people have in common and which each of us inherit at birth. Fear and happiness, for example are inherited human characteristics. They arise without conscious motives but simply arise from inner necessity. These archetypes are the result of the many experiences of life that repeat themselves: sunrise and sunset, the seasons, life and death, food, danger, and so on. They are symbols for the experiences of mankind. The content of the archetype is basically unconscious. It undergoes a transformation when it becomes conscious or when it is being perceived. The way it is transformed depends on the state of consciousness of the individual in which the archetype has arisen. An archetype is experienced as image and as emotion. It is especially recognizable in such typical and important human situations as birth and death, adolescence, extreme fear or a fearful experience. During such life phases and experiences archetypes will often appear clearly in dreams. The form of the archetype is only partially determined. Its content is a primal image that can only be given form when it is has become conscious, and thus has become filled with material from the conscious. Thus archetypes, when becoming conscious, will shape themselves, for example in myths and fairy tales, depending upon the cultural background of the people. A fairy in Europe, for example will be dressed in medieval or renaissance clothing, while in the East it will wear ancient Eastern clothing and be more djinn like of appearance. The underlying content, however, remains the same wherever you go. Archetypes are like a frame. The frame remains the same, but the image that appears inside the frame will be dependent upon the circumstances.

Archetypes cannot be brushed aside. They will always manifest. When a society undergoes a change its manifestations of the archetypes will change too. They get another form, another image in the frame. Archetypes by themselves are neutral, without value judgments attached to them, but they can be interpreted in a positive, negative or neutral way.

'The symbols of the individuation process...mark its stages like milestones', prominent among them for Jungians being '"the shadow, the Wise Old Man...and lastly the anima in man and the animus in woman"'. Thus 'there is often a movement from dealing with the persona at the start...to the ego at the second stage, to the shadow as the third stage, to the anima or animus, to the self as the final stage. Some would interpose the Wise Old Man and the Wise Old Woman as spiritual archetypes coming before the final step of the Self'.

Jungs Individuation Process: Ego Consciousness So far as we know, consciousness is always ego-consciousness. In order to be conscious of myself, I must be able to distinguish myself from others. Relationship can only take place where this distinction exists. Persona The Persona is the mask we all wear, a mask that pretends individuality. It makes us believe that one is a certain individual, but it nothing else than a well played role. The persona is a compromise one creates between himself and the community about how one appears to be. One adopts a name, a title, an occupation, and identifies oneself with this or that. One thinks that one is a businessman, a good father or a misfit, but all these are masks, ways we would like to be or appear to other people and does not always reflect who we really are.

The animus/anima The anima and animus, in Carl Jungs school of analytical psychology, are the unconscious or true inner self of an individual, as opposed to the persona or outer aspect of the personality. In the unconscious of the male, it finds expression as a feminine inner personality: anima; equivalently, in the unconscious of the female, it is expressed as a masculine inner personality: animus. It can be identified as the totality of the unconscious feminine psychological qualities that a male possesses; or the masculine ones possessed by the female. The anima is usually an aggregate of a mans mother but may also incorporate aspects of sisters, aunts, and teachers. The anima is one of the most significant autonomous complexes of all. It manifests itself by appearing as figures in dreams as well as by influencing a mans interactions with women and his attitudes toward them, and vice versa for females and the animus. The anima has all feminine psychological tendencies in a mans psyche, such as vague feelings and moods, prophetic hunches, receptiveness to the irrational, capacity for personal love, feeling for nature and last but not least his relation to the unconscious Jung said that confronting ones shadow self is an apprentice-piece, while confronting ones anima is the masterpiece. Jung viewed the anima process as being one of the sources of creative ability. The male personification of the unconscious in woman the animus exhibits both good and bad aspects , as does the anima in man. It is apt to take the form of a hidden sacred conviction. When such conviction is preached within with a loud insistent masculine voice or imposed on the others by means of brutal, emotional scenes. The underlying masculinity is easily recognized in women. However, in a woman who is outwardly very feminine, the animus can possess equally hard, inexorable power. Shadow: The shadow: the negative aspect of a person, which is often hidden or repressed. However when the dark side comes out it results in the doom for the person. In The Child and the Shadow in The Language of the Night, Le Guin talks about that idea:

The shadow is the other side of our psyche, the dark brother of the conscious mind. It is Cain, Caliban, Frankensteins monster, Mr. Hyde. It is Virgil, who guided Dante through hell, Gilgameshs friend Enkidu, Frodos enemy Gollum. . . . The shadow stands on the threshold between the conscious and the unconscious mind, and we meet it in our dreams, as sister, brother, friend, beast, monster, enemy, guide. It is all we dont want to, cant, admit into our conscious self, all the qualities and tendencies within us which have been repressed, denied, or not used. . . . Jung himself said, Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individuals conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. The less you look at it, in other words, the stronger it grows, until it can become a menace, an intolerable load, a threat within the soul. And it is in adolescence, argues Le Guin, that the child begins to see his or her own shadow and to take responsibility for his or her acts and feelings. And with that responsibility may come a terrible load of guilt. The adolescent shadow often appears as much blacker, more wholly evil, than it is. The only way for the youngster to get past the paralyzing self-blame and self-disgust of this stage is to really look at that shadow, to face it, warts and fangs and pimples and claws and allto accept it as the selfas part of the self. The ugliest part of the self, but not the weakest. According to Jung, the shadow, in being instinctive and irrational, is prone to project: turning a personal inferiority into a perceived moral deficiency in someone else. Jung writes that if these projections are unrecognized The projection-making factor then has a free hand and can realize its object or bring about some other situation characteristic of its power. These projections insulate and cripple individuals by forming an ever thicker fog of illusion between the ego and the real world. Jung also believed that in spite of its function as a reservoir for human darkness or perhaps because of this-the shadow is the seat of creativity. Self: In Jungian theory, the Self is one of several archetypes. It signifies the coherent whole, unifying both the consciousness and unconscious mind of a person. The Self, according to Jung, is realized as the product of individuation, which is defined as the process of integrating ones personality. For Jung, the self is symbolized by the circle (especially when divided into four quadrants), the square, or the mandala.

What distinguishes Jungian psychology from previous iterations is the idea that there are two centers of the personality. The ego is the center of conscious identity, whereas the Self is the center of the total personalityincluding consciousness, the unconscious, and the ego. The Self is both the whole and the center. While the ego is a self-contained little circle off the center contained within the whole, the Self can be understood as the greater circle.

The other important archetypes are: The Mentor/Wise Man A Mentor is a teacher in whom you can place your implicit trust. The word comes from the character in The Odyssey to whom Odysseus, on setting out for Troy, entrusted the care of his house and the education of his son, Telemachus. Mentors do more than just teach; they pass on wisdom and refine their students' character. In its shadowy aspect, however, the Mentor can take on an overbearing attitude that is more about imposing control than imparting wisdom. A characteristic of the shadow Mentor is an inability to allow the student to move on into the role of Master, maintaining control over the student's development of mind, body, and skills. Examples - Films (Mentor): Alec Guinness to Mark Hammill in Star Wars; Takashi Shimura to Toshiro Mifune in The Seven Samurai; Yul Brynner to Horst Bucholz in The Magnificent Seven; Paul Newman to Tom Cruise in The Color of Money; Fagin to Oliver in Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (shadow). The trickster/ fool Almost as far back as our earliest written records, the Trickster appears as a key figure in the human drama. According to the great historian of religion Mircea Eliade, a Trickster is a human or animal character that plays dubious jokes or tricks, makes fun or is made fun of, and may be camouflaged as one of the demigods of a religious tradition. the Trickster seems at first to have only negative connotations, but it can be a great ally in presenting you with alternatives to the straight and narrow path, to people and institutions who seek to hem you in through peer pressure and conformism. The Court Jester or Fool is the manifestation of the Clown in a royal setting. Since no one can possibly take a fool seriously at the physical level, he is allowed entry

into the most powerful of circles. While entertaining the king with outrageous behavior, the Fool is actually communicating messages that the king trusts. Religion/Myth: Kaulu (Polynesian trickster god); Blue-Jay (among Pacific Northwest Indians, a trickster who tries to the other animals); Spider Woman (trickster among the Dakota Indian tribes); Seth (ancient Egyptian god of chaos and adversity); Esu (West African god of passage and trickster who guards the home of the gods), Little Red Riding Hood, The Fox and the Grapes, The Gingerbread Man. The King The King is an archetype of major proportions, representing the height of temporal male power and authority. Both benevolence and cruelty in their extreme expressions are associated with this archetype. (Classic to the cruel King is the collective hope of his kingdom that he should fall from his throne.) The King is associated more with the royal blood and inheritance, whereas an Emperor can arise from common society, as did Napoleon. The bloodline connects the King to the Prince archetype and to attitudes of "entitlement," one of the shadow characteristics of archetypes associated with rulership. A resistance to criticism, questioning, and challenges in decisions about controlling his kingdom. is also part of the King's shadow. This archetype maintains the same characteristics on an individual level, whether one's kingdom is a corporation, community, or family. The need to rule and exert control over a kingdom is key to this archetype. Drama: Richard III, Henry IV, Henry V, Hamlet, and Macbeth by Shakespeare. Fiction: King of the Gypsies by Peter Maas; The Godfather by Mario Puzo (shadow); The Once and Future King by T.H.White. The Queen Besides having a rulership position in a court, the Queen represents power and authority in all women. The image of the Dark or Evil Queen has been largely represented by male authors of fairy tales and folklore as a wicked, dark force. She may also be depicted as prone to hysteria and dark powers, influences, or plots, as in Snow White. The Queen archetype is associated with arrogance and a defensive posture that is symbolic of a need to protect one's personal and

emotional power. Queens are rarely portrayed as having a trustworthy support system. The benevolent Queen uses her authority to protect those in her court, and sees her own empowerment enhanced by her relationships and experience. The shadow Queen can slip into aggressive and destructive patterns of behavior, particularly when she perceives that her authority or capacity to maintain control over the court is being challenged. The Ice Queen rules with a cold indifference to the genuine needs of others--whether material or emotional. Religion/Myth: Mary (Mother of Jesus later elevated in Catholic tradition to Queen of Heaven); Mab (Queen of the faeries and often a trickster who steals babies, possibly derived from the Welsh Mabb or Gaelic Maeve); Guinevere (King Arthur's queen). Fairy Tales: Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs (shadow). The Divine Child The Divine Child is closely related to both the Innocent and Magical Child, but is distinguished from them both by its redemptive mission. The Divine Child also has a historical resonance all its own. The Divine Child is associated with innocence, purity, and redemption, god-like qualities that suggest that the Child enjoys a special union with the Divine itself. The shadow of this archetype manifests as an inability to defend itself against negative forces. The Temptress The female counterpart of Don Juan sometimes adds the twist of killing her conquests as an expression of her ability to dominate, thereby reversing the conventional sexual stereotypes. As with Don Juan, the Femme Fatale represents highly refined skills at manipulating men without investing personal emotion. The Femme Fatale is a sexual and a financial archetype, and either comes from or is drawn to money and power. Seducing men with money and power and for the sake of personal control and survival is a classic part of this archetype, although the Femme Fatale is not looking for a home in the suburbs and the pleasures of family life. The Companion/Helper The Sidekick's qualities of loyalty, tenacity, and unselfishness are the positive aspects of this archetype. A Sidekick/Companion provides a service, symbolically speaking, to a personality

that often has a stronger nature or a role in life that carries more authority. Companions are associated with providing emotional rather than sexual support. Platonic or friendship bonds are more in keeping with that particular archetype. Betrayal is a common example of the shadow side of the Companion, which damages the soul. The Damsel/Princess The Damsel in Distress may be the oldest female archetype in all of popular literature and the movies. She is always beautiful, vulnerable, and in need of rescue, specifically by a Knight and, once rescued, she is taken care of in lavish style. When disappointed, a Damsel must go through a process of empowerment and learn to take care of herself in the world. The shadow side of this archetype mistakenly teaches old patriarchal views that women are weak and teaches them to be helpless and in need of protection. The Knight/Warrior The Knight archetype is primarily associated with chivalry, courtly romance, protection of the Princess, and going to battle only for honorable causes. The Knight serves his King or Lord and so this archetype has spiritual overtones as well of service and devotion. Loyalty and selfsacrifice are the Knight's great virtues, along with a natural ability to get things done. The Warrior archetype represents physical strength and the ability to protect, defend, and fight for one's rights. Whereas the Knight is associated with protecting Damsels, the Warrior is linked to invincibility and loyalty. Both the Knight and Warrior appear on the battlefield, but the Knight's romance, chivalry, and abundant castle are not associated with the Warrior. Warrior energy is erotic for the male, representing the height of virility and physical power as well as toughness of will and spirit. To be unbreakable and to fight to the death is a large part of the Warrior archetype, which is also associated with the passage from boyhood to manhood. The Alchemist/Wizard/Scientist These archetypes share the common trait of converting some form of matter into an altered expression of itself. The Wizard and Magician produce results outside the ordinary rules of life, whether causing people to fall in love or objects to disappear. Whereas a Wizard is associated with supernatural powers, the Magician tends to be seen more as an entertainer. The Alchemist is

associated with vain attempts to turn base metals into gold, but in its highest manifestation it seeks complete spiritual transformation. The shadow sides of these archetypes are found in the misuse of the power and knowledge that comes through them. Seduction and trickery brought about through magic and wizardry play on the desires of many people to transform their lives. The Rebel and the Martyr The Rebel is a key component of all human growth and development. The Rebel in a support group can be a powerful aid in helping the group break out of old tribal patterns. The shadow Rebel, conversely, may compel you to rebel out of peer pressure or for the sake of fashion, and so become mired in another manifestation of conformity. The shadow Rebel may also reject legitimate authority simply because it is asking you to do something you find difficult or unpleasant. The Martyr archetype is well known in two arenas: as a classic political or religious figure, and in the self-help world of contemporary psychology. Ironically, in the social and political world, the martyr is often highly respected for having the courage to represent a cause, even if it requires dying for that cause for the sake of others. Suffering so that others might be redeemed, whether that redemption take a spiritual or political form, is among the most sacred of human acts. The Parent Figure The father archetype combines a talent for creating or initiating with the ability to oversee others, whether a biological family or a group of creative people. A true Father guides and shields those under his care, sacrificing his own desires when that's appropriate. The shadow Father emerges when that caring guidance and protection turns into dictatorial control or abuse of authority. The Mother is the life-giver, the source of nurturing and nourishment, unconditional fountain of love, patience, devotion, caring, and unselfish acts. This archetype is the keeper and protector of life, from children to the family to the greater Mother Nature archetype whose province is the Earth and all life. The power of compassion and the endless capacity to forgive her children and put them before herself are essential to the Good Mother. The Devouring, Abusive, Abandoning,

and Working Mother each represent different aspects of this primal archetype within the entire human community. Messiah This archetype is associated with the embodiment of divine power and being sent on a mission by heaven to save humanity. For all of its Judeo-Christian significance, the archetype of the Messiah has also become associated with psychological behavior. Shape Shifter This archetype has long been known to shamans of the American Indian and other native traditions for having the ability to change appearances for a variety of reasons. The Shape-shifter can navigate through different levels of consciousness, dream and waking states and the astral plane. Somewhat related to the Trickster, it is more flexible and less tied to a specific goal. The shadow aspect emphasizes instability, fickleness, and lack of conviction, as can be seen in any number of modern day politicians who reinvent themselves to appeal to the latest popular trends. Dragon The Dragon is the Main Antagonist (the Big Bads) top enforcer; Some Dragons are ferocious fighters who leave the heavy thinking to the boss. Others are smart, detail-oriented administrators who oversee the day-to-day running of the evil organization. Either way, defeating the Big Bad almost always requires the hero to overcome the Dragon first. A common but by no means universal theme is to have the Dragon pose a physical challenge to the hero, while the Big Bad poses a mental or moral challenge. The Dragon will occasionally commit a Heel Face Turn when confronted by the heroes. If he does so, the chances are very good that he will end up killing the Big Bad when the heroes cannot bring themselves to do so; often by joining the villain in death as a final act of redemption. There are some other categories of archetypes as well, such as colour archetypes or number archetypes; they will be explained as and when they are relevant to the analysis.

ENDNOTES
i

C.G. Jung. The Collected Works of Carl Jung. (London, Routledge, 1957 Polly Young-Eisendrath et al.The Cambridge Companion to Jung.(Cambridge University Press, 2008) Mark Schorer. William Blake: The Politics of Vision. (New York, Holt, 1946) Philip Wheelwright. Metaphor and Reality. (Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 1962) Northrop Frye. Anatomy of Criticism. (New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 1957) Joseph Campbell. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. (New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 2004) Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid.

ii

iii

iv

vi

vii

viii

ix

Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid.

xi

xii

xiii

xiv

xv

xvi

xvii

xviii

xix

Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid. Campbell, ibid.

xx

xxi

MERLIN
In a land of myth, at a time of magic the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man....

Merlin (also known as The Adventures of Merlin) is a BBC serial that first aired in 2008 and will begin its fifth season in November 2012. It is based on the legend of King Arthur and his trusted adviser, the great wizard Merlin; but it changes one important detail. Merlin is a young boy, younger than Arthur even, not the venerable Wise Old Man that has become a universal archetype for every wizard in tales of fantasy ranging from Gandalf to Albus Dumbledore. The show changes some other details as well; Guinevere (known here as Gwen) is not a princess, but a lowly servant and Lancelot is also a peasant. Uther, Morgana, Morgause and other characters retain roles similar to those in the legends. The show stars Colin Morgan as Merlin, Bradley James as Arthur, Angel Coulby as Gwen, Katie McGrath as Morgana, Anthony Head as Uther, Richard Wilson as Gaius and John Hurt voices the Great Dragon.

Merlin, a young warlock, arrives in Camelot where he faces perpetual danger as magic is banned on pain of death. He finds a home with the court physician Gaius, (a former user of magic, himself) who helps Merlin to control his magic. In Camelot, Merlin meets Prince Arthur who strikes him as an arrogant brat, and Merlin finds it hard to believe when the Great Dragon tells him about Arthurs great destiny and the importance of Merlins support. Merlin finds a position in the royal household as Arthurs manservant. Merlin also meets Morgana, King Uthers ward, who is troubled by her own prophetic dreams and strange abilities. Guinevere, known as Gwen, is Morganas maid but is more like a friend to her and becomes one to Merlin as well. The sorceress Nimueh is bent on destroying Uther and Camelot as revenge for his persecution of all users of magic, but her plans are thwarted by Merlin. Lancelot is a young peasant who dreams of becoming a knight but cannot due to his common parentage, despite being a highly skilled swordsman and having a kind and noble heart. Mordred is a young Druid boy who is able to communicate telepathically with Merlin and Morgana when they hide him from Uthers soldiers.

Merlin forges the magical sword Excalibur to help Arthur defeat an undead knight and later throws it into the lake at the behest of the Dragon. When on a hunt, Arthur is injured by the Questing Beast and Merlin goes to the Isle of the Blessed to bargain for his life with Nimueh (who is also a priestess of the Old Religion). He barters his own life, but Gaius tries to sacrifice himself in Merlins place. Merlin is able to use his growing power to destroy Nimueh and save Gaius life.

Arthur and Merlin continue to become closer friends, developing bonds of affection and respect while Arthur and Gwens romance blossoms as he begins to see her as more than just a servant girl. They confess their love for each other but acknowledge that as long as Uther is king, the fruition of their relationship is impossible. Morgana is finally convinced that she has magical powers but Gaius insists she has nothing to fear. Merlin meets a young Druid girl named Freya and falls in love at first sight. They make plans to run away together but he discovers that she has been cursed and turns into a murderous beast at night. Arthur wounds the beast which leads to Freyas death. Merlin lays her to rest in a lake (Avalon) near Camelot as it reminds her of home. Morgause re-ignites the fires of Idirsholas and re-forms the immortal army of the Knights of Medhir; she puts a sleeping spell on everyone in Camelot, with Morgana as the medium, so that she can kill Uther. Merlin faces a difficult choice between his friends life and the safety of Camelot and in the end, poisons Morgana to save the kingdom. Morgana is taken away by Morgause and no trace can be found of her.

The third season marks the unveiling of Morgana as a villain and her attempts to gain the throne of Camelot for herself. It also shows Arthur coming into his own as the noble and great king of legend, while Merlin continues to deal with his ever-increasing powers. Morgana has spent a year with Morgause and is now back and intent on destroying Uther and his kingdom.

Gwaine, a heroic stranger (and the Sir Gawain of legend) arrives in Camelot and forms a close bond with Merlin. Merlin and Arthur must save the Cup of Life (the Holy Grail of Legend) before it falls into the wrong hands but are unable to prevent Morgause and Morgana from obtaining it. Morgause creates an immortal army with the help of rival king Cenred and takes over Camelot. Morganas true colours are revealed to Uther which breaks him irrevocably. She

begins a reign of terror and evil. Arthur, Gaius and Merlin escape to the forest along with Gwaine and Elyan.. Arthur forms his first iconic Round Table by knighting Gwaine, Lancelot, Elyan and Percival regardless of their humble origins. Merlin is led to the lake where he buried Freya (who is now the Lady of the Lake) by the waters of Avalon and receives the magical sword that he threw into the lake. Merlin and Lancelot are able to empty the Cup, thus, leading to the defeat of Morgana and Morgauses immortal army. Morgause tries to kill Merlin but is thwarted by Gaius with some very powerful magic. Arthur, with Gwen, Merlin and his knights by his side, begins rebuilding Camelot. Merlin goes to the forest and sets the sword into a stone.

Uther dies and Arthur is crowned King of Camelot. Gwen is banished by Arthur for betraying him, even though she was under an enchantment and unaware of her actions.

Morgana finds a powerful ally in the Southron warlord Helios. They capture Camelot, while Merlin, Arthur and Gwen are on the run. A depressed Arthur begins to question his own abilities as king and Merlin leads him to the Sword in the Stone, Excalibur, to convince him of his destiny Arthur returns to Camelot with renewed vigour and defeats Helios' and his southron army. Morgana is fatally injured and retreats to the forest where she is healed by the dragon, Aithusa. The season ends with Arthur and Gwen's wedding and her coronation as Queen of Camelot.

The real Arthur and Merlin: In Legend and Literature

The Arthurian figure first appeared in legend around the twelfth century and since then has been in a constant state of reinvention or as historians Laurie Finke and Martin Shichtman have put it, a state of remediation. If there is one thing, that we can glean from the various sources of Arthuriana, it is that there is no single original" Arthur or a primary Arthurian legend, instead various virtues such as kingship, power, strength, courage and bravery are embodied in various Arthur-figures, displaying the archetypes of the Warrior and the King. Merlin, in each and every one of his incarnations (even as a young man in the BBC serial) represents the archetype of the Wise (Old) Man, the Helper and the Adviser.

There are various versions of Arthur: historical and literary, which means that there are plural Arthurs who have been constructed in many forms and identities. Of particular interest and relevance to our efforts is that, even among these varied Arthurs, the archetypes that define him are constant and unchanging.

Arthuriana is generally grouped together in the genres of chronicle, romance and fantasy. The first mentions of Arthur and Merlin, as we know them now, are in Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Brittaniae, written in the twelfth century; incidentally, Geoffrey of Monmouth is present in the show as the court historian and records-keeper, which fits in well with the canon (of legend). Later writers of Arthurian legend such as Chrtien de Troyes and Thomas Malory were influenced by Geoffreys chronicles; as were the Welsh, Scottish and Cornish traditions of folklore and story-telling. Due to Geoffrey of Monmouths influence, the Arthurian legend as written by British writers was a tradition that was largely based in history, no matter how loosely held together that history was. The Arthurian romance that we are familiar with, with tales of the doomed love of Lancelot and Guinevere, the tournaments and the Grail quest, was essentially a French creation. It arose from the amalgamation of various oral stories that were prevalent in the Brittany and France. Indeed, the most popular and well-known Arthurian romance stems from the Breton tradition of singers and storytellers.

The twelfth-century poet, Chrtien de Troyes plays a rather significant role in the development of the Arthurian romance (as Geoffrey did with the chronicle tradition in Britain); the love story of Lancelot and Guinevere (unknown in the British tradition) was probably invented by Chrtien. Lancelots first appearance in literature is Chrtiens Le Chevalier de la Charrette (The Knight of the Cart) and the first Grail quest was also composed by Chrtien. With later additions by Robert de Boron, this became the basis of the French Vulgate cycle, which became the source of much of Thomas Malorys Morte DArthur. The English Arthurian tradition took Chrtiens work as its starting point and adapted the stories to a more English sensibility; the works in this tradition include Morte Arthure (part of the Brut tradition) and Morte Arthur (based on the Vulgate Mort Artu). Later English romances would go on to add beloved Arthurian figures such as Tristan and Isolde, Sir Percival, Sir Gawain and others.

While Merlin has always been assimilated in Arthurian tradition, it would be worthwhile to note his genesis and growth as part of the Arthurian legend. He, too, was first mentioned by Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia as a young boy living during the reign of King Vortigern and, later, as Arthurs trusted advisor and ally. He also appears in Nennius Historia Brittonum, but, in this, the character is named Ambrosius Aurelianus, a British general. Some historians reconcile this discrepancy by referring to Merlin as Merlin Ambrosius or Merlin the Divine. Robert de Boron wrote three Arthurian ballads (which later became a part of the Vulgate cycle) Joseph DArimathie, Merlin and Perceval, all of which were composed sometime between 1190 and 1202. De Borons works would later become the source for Thomas Malorys Morte DArthur, written in 1470, which is widely acknowledged as the definitive compendium of Arthurian romances. Merlin does not appear in Geoffreys work after Arthurs coronation, but his life is the subject of Geoffreys work Vita Merlini (written in 1150) in which he merges Merlin, the magician and Myrddin, the poet.

One of the things unchanged in Arthurian tradition, from its origins to its contemporary adaptations, is the celebration of the ideals of knighthood and kingship. The modern adaptations of the Arthurian legend are as varied as the romances of its origin were. One of the most famous modern literary adaptations is T.H. Whites The Sword in the Stone, published in 1938, focusing on Arthurs boyhood which was spent under the guidance of Merlin. Another White novel, The Once and the Future King, focusing on Arthurs life which would prove to be the harbinger of the fashion in which modern Arthurian fantasy was to be portrayed. Marion Zimmer Bradleys 1982 novel, The Mists of Avalon, sought to blend history, fantasy, religion and feminist politics with its primary focus being the women in Arthurs life: Guinevere, Morgan le Fay and Morgause. Nikolai Tolstoys The Coming of the King (1988) is considered by many to be the most complete exploration of Merlin through the medium of historical fiction.

Films and television have also not lagged behind in contemporary depictions of the Arthurian legend; the beginning of what Kevin J. Harty would dub as Cinema Arthuriana was in the 1930s with an adaptation of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court. Popular contemporary adaptations include First Knight, Camelot (this show has a different take on the Arthur-Lancelot-Guinevere story, making Guinevere the wife of Arthurs loyal knight, Lancelot,

and Arthur and Guinevere are the ones who have share a forbidden love). In addition to these movies and television serial ostensibly based on the Arthurian legend, other popular movies such as the Indiana Jones and Star Wars series also have their basis in Arthuriana.

Archetypes are universal; they, while not being entirely identical, are similar enough to resonate across different cultures and eras. The legend of Arthur, Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table is no different. All of the versions of the legend as well as the literary and cinematic adaptations possess a universality in their portrayal of the various characters; the archetypes that are present in one, are also (with a few exceptions and differences) present in others. Arthur is the Hero (not only the Greek, but also the Campbellian) the Warrior, the Prince, (and later) the King, Merlin is the Wise Man, the Mentor, the Companion (and of course, in the versions where the focus is on him, the Hero.) Guinevere is the Princess, the Anima, the Maiden, the Lover and the Mother (by some accounts, she takes on the role of the Temptress, for Lancelot - tempting him away from his duty to his king, the greatest commitment of a knight); Morgan le Fay (or Morgana) is, generally, the Femme Fatale and the Witch, but in some adaptations, she also takes on the role of Merlins Nemesis. The Knights are Warriors, Followers, Protectors and, of course, Knights. Various other minor characters embody other archetypes at different times in various versions; Morgause (who, in some versions, is merged with Morgan) is at times, a Witch and a Temptress, but at others a Helper or even a Threshold Guardian, Balinor and Hunith are ParentFigures for Merlin while in some cases, he is an orphan, the Great Dragon is absent in some versions while being a Dark Mentor or a Willing Mentor for Merlin in others.

Archetypal Analysis of Characters in BBCs Merlin (2008)

Arthur

In the simplest of terms, Arthur is the Hero. He is the Once and the Future King, the wielder of Excalibur and the great king who will unite all of Albion. He is also courageous, kind, just and utterly devoted to his kingdom, Camelot and its people. His words when being named crown prince, in episode 1x09 Excalibur, are wonderfully-written and believably delivered, I, Arthur Pendragon, do pledge life and limb to your service and to the protection of the kingdom and its peoplesxxi. This is who Arthur is, a Warrior and a Knight; a hero, yes, but more than that, a Willing Hero, a Hero who knows his destiny and accepts it, in fact, not just accepts it but rejoices in it. Arthur whole-heartedly accepts his place as the Crown Prince (and later, King) of Camelot, not just for the privilege and the position, but also for the chance it gives him to be a good ruler, a just ruler, the kind of ruler that people are happy to serve. He repeatedly promises Merlin that when I am king, things will be better.xxi But, this knowledge never clouds his loyalty to the present king, his father Uther. He is a dutiful son, he obeys the King and carries out his orders without any compunction (this comes back to haunt him in episode 4x10 when the ghost of a young Druid boy killed because of his orders returns to take revenge.)

The Hero archetype is, probably, the most pervasive and constant archetype in literature, film or television; the Hero is also a classic figure in Greek and Roman literature. He is a social icon and holds power (not always material, sometimes it is emotional or spiritual power that a Hero has) and must confront a series of difficult obstacles to awaken an inner power. Arthur, certainly, fits all of these requirements. He is of noble birth, he is a prince and the heir to the throne. His birth is shrouded in mystery and was a result of magic and supernatural forces as revealed by Morgause in episode 2x08 The Sins of the Father. Throughout the serial, the Great Dragon reiterates to Merlin that Arthur has a great destiny in store for him and that he must be protected at all cost. Merlin, himself, talks to Arthur about his destiny various times, most notably in the season 4 episode, The Sword in the Stone. He leads Arthur to Excalibur and only when he is certain that Arthur has completely accepted his role as King, does he allow Arthur to pull the sword from the stone. Arthur, as the Hero, fights monsters such as the Questing Beast but also makes mistakes, like the time he kills the unicorn in 1x11 The Labyrinth of Gedref" and must prove himself worthy in order to thwart the curse. Arthur is unhesitatingly willing to prove his worth and even lay down his life in order to save the kingdom and most importantly, to save Merlin (who, we must remember, is his servant). We will explore Arthur as a Hero in further

detail when we analyse him according to Joseph Campbells ideas of the Hero and his journey. Arthurs transformation is triggered by the keeper of the unicorns, he must prove his worth.

Arthur is a Warrior; the Warrior archetype represents physical strength and the ability to protect, defend and fight for ones rights. The Warrior is linked to invincibility and loyalty; Arthur is often touted as the greatest warrior in the land and his loyalty to his king and his people is of paramount importance to him. It represents an erotic force as well, the height of virility and the supreme strength of will and spirit. A Warrior needs to be unbreakable and be willing to fight to the death, a willingness Arthur shows in episodes such as Excalibur and The Sins of the Father where he readily takes up the gauntlet of a fight to the death for the sake of his honour and his people.

He is also the Prince; a true Prince (etymologically, its roots are Latin - meaning, ruler, chief or first) is a ruler-in-training who is in service to the people he will rule. This archetype is closely related to the King archetype, except it refers to someone who will, in the future, be King and as of now, is being prepared for such a role. Arthur embodies this archetype for the first three seasons until the season 4 episode, The Wicked Day in which he is crowned as the king of Camelot.

Arthur is the King; other archetypes that can fit comfortably here are Chief, Ruler and Leader. The King is an archetype of major proportions, representing the height of temporal male power and authority. He is associated with royal blood and inheritance; the King archetype can take both benevolent and cruel forms (Arthur, of course, is a benevolent king). Once he becomes king, all of his decisions are taken for the good of his kingdom. He engages in a fight to the death with a terrifying opponent in His Fathers Son, mainly, to spare his kingdom and his people the cost of a war with Caerleons army.

While his Knights typify the archetype of the Knight, Arthur embodies it too, especially when he is just the Crown Prince. The Knight is associated with chivalry, protection of the princess and going to battle for honourable causes. Arthur is unerringly chivalrous, he might engage in some sarcastic banter with Morgana, but he is always respectful towards her as a Lady of the court and

his fathers ward; he is even courteous towards Gwen when he thinks of her as just a simple servant-girl. The Knight serves his King and this archetype has overtones of devotion and loyalty. Arthur is interesting because while he serves the King (his father, Uther) as a Knight; later, he commands the devotion and loyalty of his Knights as their King.

Minor archetypes that Arthur embodies at times are the Avenger (against his father - for his mother), the Fool (when is temporarily tricked into being utterly compliant so he will escape), the Rescuer (he engages in several quests to rescue Morgana, Gwen and Merlin), the Companion (to Merlin, at times when Merlin takes up the Hero role completely).

In answer to the question of why Arthur supports a regime he admits is wrong and rarely stands up to his fathers orders, I think this interview by the actor, Bradley James, explains Arthurs viewpoint rather well, "I think what Arthur does see is that on one side he has the kind of liberal kind of argument from people like Morgana and Merlin who are saying oh you should do things and change them. And then he's got this kind of hard-nosed kind of conservative line from his father who's going, you need to kill people with magic.... I think what he does have is the ability to see both sides of the argument. And I think that's kind of what, perhaps, Morgana doesn't have. She can't understand why Uther makes certain decisions. And Uther can't understand why Morgana feels certain ways about things. And I think Arthur has the ability to be able to see both sides of the argument."xxi

Arthur as a Campbellian Hero

Departure 1) The Call to Adventure - While there isnt a traditional call to adventure, Merlins arrival in Camelot which triggers a chain of events that need Arthurs attention and skill can be termed the

Call. In individual instances, the call to the quests that Arthur must leave on can be considered as the call to adventure. 2) Refusal of the Call - There is no refusal in Arthurs case; as we have established, Arthur is a Willing Hero. He is always ready to answer the call and is almost never reluctant to begin his quest. 3) Supernatural Aid - Merlin, by being at Arthurs side, is the very definition of this stage. He aids Arthur in his quests, and does it without Arthur getting to know of it. 4) The Crossing of the First Threshold - The point where Arthur crosses the world he knows and enters into the realm of the unknown occurs at two points in the serial; first, when Arthur encounters the keeper of the Unicorn and must cross the Labyrinth of Gedref, and second, when Morgause, as a Threshold Guardian, reveals to Arthur the truth of the circumstances of his birth.

Initiation

1) The Road of Trials - The obstacles that Arthur must face in order to undergo his transformation from a brash prince to a true king range from the aforementioned labyrinth to the quest to find the Fisher Kings trident that takes place in The Eye of the Phoenix and include the various beasts and monsters that he must overcome at various points. 2) The Meeting with the Goddess - The Goddess is incarnate in every woman, and for the male adventurer is often his consort. Here, Gwen plays the role of the Goddess and the blossoming of his love story with her forms the meeting with her. 3) Woman as Temptress - Arthur isnt often swayed from his duty or his quest but his willingness to abdicate the throne for Gwen can be seen as an example of this. Also, the episode Sweet Dreams, his relationship with Vivian, though forced (they are both enchanted) leads him to stray from his duty as a prince and protector of the realm. 4) Atonement with the Father - After Uther is revealed as the cause of his mothers death, Arthur is intent on killing him but is dissuaded by the wise counsel of Merlin. A father holds the ultimate power in life, and an encounter with him is an essential part of the heros journey. 5) Apotheosis - In the episode, The Crystal Cave, Arthur is mortally wounded but is in a state of rest aided by the magic of the crystal cave dwellers.

6) The Ultimate Boon - Arthur being able to wield Excalibur is the achievement of his goal in life which is to be a good and true king. On a lesser note, Arthur gaining the Fisher Kings trident at the end of his quest also comes under this.

Return

1) Rescue from Without - Merlin and the Knights (along with Tristan and Isolde) coming to his rescue when he has to flee his kingdom is an example of this. 2) The Crossing of the Return Threshold - Arthur, finally, considers himself a true king and pulls Excalibur out of the stone and defeats Helios and Morgana to regain his throne.

Merlin
Merlin is the Hero, maybe not in the traditional sense (he is not a Warrior or a Knight) but he is a hero, nevertheless. He is the one who begins the Journey; he comes to Camelot where Arthur is already present, waiting to be found. He is unrecognised, i.e. his powers are unknown to the people that matter most, except for Gaius who helps and guides him. Merlin has a magical weapon, his Sidhe staff, which functions as a part of the Magician archetype as well. In comparison to Arthur, one of the major reasons for Merlin to be the hero is the fact that he has a clear-cut Nemesis in Morgana while Arthur lacks one (Mordred is more the promise of a Nemesis - he doesnt yet have the power or the venom that the Mordred of legend has, or that Morgana feels towards Merlin). Unlike Arthur who needs to undergo a transformation to become a worthy King, Merlin undergoes very little change as he is already worthy and settled. Merlin as a Hero is something specific to modern times, because magic used to be considered as part of the unconscious and was connected to the antagonist rather than the Hero. Even when magic was used for a good purpose, it was very separate from the Hero, who was heroic due to his own qualities and skills rather than any supernatural powers.

Merlin is the Wizard, also the Magician. He is associated with supernatural powers and is taught by Gaius to use his powers solely for good. He is very powerful (more so as his alter ego, Emrys)

and his magic is natural and inherent; he does not need any instruction before learning to control it, a fact that surprises Gaius very much. In some ways, this is also connected to his role as Arthurs Guardian Angel or Fairy Godfather; he helps Arthur and saves his life, countless times, without any expectation of return and anonymously. Granted, the anonymity is more for Merlins sake than Arthurs and Merlin wishes, quite a few times, for Arthur to learn the truth and accept him but he still fits the archetype.

He is the Companion, the Friend and the Sidekick. Though he is the eponymous hero of the serial and is a main character, he also fits this archetype perfectly. The Companions primary qualities are loyalty, tenacity and unselfishness; Merlin displays these qualities quite a few times. He is selflessly devoted to Arthur and his role in Arthurs destiny; even when, Arthur rejects Merlin, he never once withdraws from Arthurs side. Companions provide emotional rather than sexual or romantic support; platonic bonds or bonds of friendship are more in keeping with the Companion archetype.

It is an unusual embodiment of the archetype of the Damsel; the Damsel is the one who needs to be rescued and specifically, by a Knight. Merlin is in need of rescue quite a few times throughout the serial, for e.g. in The Nightmare Begins, His Fathers Son, A Servant of Two Masters. A Damsel must go through a process of empowerment and learn to care of themselves which Merlin does as he progresses through the serial, learning to control and harness his powers rather than just relying on Arthurs skill and courage. Merlin is the Nemesis to Morgana; or to put it correctly, his alter-ego Emrys is Morganas Nemesis. Gaius warns Merlin of this, his words explain their relationship as each others Nemesis quite perfectly, She is the Darkness to your Light and the Hatred to your Love."

Merlin is the Guide, the Sage and the Guru. The Guide is a kind of spiritual Teacher, guiding and teaching principles and a way of life. Merlin might not be Arthurs Teacher as of yet, but he is definitely a Guide who is leading Arthur through his difficult road to being the once and future king. He helps Arthur realize his true destiny and now is more of a friend to him, than a servant. Merlin is also, at times, the Healer; he goes to Gwens village to try and heal the people affected

by the Lamia in Lamia. He is also a Counselor for both Arthur and Gwen, and sometimes for Lancelot and Gwaine.

While Merlin is not a traditional Mentor for Arthur yet; he is still finding his feet as a Guide and Counselor. Nevertheless, he is instrumental in Arthur being able to regain his confidence and self-worth as a true king of Camelot in the final episodes of season 4. He does serve as Mentor to another young magician, Gilli, in the episode, The Sorcerers Shadow. He helps Gilli realize that the true potential of his powers lies in being a force for good, the same thing that Gaius taught him. Merlin, while being a Mentor, is also a Student to Gaius. Merlins minor archetypes include Druid (due to his magical connections), the Lover (to Freya) and the Fool (he is constantly derided by Arthur for being an idiot, and most of the others seem to treat him as if he is a little bit slow; a wonderful person, yes, but a little slow. He is also made the butt of quite a few jokes and gags.

Merlin as a Campbellian Hero

Departure 1) The Call to Adventure - Merlins call comes when he departs for Camelot from his home village of Ealdor. He goes to the court physician Gaius on his mother, Huniths, behest and Gaius proves to be instrumental in Merlins heros journey. 2) Supernatural Aid - Merlin is aided by the Great Dragon who provides him with important advice and information. The Sidhe staff that he gains is also an important object in this regard, it is magical and is important to Merlins role as the Hero because he uses it exclusively as a weapon and he won it in battle against the Sidhe in The Gates of Avalon. 3) The Crossing of the First Threshold - Merlin comes to accept his destiny at Arthurs side after the events of the Labyrinth of Gedref and also begins to see Arthur in a new light. 4) Belly of the Whale - In The Poisoned Chalice, Merlin is on the verge of death and accepts the change from being a carefree, young boy to a mature, responsible wizard.

Initiation

1) The Road of Trials - Merlin does not have to go through the same kind of trials that Arthur does but he still faces many challenges and obstacles. The biggest danger he faces is the threat of being unmasked as a wizard by the witchfinder Aredian in the episode, The Witchfinder. 2) The Meeting with the Goddess - Freya is the first girl that Merlin falls in love with; their love is doomed, since she is cursed to become a bloodthirsty beast every night. She dies of wounds inflicted by Arthur but is an important step in Merlins path of self-realization. 3) Atonement with the Father - Merlin has never met his father, Balinor, who is hunted for being a Dragonlord. Eventually, when Merlin does find him, Balinor is killed within sometime of finding out Merlin is his son. With his fathers death, Merlin assumes the mantle of the Dragonlord and his destiny. 4) The Ultimate Boon - Merlin succeeds when Arthur is crowned King. He has shaped Arthurs destiny and nurtured the brash prince on his way to becoming a true king of all Albion.

Return

1) The Magic Flight - Merlin flying on the back of Kilgarrah, the Great Dragon, after becoming a Dragonlord qualifies as such. 2) Crossing of the Return Threshold - He has gained wisdom due to his great power and magic; so now Merlin has to figure out how to integrate the knowledge that he has with Camelots ban on magic. 3) Master of Two Worlds - By the fourth season, especially in the initial episodes such as The Darkest Hour, Merlin is shown to master not only the secrets of this world, but through the Cailleach, the secrets of the afterlife as well. 4) Freedom to Live - Merlin cannot truly gain the freedom to live until magic is, once again, allowed in the kingdom of Camelot.

Merlin and Arthur

Merlin and Arthur share a unique relationship; Merlin is Arthurs servant, therefore, Arthur retains a position of privilege. But they are also friends, and Arthur will go to any lengths to save Merlins life and vice versa. The archetype that defines them perfectly is that of the Divine Twins. Its an incredibly common myth in forms such as the Ibeji and the Dioscuri. Here, I will concentrate on the Dioscuri and Amlyn and Amyg (a medieval tale)

Generally, the Divine Twins are actually twins, sometimes they have different fathers or are unrelated. In some cases, they are two souls reincarnating together again and again. The Divine Twins are usually male; it is very rare to find female Divine Twins. They are not necessarily immortal and neither is it necessary for them to be physically or spiritually. Often they are complete opposites, completing each other into a perfect whole. At times, one of them is associated with more traditionally masculine symbols and the other with more feminine symbols.

One of the Dioscuri, Pollux, was immortal. He chose to share his immortality with his mortal brother Castor; they spend half their time on Olympus and half in Hades. Amlyn and Amyg are great friends, usually warriors who fight side by side, sometimes born on the same day, but never related. They often do the most terrible things to save the other's life, including sacrificing their own or someone else's offspring. They are two sides of the same coin; in reply to Merlins vehement protestations about hating Arthur, the Great Dragon tells Merlin that, The half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole".xxi This implies duality in which they complete each other and can't separate for whatever reason. Their paths lie together; the Great Dragon, again, reiterates that Arthur needs Merlin in order to fulfill his destiny as the great king who will unite all of Albion.

Merlin only has a mother (that he knows of; his father, though alive, is unknown to him), Arthur only has a father; together they make a complete set, two parents and the "twins".

The willingness to sacrifice their lives for each other; both of them are disturbingly willing to sacrifice their lives, but it's mainly for the other. When it is the question of each others lives, they will absolutely not hesitate to do whatever it takes to save the other.

Merlin puts his own life in danger for others except Arthur in only four instances - the first time 1x03, The Mark of Nimueh", is because he feels guilt as he caused Gwen's predicament, the second and third time is for his mother and Gaius - 1x13, again partially motivated by guilt, and Mordred, who was a little kid and an important plot point. For comparison, the times he risks his neck for Arthur - snakes in Valiant" (cutting the head and spying on their owner), poison in The Poisoned Chalice, the monstrous gryphon in Lancelot, the sidhe in The Gates of Avalon, the poison in The Labyrinth of Gedref, the questing beast in Le Morte DArthur, Nimueh in various episodes, not to mention every time he has used magic for Arthur in Camelot. And that is just the first season.

Arthur risks death to earn his father's respect, or prove his bravery and to help his people (as his duty and for his honour), and for Merlin. When Arthur risks his life for a personal reason (as opposed to that demanded by his position and his honour), it's always for Merlin - the flower in The Poisoned Chalice, arguably Ealdor in The Moment of Truth and the poison in The Labyrinth of Gedref. Only later, when he falls in love with Gwen, does Arthurs risking his life for personal reasons expand to include her.

Merlin almost sacrificed a child, Mordred, for Arthur because the Great Dragon warned him that Mordred would, one day, kill Arthur. He didnt go through with it but he considered it.

Merlin is connected to more feminine energy. All magic in the show is associated more or less with water and femininity - the color blue (non-magic characters tend to wear it a lot less), the lake, Nimueh's rain and water of life, her damp cave with the magical basin, the poisoned well, the water surrounding the Isle of the Blessed, the magical test near the sea, two separate cases of poisoned liquid, Gaius' potions and so on. Arthur is literally a Pendragon, a chief dragon associated with a masculine symbol such as fire; Arthur tends to wear a lot of red, again a colour that is, in this show, associated with masculinity and royalty.

In the future, if we view Merlin as the naturally immortal one (which is quite possible, taking into account, his conversation with the Shee in the episode, The Changeling, sharing his immortality with Arthur might mean granting Arthur a passage to Avalon.

In Jung, the Anima embodies the feminine qualities in a man's psyche, the ones that are not integrated in the self. She often merges with the Mother. Men tend to fall in love with women who have the qualities of their Anima. The Anima is an inspiration, in stories she's often a damsel in distress, a perfect lover. But Arthur and Merlin share the qualities of being each others Animas minus the romantic bonds that such a relationship entails.

Arthur and Merlin can also work as each other's Animas. They save each other, Merlin inspires Arthur, and Merlin guards Arthur as something infinitely precious whose loss is "unthinkable", Merlin is powerful and otherworldly. Arthur finds that Merlin has mysterious allure. Surprisingly, that's one of the main traits of the balanced Anima, and Arthur says repeatedly that "there's something about you, Merlin". It's implied Arthur keeps Merlin around because of that something. In many Celtic legends, the Hero often goes into a labyrinth to find and save the Anima at the centre. In 1x11 Merlin went into the labyrinth after Arthur, and then editing made it seem like they were each looking for the other, barely missing each other all the time.

The 4th stage in the development of the Anima is the final. Supposedly the Anima doesn't need to evolve past that stage. It's called Sofia. Arthur meets a Sophia, falls head over heels for her, she brings him into Water, the element of emotion, and where she starts a ritual that bears resemblance to a baptism or a marriage, but that will end with Arthurs death (a destructive Anima). Then, Merlin obliterates Sophia and takes her place with Arthur in the Water to save him from drowning. Basically, Merlin establishes himself as a superior and positive Anima (here in relation to Sophia, who Arthur considers as his perfect mate, but also in a more general context).

The archetype of the Hero is split between Merlin and Arthur. They function as each other's Animas, even though Merlin has more Anima characteristics than Arthur. The only possible conclusion to form here is that together they form a whole self, with an integrated Anima.

Gwen (Guinevere)
At the outset, I must warn that Gwen is not one of my favourite characters in this adaptation. Though the actress, Angel Coulby, does a wonderful job with the material that she is given, I believe that Gwen is not a very well-written character. She is a servant-girl, kind and beautiful with a generous heart thats always willing to see the good in everyone. She is especially close to Morgana, whose maid she is. She is one of Merlins first friends in Camelot and they remain very close throughout the serial. Her relationship with Arthur is a little more complicated; at first, they are indifferent towards each other, indeed, she is not even on his radar except as Morganas maid. Later, when he gets to know her better and she shows him the inherent arrogance with which he treats people and stands up to him for it, they fall in love. It is sudden and passionate; within days of getting to know each other well, they are making plans for marriage and such. And here lies the problem - Arthur and Gwens relationship is canon, this show is based on the legend and so, we know where this relationship is going. But instead of a slow burn and a developing relationship, we are told (not shown) that they are perfect for each other. It is already difficult, as a viewer, to accept the anachronistic marriage of a king to a servant, but never actually seeing the relationship develop makes it even harder to fathom. This show has worked in some wonderful subversions to the Arthurian legend; mainly, that of Merlin as a young man. It works, but Gwens re-imagining falters at times. It succeeds here and there, but its consequences never carefully explored or paid any heed to - except for the episode Queen of Hearts, which borders on the melodramatic and cheesy and is more a vehicle for the introduction of Emrys than an exploration into the effects of Arthur and Gwens relationship. There have been objections raised to the fact that Gwen is played by a black actress, but since that neither affects the character nor is it anachronistic, I will not focus on that aspect.

Gwen is, quite simply put, the Heroine. She is the female counterpart to the Hero and is his consort. Now, after her coronation, she is also a powerful, social icon. She is, at times, Merlins Companion and Friend. She helps him out quite a few times, notably in forging the sword in Excalibur and working with him to rescue Arthur in Sweet Dreams. She is also this to Morgana, until Morganas switch to the dark side.

She is the Damsel; a beautiful (princess) who is vulnerable and in need of rescue. Arthur has to go to her rescue quite a few times, particularly in the episodes, Lancelot and Guinevere and The Castle of Fyrien. Lancelot, who is in love with her, also has to come to her rescue a few times. She is not helpless; indeed, growing up as a maid in a castle, she cannot afford to be, but in my opinion, her vulnerability and need to be rescued is exaggerated when it is needed to be. This is mostly done for the sake of Arthur being able to prove his love for her, by risking his life to save hers. There are sometimes that Gwen falls into the shadow side of this archetype, becoming helpless and mired in the patriarchal view of a woman always needing a man to care for her. While I am firmly convinced that Gwen fits the archetype of a Damsel in distress, another side to the argument was also put forth. This argument states that Gwen is not in constant need of rescue; she does as much as she can, within the confines of her station. She does not admit to warranting the kind of attention from Arthur that a Damsel would expect and demand from her Knight and she is just as concerned for the safety of the people around her as she is for herself. These might be valid points, but I would like to add that while Gwen does not admit to demanding Arthurs attentions, she clearly expects it - there is almost always no surprise on her part, when he shows up to save her (a lowly servant girl).

Gwen is the Lover; surprisingly not for Arthur, but for Lancelot. While in legend, Lancelot and Guinevere have an affair that leads to the undoing of the Round Table, the relationship between Gwen and Lancelot never crosses that line. Nevertheless, this relationship leads to her separation from Arthur and subsequent banishment from Camelot. It can be argued that Lancelot sacrifices himself in Arthurs place because of the promise he gave her to always protect Arthur.

She is the Queen; she, now that she has married Arthur and has been crowned, holds a position of power and authority in the court. A queen is often under threat, either from rivals or from external forces seeking to weaken the kingdom. The fourth season ended with Gwens coronation and it remains to be seen which sub-type of the Queen archetype she will embody. But an educated guess can be made - Gwen will, undoubtedly, be a benevolent Queen, a true companion and consort for Arthur and a Mother to her people. It would be surprising if the show explored the darker aspects of the Queen archetype - the loneliness and the constant vigilance to ensure her position of power remains unthreatened. While she is the obvious choice for Arthurs Anima, she doesnt take on that role very often. It can be argued that since Merlin already fills the position as Arthurs Anima, Gwen does not need to fulfill that role. When she does it, it is as a substitute for Merlin.

Morgana
Again, a warning. Morgana is my favourite character in the serial, even more than the titular wizard, Merlin and the great King Arthur. She is an incredibly complex character, wonderfully written and brilliantly acted. Morgana is based on the Morgan le Fay of legend, and it is obvious that she is meant to go to the dark side. But her journey into evil (an antithesis of the heros journey, if you will) is rather compelling. Morgana is Uthers ward and shares a very close relationship with Arthur; they constantly bicker but there is a strong undercurrent of affection in all their interactions. She is kind and generous; helping Merlin when he needs it and even going to Ealdor with him to help defend his home and his people. She is friends with Gwen, despite the vast difference in their stations and is never arrogant or brash, like Arthur. Uther loves her very much and she reciprocates the feeling; he is like a surrogate father-figure to her. Of course, we find out that she is his daughter and this does nothing but push her over the edge.

Morgana has powers, magical powers that scare and confuse her. She has no one to confide in and her dreams are getting more and more disturbing. Gaius and Merlin, whom she trusts implicitly, lie to her - for her own good, but she sees it as betrayal. It is not surprising that she finds a home in others like her, with less benevolent intentions than those of Merlin. The young Druid Mordred and the warlock Alvarr both use her for their own ends and the only true unconditional love she finds is that of her half-sister Morgause. For the first time, Morgana, who has been isolated, terrified, lied to and poisoned, finds someone who shows her unquestioning love and loyalty - her sister and a fellow sorceress. It is not a coincidence that after Morgauses death, Morgana really goes off the deep end. She is a villain, yes, she is trying to usurp Arthurs rightful throne and rule over a kingdom to which she has no right; yes, she has also shown terrible indifference to the number of people she will have to sacrifice in this endeavour but despite it all, Morgana is a rebel for a cause she believes in and a rebel against the tyrannical regime of a king who has committed genocide to absolve his own guilt. In a way, Morgana can be viewed as someone doing the wrong things for the right reason.

At a very superficial level, Morgana is the Princess. She is of noble birth, raised by royalty and is expected to do the things required of aristocratic women - marry into a good family and bear strong sons to carry on the family name. But, both, her headstrong nature and Uthers blind love for her have prevented this from happening. He would never force her to marry someone and she would never deem someone worthy of her (except maybe Arthur, at the very beginning). She is also a perfect example of the common saying, Daddys Little Princess, the connotations being that of a young girl, absolutely doted upon and brought up in beauty and abundance, which Morgana certainly is. Despite the modern, antifeminist connotations of the word, a true Princess looks out for others and cares about their welfare, which Morgana does quite a few times - she tries to warn Arthur about Sophia, goes to Ealdor to help Merlin, tries to help Gwens father escape. Morgana can also be called a Heroine, a female counterpart to the Hero, but not his consort.

In her role as the Villain, Morgana is the Destroyer. The archetypal cycle of life and death resonated with all of us; Morgana believes that the death of Uther (and later, Arthur) is the key to the birth of a world in which magic is held supreme and she holds the power that she deserves.

The shadow manifestation of the Destroyer is also present in Morgana, wherein destruction becomes an end in itself and one becomes enamored with ones own destructive power and addicted to it. She is also the Femme Fatale for Agravaine who is utterly devoted towards her. She might feel some affection for him, but she is manipulating him and using him for her own ends and when his usefulness has run out, she dismisses him. Morgan le Fay of legend was a powerful healer, who, after Arthurs final battle at Camlann bore him to Avalon. Morganas path to redemption might be through her reconciliation with Arthur, but that remains to be seen. But, Morgana can be seen as a Wounded Healer.

Morgana is a Priestess of the Old Religion; she is a Mystic initiated into its secrets and the powers that it has are open to her. She is a Witch, a powerful one, though not as powerful as Merlin. She is also the Queen, the darker aspect of the archetype - she trusts no one (except for Morgause, who is now dead) and is fighting to get what she considers her rightful place, the throne of Camelot.

Morgana is a Rebel, who is fighting against the tyrannical rule that Uther perpetuates. She is fighting for a cause that she believes in but the darker shades of the Archetype tend to overwhelm her. Her rebellion for a just cause soon gives way to a thirst for power and authority. It is possible that on becoming Queen, Morgana might resurrect the same kind of tyrannical rule, she fought against, in the first place. Morgana does have good intentions, but unluckily for her, that is what the road to hell is paved with.

Her relationship with Merlin is especially interesting - they are tentative friends in the beginning. This relationship soon turns to animosity followed by outright hostility. Morgana is Merlins Nemesis and the Shadow of his magical side. She considers Emrys her Nemesis - she does not know that Emrys is Merlins alter-ego - due to her prophetic dreams and the words of the Cailleach, He is your destiny and your doom.

Gaius, Uther, Agravaine, the Great Dragon

Gaius is the court-physician and a Father-figure to Merlin. He is a Warlock himself, and teaches Merlin that his magic must be a force for good. He is Merlins Mentor and Guide. He fits the mould of the Wise Old Man; he is also a Healer. He is a Wounded Healer because the betrayal of his friends and the Great Purge have taken its toll on him. He is old, wise, kind and provides counsel as well as supernatural assistance - his attack on Nimueh in Le Morte DArthur and on Morgause in The Coming of Arthur, for instance.

The Great Dragon, Kilgarrah, is also a Mentor to Merlin, though he is a Dark Mentor. He tries to destroy Camelot before Merlin binds him due to his being a Dragonlord. Since then, he has become a powerful ally. He is a Guide, he counsels Merlin and provides him supernatural assistance - even though his advice is, at times, rather cryptic and contradictory. He is the Narrator of the story and also adopts the archetype of the Storyteller. He is the Seer who prophesizes Arthurs and Merlins destinies and how they are inextricably linked.

Uther is a King, mostly benevolent and concerned for the welfare of his people but a Shadow King when it comes to magic users. He is a Tyrant then, who kills people for the crime of committing magic, even when they might be innocent or unable to control their magic. He is a loving but strict Father who holds his son to very high standards and expects him to fulfill them. His relationship with Morgana is much more lenient and he allows her a great deal of freedom. Uther is the darker aspect of the Lover; the loss of Ygraine has turned his respect of magic into venomous hatred and now, nothing can stop him from wanting to destroy every magic user within the walls of Camelot. He sacrifices his life to save Arthurs, thus ending his life, a Martyr. Agravaine is Arthurs uncle who unbeknownst to him, is working for Morgana. He is a Guide and Adviser to Arthur but is the shadow Mentor who is betraying him the whole time. He is juxtaposed as a Shadow Mentor with Gaius who is a true Mentor for both Arthur and Merlin. Though, in the beginning, it is not made clear why he is helping Morgana over his own flesh and blood nephew, we begin to suspect that he loves her - a guess confirmed by the final episodes of the season. He is hopelessly in love with Morgana, his lady, and is blind to her ambition and manipulation. He is a Lover, not a dark one per se, but one who is led to dark deeds because of

his love - it is not so much that he is a dark Lover, but that the object of his affections is dark. In the end, he dies for Morgana.

Balinor and Hunith

Balinor and Hunith are Merlins parents; Hunith has raised him but up until the second season, Merlin has no idea who his father is. Hunith is a typical Mother figure - kind, loving and who utterly dotes on her son. She is willing to sacrifice herself for him and loves him dearly. She also serves as a kind of Threshold Guardian who convinces Merlin to leave Ealdor for Camelot and embrace whatever life has in store for him. Balinor is an absent Father, but for the few short moments that he is able to treat Merlin like his son, he is a Mentor and a Guide. He is a Warrior and a Dragonlord.

Sophia, Vivian, Elena, Mithian and Freya

These are the women who play a role in Arthur and Merlins life - not as important as the ones played by Gwen and Morgana, but not to be disregarded either. Freyas contribution to Merlins story is especially important.

Sophia is a Sidhe who, along with her father has been banished from Avalon and wants to sacrifice Arthur in exchange for a repeal of the punishment. She enchants Arthur to fall in love with her and be willing to leave Camelot and his place as heir to be with her. She is important for two reasons: this is the first time that we come to realize Arthurs importance to the fairy world and the significance of his royal lineage and destiny, and, Merlins defeat of Sophia with its water motifs lends credence to the Divine Twins and Anima theories as mentioned above.

Vivian is a Princess and an utterly spoiled one at that - her only (but important) function in the plot is to allow Arthur and Gwen to accept and admit their feelings for each other.

Elena is possessed by a Shee who is plotting to kill Arthur; apart from that, she is a wonderful young Princess who is about to marry Arthur when he refuses - mainly because of his love for

Gwen. She graciously accepts the rejection and even wishes for a love like that for herself. Again, she is a plot device to intensify the Arthur/Gwen relationship.

Mithian is a Princess, but she is also a Queen - she is everything a Queen should be. She is beautiful, intelligent, gracious and kind with a snappy sense of humor. She is the kind of person who wants Merlin to like her, even though he is a servant, because she can see how important his approval is to Arthur. Gwen is Arthurs soul mate, yes, but Mithian had the potential to be an equally wonderful Queen.

Freya is different and the only one among the minor female characters to be associated with Merlin instead of Arthur. She is the first girl that she falls in love with, but their love is doomed right from the start. Freya is a young Druid girl who is trapped by a bounty hunter; Merlin helps her escape and they plan to run away together. This is not to be, and Freya dies from a wound inflicted by Arthur when she is the Beast. Merlin, grieving, lays her body to rest in a lake; Freya returns later as the Lady of the Lake to give Merlin the sword that he threw there after using it to defeat Tristan du Bois. She is not just a plot device, but a symbolic characters; the Lost Love that returns for redemption and assistance.

Nimueh, Mordred, Morgause

Nimueh is the primary Antagonist of the first season; she is the Antagonist, basically, because she tries to kill our Heroes, Arthur and Merlin. Like Morgana, her reasons are good; she wants to end the tyrannical regime of Uther which has oppressed and killed magic users for a long time. She is a Witch and a Priestess of the Old Religion. She was involved in the magic that led to Uthers wifes death and considers herself responsible for all that followed from that. She wants to be a sort of Shadow Mentor to Merlin, encouraging him to go dark side and use his powers to destroy Uther rather than protect him. Mordred is, according to legend, the one who will kill Arthur. In legend, of course, he is Arthurs son born of an incestuous union with Morgause/Morgan le Fay. Here, he is a Druid boy whose

father is executed. Morgana feels an intense bond with him and helps him escape. He is a Shadow Child, not dark yet, but destined to be so. Like I said above, he is not a Nemesis yet, more the promise of one. Morgause is Morganas half-sister; she is a Witch and a Priestess. She is also a Warrior (she defeats Arthur in combat) and a Femme Fatale (her relationship with Cendred is based on him securing his army for her, after which she has him killed.) She is a Mother figure for Morgana, the only one in her life who has been truly honest with her and shown her unflinching love and loyalty. She is also Morganas Mentor and Teacher; Dark Mentor, yes, because she and Morgana are our Villains but she is also the first person to make Morgana feel secure in herself and is thus, a good Mentor for her. Like Morgana, she can also be considered a Rebel and because she dies for her cause, a Martyr.

The Knights - Sir Lancelot, Sir Leon, Sir Gwaine, Sir Elyan and Sir Percival
The Knights, as a group, are Knights and Warriors, sworn to protect and defend the people of the realm and serve their King, Arthur. They embody the virtues of bravery, chivalry, loyalty and unflinching devotion to their King. Lancelots sacrifice to save Arthur in The Darkest Hour is just one of the examples of the Knights extraordinary courage and loyalty to the King.

It must be noted that, in the show, Lancelot is not as primary a character as he is in the romances. Lancelot is a peasant boy with all the virtues of a Knight; but, due to his humble birth he cannot become a Knight. He falls in love with Gwen, but understands that his love is not fully reciprocated. He knows Gwen cares about him, but on finding out that Arthur loves her, makes a graceful exit; he does this as an (unnamed) Knight for a King who has not been crowned yet. He is Merlins Friend and Secret-Keeper; he knows the secret of Merlins magic and protects him. After his death, he is brought back by Morgana as a shade to destroy Arthur and Gwens relationship and does succeed at that. He is finally laid to rest by Merlin and his last words are a poignant, Thank you.

Sir Leon is the only one of Arthurs Knights who is of noble birth and the only one who is already a Knight when the show begins. He is Arthurs second-in-command and is obviously respected, trusted and liked as seen by Arthurs and Uthers dismayed reactions at the news of his purported death. He is the only non-canonical Knight in the serial. Elyan is Gwens brother; and was a blacksmith, like her father. His character is generically a Knight and has not received much development. Percival is also one of the Knights that has not been given much character development; we know his family was killed by Cendreds Immortal Army and that he has a special affection for children and the weak, but not much more.

Sir Gwaine In the Welsh Arthurian legend, Gawain (or Gwalchmai) is Arthurs best and most famous knight. He never returns unsuccessful from a quest and is famed for his courtesy to guests and strangers. Geoffrey of Monmouth makes him an ideal warrior, hot-tempered but fearsome in battle and one of Arthurs chief commanders. Gawains role is that of the wise counselor and knight - the touchstone of morality - the standard by which all others are judged. But, in later romances, he was knocked off his pedestal, so to speak, to make the heroes look better. So by mid-thirteenth century, Gawain could be the ideal knight, a figure of burlesque comedy, a murderous villain, a hot-tempered feuder, a wise and loyal counselor or an unrepentant ladies man, all depending on the authors preference. The episode in which he is introduced, Gwaine," makes a wonderful addition to the long tradition of Gawain as both the most noble of knights and the opposite, by making Gwaine a noble, who has sworn off the privileges of being a noble to live as a commoner. Nobility is defined by what you do, not by who you are.xxi Almost every scene in this episode is concerned with class, and with eroding class distinctions. Lower-class characters are repeatedly recognized for qualities presumed to belong to the nobility - the tavern-keeper comments on Merlins attractiveness, Gwaine calls Gwen a princess and Arthur speaks of Gwaines noble heart. Gwaine is a breath of fresh air on this shownot only because, as hes the first good character to refuse outright to bide his time working for Uther (and implicitly accede to the class structure).

So far weve seen a lot of worthy commonersMerlin, Gwen, Lancelot, Willwhose inner nobility the show recognizes, but we havent yet had a noble character who recognizes that these examples are not merely rare exceptions, and that rank does not indicate worth as a general principle. But Gwaine believes strongly that the entire commoner/noble distinction is nonsense, and acts on his principles. For these reasons, Gwaine is the Visionary and a Rebel.

Although occasionally the hero of his own story, Gawain has most often functioned as a comparison character, one whose qualities cast those of other Arthurian characters in relief. Hes opposed to Lancelot (the two are sometimes viewed as champions for Arthur and Guinevere respectively), and there are a number of clunky parallels with the latter herehis apparent class, his attraction to Gwen, his banishment, the fact that Merlin reveals to him a secret hidden from his other friends. Gwaine has cast off his rank and class privilege permanently, as a way of life. In fact, hes so committed to the principle of nobility transcending class that he refuses to divulge his identity even when it means suffering punishments from which his rank would otherwise exempt him. He not only cleans boots with Merlin and (ultimately) accepts banishment, but refuses to speak up even when Uther threatens him with execution.

Gwaine is a Knight, but he is also a dashing Rogue and a charmer. He is the son of a knight (and, therefore, of noble birth) but only Merlin knows this about him. On the quest for the Fisher Kings trident, he is named by the dwarf Grettir as being one of the three that will unite Albion. He is the Strength to Arthurs Courage and Merlins Magic. He is someone who takes his vows very seriously; when Arthur is knighting them, the others are properly solemn but it is obvious that Gwaine is taking this commitment very, very sincerely. His Knights are significant to Arthur not just as Friends, Followers or Companions but also because, apart from Sir Leon, they were not trained by him and are not part of Uthers regime but Arthurs. He has found Kindred Spirits in them, who stand for what he believes in. They are a chance for Arthur to establish himself as a King, away from his fathers shadow.

Archetypal Themes in Merlin

The underlying theme of Merlin is that of life vs. death; life can only be given in exchange for death and Nimueh says as much. This need to maintain the balance is what starts Uthers Great Purge; in exchange for Arthurs life, Ygraine has to die. Ygraine cannot have a child and Uther asks Nimueh to grant him a son and an heir through magic. In the final episodes of season 1, Merlin must sacrifice himself for Arthurs life; Gaius tries to give his own life in exchange for Arthurs but Merlin kills Nimueh and thus, the balance of life and death is restored. In season 4, when the veil between worlds is torn open, it is done through a death, that of Morgause. The veil can only be closed by another death, Lancelots.

The Loss of Parents or an Absent Parental figure is also a recurring theme throughout the serial; none of the leads have grown up with both parents - Morgana is an orphan whose parents are both dead. Arthurs mother, Ygraine, is dead, Merlin has never met his father, Gwens mother is dead and Morganas parents are also dead. Morganas father, Gorlois, was an old and loyal friend of Uthers. This absence or loss is an important archetypal theme in many stories for the reason that through loss, the hero or heroine can find the inner strength to set out on a perilous journey. It is rare to find a Hero/Heroine who has been brought up by both of their real parents. There is also a recurrent colour motif in the show; the colours red, blue and purple are used for significant purposes. In the main promotional material for the show, Uther and Arthur are wearing red signifying their royalty and anti-magic stance while Gaius and Morgana are in blue emphasising their connections to magic. Merlin is wearing red and blue, signifying his presence in both worlds as a magic user and also a part of the royal household who is supposed to be antimagic. This use of colours is an effective way of showcasing the dual life that Merlin must lead. The colour purple has long been associated with royalty and Morgana wears it often during the first season; it signifies her place in the royal household and is connected to her expectation that she will, one day, marry Arthur and be queen. Gwen never wears it in the first season as she is not romantically inclined towards Arthur and there are no signs of her becoming queen. In the second season, as Morgana becomes more and more disillusioned with Uther and his court, she stops wearing purple as a sign that she does not want to be part of a royal household any more.

Gwen wear violet, (a milder form of purple), signifying her desire to be Arthurs queen now that they are in love. When Morgana actively starts trying to usurp the throne, she begins wearing purple again emphasising her royal ambitions while Gwen also wear purple, relating her status as the Crown Princes beloved. Gwen, when she officially becomes Arthurs betrothed, almost exclusively wears purple and it is no coincidence that her coronation gown is purple.

Tarot and Merlin Tarot cards are based on what are supposed to be universal symbolsarchetypes that are both present across cultures and in our subconscious minds. A greater awareness of archetypal symbols can help illuminate patterns and make sense of things. My focus here is solely on the suits of the Minor Arcana: Pentacles, Swords, Wands, and Cups.xxi The Minor Arcana is said to be the precursors of modern playing cards, and each of the four suits represents a specific set of elements, qualities, and archetypal forms.

Pentacles: The suit of pentacles represents the earth, the physical plane, what is solid and "real." It's often interpreted as reward, fertility, abundancethe fruit of your own labours. For this reason coins may also be used for this suit. Interestingly, both pentacles and their representation as money/coins are rare in Camelot. The only time commerce comes up at all is in "To Kill a King" when Tauren and his men pay Tom and mention that they need gold to mount their insurrection. But Arthur and Merlin are supposed to be two sides of the same coin, so thats where this symbolism is grounded.

Swords: Swords are all over our Camelot. Their prevalence underscores that Camelot is a place of strugglewe see that, both, in contests with other lands and between champions being tested in tournaments.

In tarot readings, swords represent struggle and conflict; they typically represent negative qualities or foretell doom. They also represent ideas: mental capacity and abstraction. At their best they denote incisive mental qualities and the ability to slice through difficult situations to

see the truth; at their worst, they represent paralyzing obsessions and self-doubt. After more than twenty years on the throne, Uther has lost the power of his ideashe's forgotten what made Camelot great. Worse, he's been paralyzed by one idea in particular: his fear of magic. As Morgana points out, he sees enemies everywhere. It means that when push comes to shove, he's not a very good king.

In a tarot reading, a single sword represents force, especially of the intellect. It may signify a need for mental focus and clarity in making a choice, or the ability to know the difference between right and wrong. Excalibur can be seen as the test of judgment for both the Uther and Arthur of the legends. When we first meet the Prince he's using not swords but throwing daggersperhaps a sign that his thoughts at this point are immature. At this point, no one would mistake Arthur for a Kingespecially not Merlin, who even neglects to give him his sword before the tournament in "Valiant."

Merlin's (and our) impression of Arthur changes through the serial. "Excalibur" offers another good example, as he's pulled between the brute force that he's relied on ("no one is unbeatable") and the more sane thought that going up against the Black Knight isn't smart. As Arthur brandishes his sword, Merlin tries to talk reason and explicitly makes the connection between swords and the intellect: "You're more than that; you're not merely a warrior. You're a prince, a future king. You've proved your courage, but you must prove your wisdom."xxi

But we can also see how swords are present when Arthur thinks deeply. One can almost imagine the time he spends sharpening them or sparring with them as a Zen-like respite for him to collect himself. In a scene from "The Moment of Truth," for example, Arthur is sharpening his blade, but not reallyhis thoughts are elsewhere. His hesitation with the whetstone is a poignant reflection of his doubt over leading the untrained villagers into battle.

Wands: Wands or staffs are associated with the element of fire, and are sometimes represented as a serpent or dragon. In a tarot reading they represent actionwhat is going to happen. Creativity and growth some of the positive aspects of staffs; the inverse may indicate pride and wilfulness. Like pentacles, wands don't play a huge part in the daily life of Camelot. We see

them most frequently in the form of torches when Merlin makes his way down to visit the great dragon. When they do appear, they're in the form of staffs used by the enemies who are acting against Camelot in some way: Aulfric and Sophia, Tauren and his men, and even Anhora as he tests Arthur.

But there are two other uses of this symbol that are particularly significant. One of my favourite images in "The Mark of Nimueh" is this one of Arthur, with sword in one hand, torch in the other. Valiant," the episode that preceded this one, focused almost exclusively on Arthur's strength with swords; we saw that he truly was Camelot's champion. Now he finds that he's going to need more than that. The role that Merlin plays in battling the afanc is also extremely significant. Merlin may not have a staff of his own yet, but as he calls up his magic and focuses on the torch Arthur holds, the effect is the same. It's in Arthur's hands that his power is realised. I find this an incredibly potent symbol that aligns well with the legends. In Arthur, Merlin will be able to come into his own and use his magic to its full potential; in Merlin, Arthur will find the power he needs to become a great king.

Cups: There is no denying that cups are an extremely common element in Merlin. We see them everywhere: from the royal banquets to Gaius' humble quarters. We especially see them in moments of high emotion: note that Uther has goblet in hand when Nimueh comes to him, and that Arthur has his when Merlin comes to say goodbye in the final episode of season 1. Cups are as ever-present as swords, although perhaps less noticeable for all that. Where swords are active (a phallic and masculine symbol), cups represent the passive (or "feminine" - the receptacle). As vessels they are receptive, holding feelings, emotions, and desires. In tarot readings, they represent emotions, relationships, and love. The ace of cups is a symbol of heart opening; it's interpreted as the beginning of a new cycle or the start of a new friendship. Merlin and Arthur are enemies in the first episode, move to master-servant in the second, and then to grudging respect in the third. But as Merlin raises his cup to Arthur and drinks the poisoned wine, their relationship is elevated to a much higher level, one which sets the stage for the sacrifices they'll make for each other in the future.

In "The Poisoned Chalice" Arthur makes the decision to go out of concern for an individual someone he didn't even like just a short time ago, and someone his father notes is "worth less" than he is. Here we see the best in Arthur coming through, the person who would risk his life to save that of a lowly servant. On the flipside, we have Merlin, semi-conscious and unable to control his magic, yet still maintaining a connection with Arthur. He thought Arthur an idiot before; now he's willing not only to die for him but, more importantly, to live for him and guide him with his magic.

Finally, in "Le Morte d'Arthur," we see the cycle of connection and sacrifice that began in "The Poisoned Chalice" come full circle. This time it's Arthur on the brink of death as Merlin not only proclaims that his life is worth less but quantifies it: Arthur's is worth a hundred of his. Here the cup is presented in its purest form; it is the vessel or receptacle that imbues water with sacred power. Nimueh introduces it as the cup of life, blessed by centuries of powerful sorcerers so that it contains the very secret of life itself. In the context of Merlin, it also might be suggestive of the Holy Grail that appears later in Arthurian legend. Although the legends surrounding the Holy Grail vary significantly, its life-restoring powers are fairly common. Even more pervasive is the idea that those in the presence of the Grail must be deemed worthy. That adds extra weight to Nimueh's claim that she only tried to kill Merlin before she understood his importance.

Unlike Nimueh, who had to rely on the vessel to imbue the rainwater with restorative powers, Merlin has the ability to extend the cup's power to the falling rain itself. He's powerful, but at the same time I think the presence of the cup indicates the limit of his powerthe chalice (and the blessings of the powerful sorcerers before) was necessary for this life to be restored.

In analysing these elements through the four suits, we can see distinct patterns emerging: the growth of relationships and emotional bonds, the struggle to balance thought and deed, the alliances that help each character grow to full potential, and the cycles or character arcs that hopefully will continue to spiral into the future.

ROBIN HOOD
Im Robin Hood, I steal from the rich and give to the poor... Wont you do your part, kind sir?

Robin Hood is a BBC series that began airing in 2006 and was on the air for three seasons, ending in 2009. It is based on the legend of Robin Hood with a few minor tweaks here and there (most notably the increased importance of Guy of Gisborne, a minor characters in the original legends.) Robin is a nobleman, the Earl of Huntington, who returns to England in 1193 after a few years spent in King Richards service in the Crusades. It stars Jonas Armstrong as Robin Hood, Lucy Griffiths as Lady Marian, Keith Allen as Sheriff Vaizey, Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne, Harry Lloyd as Will Scarlett, Joe Armstrong as Allan a Dale, Gordon Kennedy as Little John, Sam Troughton as Much and Anjali Djay as Djaq.

The minor differences from the well-known story were the omission of Friar Tuck (who was introduced in season 3 as a black Warrior-Priest), Robin Hoods gang is never referred to as the Merry Men, only the outlaws and Maid Marian turned into something of a Warrior/Action Girl herself by taking on the alter-ego of the Night Watchman. The shows protagonist is, of course, Robin Hood, who has returned to England after five years fighting in the Third Crusade as part of the King's Guard. He is shocked to find the Sheriff of Nottingham, Vaizey, running the town with an iron fist upon his return. Robin is soon made an outlaw, and takes it upon himself to steal from the rich to feed the poor along with his gang, which consists of his best friend Much; two young men he saved from hanging, Will Scarlett and Allan A Dale; the ex-leader of another gang, Little John; and another young man named Roy (short for "Royston White"), who is killed in episode four, and replaced in episode five by Djaq, a Saracen girl hiding under the alias of her dead brother. The gang live as outlaws in Nottingham Forest, helping the people of the villages in and around Nottingham while the Sheriff and Guy try to apprehend them but are outwitted at every turn. The gang are aided by a mysterious figure

named the Night Watchman, who is later revealed to be Lady Marian, a young noblewoman who Robin was betrothed to before he left for the Holy Land. Robin is pleased to find that Lady Marian is still unmarried. Their relationship seems to be on the verge of rekindling on several occasions; however, she is trapped by the hold that the Sheriff's second in command, Sir Guy of Gisborne, has over her. Guy often puts Marian in difficult situations where she has to be with him to help the people she loves. On more than one occasion, she agrees to marry him in order to save Robin and the outlaws but is always saved from actually going through with it by the timely interference from Robin. The primary villain is the Sheriff, who plots to kill King Richard with the help of Gisborne and the Black Knights. He constantly tries to capture or kill Robin and the rest of the outlaws, for continuously interfering in his scheme to take over England. But is either unable to capture them or is unable to hold onto them once he manages to catch them. In the second series, the outlaws continue to help people. Robin and Marian's relationship grows stronger, they vow to get married and when Marian's father is killed, she comes to live with Robin in the forest. We also see Will and Djaq grow closer and fall in love. Allan a Dale, one of Robin's trusted men, is captured by Gisborne and tortured. He agrees to turn informer on the gang in exchange for money. The season follows his moral dilemmas as he tries to balance his loyalty to the gang with his greed for the money Gisborne is giving him. When the gang finds out about his betrayal, he becomes Gisborne's right-hand man but redeems himself by helping the gang escape certain death when they are trapped in a barn. He goes with them to the Holy Land so they can find King Richard and inform him of the outrages taking place under his name. But Gisborne and the Sheriff reach before them and convince the King that Robin and his men are traitors. Though the gang escape, things take a dark turn when Gisborne confronts Marian about her betrayal of him. She professes that she loves Robin and always will; on hearing that, mad with grief and rage, Gisborne kills her. The season ends with Robin, still in deep mourning over Marian, and the gang (minus Will and Djaq who opted to stay in the Holy Land) returning to England to continue their good work. The third season introduces Guys sister, Isabella, Friar Tuck, Prince John and a peasant girl named Kate. The third season received consistently low ratings and the show was cancelled soon

after. The third season ends with Robins death, and his half-brother Archer taking over his role, making Robin Hood a Legacy Character instead of a particular individual. Archetypes work best when there are many sources that they stem from; this certainly holds true for Robin Hood. The earliest version, dated to sometime in the 12th century, details the adventures of a yeoman called Robyn Hode. There have been many other versions after this, but there are four that most Robin Hood historians hold to be the closest to the earlier version. Hood stories were written into ballads and sung at fairs and weddings; the surprising thing is that they were as popular among the rich aristocrats as among the poor. The BBC version of Robin Hood stays more or less true to the original folktale as we know it; the stylization of the series is rather modern, though. The language is contemporary and there are many anachronistic plot discrepancies (e.g. Marian practicing Tai-Chi; an art not invented at the time) but that does not take away from the core story which Robin and his band of outlaws.

Robin Hood: In Legend and Literature

The Robin Hood legends form part of a corpus of outlaw stories which date from around the reign of King John. Two other key outlaws, Fulk fitzWarin and Eustace the Monk, were historical figures whose lives can be clearly identified at this time, but Robin Hood himself is much more problematical. What is striking about these stories is that they reveal that, in an age when the Rule of Law was respected as the foundation of good government, those who put themselves outside the law had become popular heroes. This is in complete contrast to public perceptions of the outlaw at the beginning of King Henry II's reign, and shows that the existing order had come to be regarded as tyrannical. Tyranny was the abuse of law. If the existing order was founded on the capricious will of evil men who could twist the law to their own ends, it was the role of the outlaw to seek redress and justice by any other means available. In a violent age, these means were invariably violent. Robin Hood and his contemporaries were cunning, merciless and often brutal; but by the codes of their time, they were also honourable.

The origins of the Robin Hood legend are very obscure. The first literary reference to Robin Hood comes from a passing reference in Piers Plowman, written sometime around 1377, and the main body of tales date from the fifteenth century. These are found in the tales of Robin Hood and the Monk (c.1450); The Lyttle Geste of Robyn Hode (written down c.1492-1510, but probably composed c.1400); and the C17th Percy Folio, which contains three C15th stories: Robin Hoode his Death, Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne and Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar. Though searching for a "real Robin Hood" is not a productive line of inquiry, the literary record places the fictional character in several historical contextsagain contributing to the tradition's discordance. Thus, though Robin Hood has been and continues to be associated with the forests of northern England, there is no medieval or early modern basis for exclusively identifying a single forest with the tradition. For example, Sherwood Forest, which contemporary audiences consider central to the tradition, is named in only one of the four earliest surviving Robin Hood ballads, Robin Hood and the Monk (c. 1450), and in a collection of grammar texts, In all these tales, the forest figures prominently. The forest in the Middle Ages included very extensive areas of cultivated land as well as wood and waste land. They were the private preserve of the king and his officers, and were protected by a harsh series of forest laws, against which there could be no appeal - not even to the ecclesiastical courts. Forest law was extremely unpopular, among all sections of society, but it achieved its purpose of retaining vast areas of semi-wild landscape over which the king and his court could hunt. Yet the very wildness of the land made it a perfect place for fugitives to hide out, and this is why areas such as Sherwood Forest and Barnsdale feature so prominently in outlaw legend. The Early Robin Hood Modern audiences, expecting a merry outlaw clad in green gamboling through the summer forest, are often shocked by ballads like Robin Hood and the Monk. The Robin Hood of this ballad is an unlovable figure, one whose religious devotion is matched by puerile whining and brash actions. John is far more heroic and central to the poem than Robin; the majority of the action centers on John's efforts to free Robin from the Sheriff's prison. Even John, however, is not without flaws that present contemporary audiences with a serious moral dilemma: John and Much murder a monk and his young page as part of their campaign to free Robin, steal their

victims' identities, deceive the King, and lie and fight their way into the Sheriff's stronghold to eventually free Robin. The actions of John and Much reflect their leader's own attitudes, a codependency which Robin acknowledges by offering John leadership of the outlaw band. Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne, however, is by far the most disturbing of the early ballads. After Robin has a dream vision, he and John encounter the strange figure of Sir Guy, a man clad in a whole horsehide. Robin and John separate; Robin engages Guy in a long and bloody swordfight, which ends when he beheads his opponent, and disfigures and verbally abuses the corpse. The ballad is particularly unsettling in its graphic, uncompromising depiction of Robin's savage treatment of his opponent which, combined with the narrative skips which the ballad genre frequently demands, results in a story that is rarely retold in its entirety. The two other early ballads, Robin Hood and the Potter and A Gest of Robyn Hode, depict versions of Robin that are very different from his characterization in Monk and Gisborne. Robin is more a slyly engaging trickster and brawler in Potter than the violent and abrasive brigand of Monk and Gisborne; in A Gest, Robin is less involved in the story action and more of an authority figure. Robin's social status is more ambiguous in A Gest than in any of the early ballads; his behavior is also more noble and courtly, and it is in this story that the theme of wealth redistribution begins to develop. Thus, the Robin of A Gest is the medieval variation that resonates best with modern audiences and their expectations of the legend. Howard Pyle's 1883 book The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood of Great Renown in Nottinghamshire and Reginald De Koven's 1890 light opera Robin Hood established Robin Hood as an English, and American, national hero. Both works were widely available in England and America, to say nothing of other English-speaking countries; and the figure of Robinstout, bearded, wearing tights, tunic, and feathered cap, laughing his way through adventuresfinally began to form. The demand for psychological depthor at least, more depth than previously displayedemerged, undoubtedly in response to the growing influence of the novel. Robin Hood's status as a figure of folklore and low culture, however, restrained the character; because so many people had become familiar with the character at such an early age, firmly establishing in their minds an extensive list of traits and requirements that Robin Hood needed to meet to be

considered properly "Robin Hood," yet simultaneously always eager for more tales and stories, character development was inevitably handicapped. The Modern Robin Hood The commercially viable Robin Hoodrestrained by tradition to Sherwood Forest during the middle of the Angevin era of the Plantagenet dynasty, armed with longbow and broadsword, devoted to Maid Marian, generally of the gentry if not of the nobility, and a laughing, roguish leader of a band of noble robberswas the Robin Hood that the early twentieth century inherited, and propagated through film. It is noted that the "potency of the Robin Hood story in the cinema is revealed by a simple but dramatic statistic: five Robin Hood films were made before 1914". Robin Hood, embodied by an actor, was not new to the dramatic tradition; rather, the novelty was in the availability of a single, consolidated image. Earlier plays and dramas were traditionally very local, or limited by commercial concerns for theatrical productions. The theatrical attraction to the iconic Robin Hood of the late nineteenth century did not encourage further character development. Though each actor who has played Robin Hood has left an indelible mark on the character and influenced his successors profoundlyfor example, Errol Flynn's laughing swashbuckler draws deeply from Pyle's drawings and Douglas Fairbanks' posing; likewise Kevin Costner's prince of thieves draws as much on Flynn as on Richard Greenethe variations are always minor. Robin Hood was given more depth, not through his own merits or development, but by the investment in deepening the characters that surround him: Little John, the Sheriff, the Merry Men, Marian, and Tuck, to name only a few, all grew significantly, in part because Robin himself could not. The development of these figures into characters allowed Robin to retain his static characteristics while still engaging his audience. Nearly seven centuries after his first appearance in literature, Robin Hood continues to significantly influence culture, and is less a character than a wide-ranging cultural force. Development of a Popular Hero

It seems as though every schoolchild knows who Robin Hood is: a noble outlaw in Sherwood Forest who fights the oppressive evil of Prince (or King) John by robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. The earliest appearances of Robin are at odds with this romantic notion, as Robin is a violent yeoman who steals from the dishonest and helps those whom he pleases. Perhaps the one constant feature of the legend is his placement in the center of England, in the Sherwood and Barnsdale area. This first case presents some of the venues in which Robin Hood appears. The earliest tales of Robin Hood largely focus on Robin encountering someone in the forest, and either fighting with them or inviting them to dine, after which they would be asked to pay for their dinner. These tales were often collected in books called garlands. During the Tudor period, Robin was gentrified by Anthony Munday, in his two plays The Downfall of Robert, Earle of Huntington and The Death of Robert, Earle of Huntington (both 1601). Today, most people first encounter Robin through films or childrens books, like Howard Pyles work. Although various texts and performances appeared in the early modern period, the nineteenth century featured an explosion in the popularity of Robin Hood. Authors like Joseph Ritson (1795), Sir Walter Scott and Thomas Love Peacock (both 1820), and Pierce Egan (1838) all featured Robin Hood in their works, either momentarily (as in Scott), or as a featured character, and the period ends with Pyle (1883) starting a new trend in Robin Hood stories. Robins appeal was not limited to novels, though, and this century saw a number of plays, operas, and songs featuring the outlaw. Ritson published Robin Hood: A Collection of all the Ancient Poems, Songs and Ballads, now extant, relative to that celebrated Outlaw in 1795. This collection of tales showed more sensitivity to the original works and used more scholarly notes than versions of the Robin Hood tales previously published. It was a big hit and kindled a new interest in Robin Hood. After the great success of Howard Pyles work, and continuing the trends of the last century, the early twentieth century saw further expansion of Robin Hoods appearances. By this time, Robins motives have been made truly heroic: his villains are truly villainous, and Robin is portrayed as a moral figure who fights injustice. Most authors identify Robin as the dispossessed noble of the Tudor period, and this adds purpose to his rebellion. There are no inherent sexual connotations in the tale (such as lust, adultery, and revenge in Arthurian literature), and the tale itself generally ends with the overthrow of oppression and the redemption of the heroes.

The familiarity of Robins story lent itself easily to serial publications as well as opening the legend up to reinterpretations. Soldiers especially liked the comic format, as it weighed little and was easily circulated in the field. Some authors, such as Geoffrey Trease, used Robin to make political statements for an adult audience, while other authors, such as Louis Rhead, creating illustrated childrens texts. Robin Hood has been a consistent presence in the history of film. Although he is not as popular a figure as some others, every generation has had a Robin Hood film, and nearly every film has been popular and profitable. He also quickly moved to television. Robins popularity in these visual media is easily explained. The simplicity of Robins motives appeals to a wide audience, and the action-orientation of the story allows for great visual spectacle. It is also very adaptable; it is easy to present on the stage and screen, as there are no transformations, no special effects, no expensive costumes or sets necessary to tell the story of the outlaw hero. The basic plot itself is well-known, and the adaptability of the story lends itself well to different audiences. As audiences have changed, Robin has been able to reflect those changes without losing his essential characteristics. In the twentieth century, scholars started to pay more attention to popular culture, regarding it as a proper venue for academic study. Over his long career, Robin Hood has been adopted and adapted into nearly every aspect of popular culture. Robin has truly become an icon of popular culture, appearing in toys, comics, jewelry, and ephemera. The foreign language books presented here further illustrate the spread of Robin, a distinctly English hero, into other cultures. Despite his connection to a specific period in English history, Robins appeal goes far beyond the limitations, and his continued life as a popular, legendary hero is assured.

Archetypal Analysis of Characters Robin Hood

Noted historian Vanessa Greatorex put forth the notion that Robin Hood might have been created as an archetype, or that he might have been an amalgamation of several historical figures.

Robin is the archetypal Outlaw, as well as a traditional Willing Hero. While Robin Hood does not fit the Campbellian idea of the hero and his journey, he is, nevertheless, the Hero. He faces a series of obstacles to get what he desires: a marriage with Marian and for King Richard to realize the extent of the Sheriffs brutality. He only partly succeeds in both; he is unable to marry Marian before her death but they do have a spiritual marriage, of sorts. Though King Richard recognizes Robin as a true subject and applauds his loyalty, the Crusades demand his whole attention and he is unable to truly help Robin. Robin is a Warrior, not sworn to protect or defend, but doing it for the sake of the common people, living miserable lives under the Sheriffs tyrannical rule. He is a skilled fighter and a brilliant swordsman; but his main skill lies in his archery. Robin is a magnificent archer, and his arrows will always reach where he wants them to. This archetype also includes Robin being a Rescuer; most episodes revolve around Robin and his gang having to go into Nottingham to rescue someone. The Robin Hood archetype is used to depict other archetypes such as the Thief, the Burglar and the Con Artist. The Thief is thought of as a nocturnal, hooded figure who slips silently into places and takes what he wants. In the hierarchy of thievery, the most respected is the Jewel Thief, associated with glamour, class, and sophistication. The Good Thief steals on behalf of others, as in the case of Robin Hood, and appears to be relieved of all wrongdoing because of his benevolent motive to be of service to others, but often that is just a rationalization. He is also an Aristocrat, the Earl of Huntington and the Lord of Locksley; he gives up a life of ease, wealth and comfort to live like an outlaw because he disagrees with the Sheriffs rule. Guy cannot comprehend why someone would give up a life of aristocracy to be an outlaw. Robin is also like a Father to the gang, though, by no means, is he a perfect father. He can be brash, insensitive and domineering but he also genuinely cares about them and protects them. He plays a nurturing parental role to Will who has just lost his family, to Djaq who is uprooted from her land and even to Allan, who has led a life that has been pretty much devoid of all parental and familial affection.

He is a Playful Lover to Marian, and after her death, he is a Dark Lover who is obsessed with the idea of revenge and is fixated on her memory. He is one part of the Divine Couple along with Marian, though they are never joined in marriage but as he is dying, he sees her and it is implied that they will be together forever in the afterlife. While Robin is firmly entrenched on the side of good, he is a Rebel and an Anarchist. He is rebelling and is deliberately disloyal to the Sheriff and, by implication, his King. He is an Outlaw and is wreaking havoc on the city of Nottingham as controlled by the Sheriff and Guy. Robin also has a special Weapon, his Saracen bow, a remnant of his time spent at Acre in the Holy Land fighting the Crusades. This is a deliberate differentiation from the traditional longbow that most other Robin Hoods carry.

Sir Guy of Gisborne

Guy of Gisborne is the anti-Hero and, at times, the Villain, though he shifts between the two quite a few times. He is unwilling to sacrifice children for the Sheriffs plan, but has no qualms about leaving his infant son in the woods to, presumably, meet the same fate. Perhaps, the difference is that he is unwilling to strike the killing blow himself, but has no problem with nature doing his work for him. Guy is an antihero, and in some sections of fandom, he is more popular than Robin. While some of this can be attributed to penchant for bad boys or as the creator of the show, Dominic Minghella, puts it, Sometimes, women like em a little rough,xxi there are layers and shades to the character that have won many people over. Like Annie, a young girl who is madly in love with him says, He has a different side - a side he cannot show.xxi He is never Redeemed; the show sets this up very well - it seems to be following the trope of how a love can awaken the good in people but Guy kills the woman he loves after finding out that she is in love with someone else. He is a Dark Lover; he feels an immense amount of guilt and says that he, destroyed the only thing I ever loved. He makes repeated claims that his world will turn to ash without Marian and after murdering her, spends the rest of the show

guilt-ridden over her death. He even begs Robin to kill him, but Robin refuses because he believes that the worst punishment for Guy is to force him to live with his guilt. He doesnt even have any hope that he will meet her in the afterlife. It is important to note that winning Marians love and her hand in marriage is his motivation for most of his actions in the series; he believes that she is his only chance for redemption. He even admits as much, I have committed crimes... heinous crimes. But by taking Lady Marian in holy wedlock, I will wash away those crimes.xxi He is a Follower to the Sheriff; more a lackey than a right-hand man, though his importance to the Sheriff varies wildly from episode to episode. From the above archetype, we can now look at the archetype of the Dragon which, along with the Lover, is the archetype that defines Guy. The Dragon is the Main Antagonist (the Big Bads) top enforcer; Some Dragons are ferocious fighters who leave the heavy thinking to the boss. Others are smart, detail-oriented administrators who oversee the day-to-day running of the evil organization. Either way, defeating the Big Bad almost always requires the hero to overcome the Dragon first. A common but by no means universal theme is to have the Dragon pose a physical challenge to the hero, while the Big Bad poses a mental or moral challenge. This is certainly true of Guy and the Sheriff; Guy is the one who engages Robin in physical combat while the Sheriff is the one who plots and plans to defeat Arthur. The Dragon will occasionally commit a Heel Face Turn when confronted by the heroes. If he does so, the chances are very good that he will end up killing the Big Bad when the heroes cannot bring themselves to do so; often by joining the villain in death as a final act of redemption. He tries to kill the Sheriff when he realizes that the Sheriffs insanity has reached its brink and is killed by his sister, Isabella, whom he has mistreated and tortured for years. He finds an odd sort of redemption in death when he admits to Robin that he has wasted his life and is now ready to face death with dignity. The Dragon is somebody the primary Villain can rely on (or thinks they can rely on) in a time of trouble to step up and defeat the Hero , or maybe just take charge for a while, should the Villain not be around to do the job.

Lady Marian

Marian is the Heroine, the female counterpart to the Hero, Robin Hood. She is a Warrior in her own right, with her alter-ego being the Night Watchman, a mysterious, hooded figure who has been helping the people of Nottingham long before Robin and his gang arrived on the scene. She is a Noble and was betrothed to Robin before he left for the Holy Land. She is the Shapeshifter when she betrays Guy over and over again by pretending to be kind and show affection for him when she is actually just trying to glean information for Robins sake; she is, thus, a false friend. This is subverted, in the fact, that she does not particularly seem to enjoy deceiving Guy and, sometimes, shows signs of real feelings for him. Choices are very important for Marian, she says, Everythings a choice, everything we do.xxi This is one of the reasons she chooses Robin over Guy; she respects Robins choice to give up his title and position for the sake of the people while she cant reconcile the tenderness that Guy often shows her with his choice to, unquestioningly, follow the Sheriffs every order. Maid Marian is a, relatively, later addition to the legend of Robin Hood. In earlier versions, Robin is devoted to the Virgin Mary and this was later adapted into the character of Maid (Virgin) Marian. Marian, in this show, is clearly a virgin; when Guy asks her if she has given herself to God, she replies that she hasnt given herself to anyone. Guy also remarks that she must be the least easily won woman in England.xxi This is something that also forms a part of her death; she is wearing the kind of long, flowing white dress that would be worn by the sacrifice during virgin sacrifices. She dies and becomes the object of a long and intense obsession for Guy and Robin that eventually leads to their deaths.

The Sheriff of Nottingham

The Sheriff is the Big Bad, the primary Antagonist and Villain on the show. Guy is his Dragon and Vaizey is an outright, unrepentant villain. He, once, tells a villager that, Underneath this harsh surface, is more harsh surface.xxi He does not have many layers; his evil is undisguised and out in the open for the whole word to see.

He is more of a Planner and a Strategizer rather than a Fighter. He is a Bureaucrat and a Tyrant, ruling over Nottingham and its people with an iron fist. He tends to focus on trivialities and seems to spend his days dreaming up new ways to oppress and torture his people. The rivalry between Robin and the Sheriff has never been particularly personal, he exists because Robin needs a foe who typifies local and national governmental corruption, indicating both personal failings and systemic problems. In earlier versions the Sheriff is never even given a name, which is changed in this version - the Sheriffs name is given to us as Vaizey. It is generally supposed that, in modern productions, the Sheriffs second-in-command steals the show unless the Sheriff is played by a talented actor and is portrayed as off-the-rails insane as is Alan Rickmans Sheriff in Robin Hood: The Prince of Thieves. Allens Sheriff is much more menacing and unpredictable than his precursors and also holds his own against Armitages Guy. He is vicious and unstable, similar to Rickmans Sheriff, but different because he is not insane just diabolical.

Allan a Dale
Allan is an unrepentant Thief, Swindler and Con Artist; he makes his living by hustling people in taverns and has to be pulled on to the (relatively) straight-and-narrow by Robin and the gang. He never purports to be a good person, instead relying on his charm and wit to get him through life. As an opportunistic thief, con-artist, pick-pocket and compulsive liar, this Allan strays far from his traditional role as a minstrel. The only outlaw that has no personal investment in the cause that Robin Hood is fighting (and often pointing out that as a poor person himself, he should have a share of any stolen goods) Allan sticks around just for the fun of it or perhaps for want of anything better to do. In early season two he is approached by Guy of Gisborne and coerced into becoming a spy. After a short stint as The Mole, he is found out and openly joins Guy as his right-hand man. He later redeems himself, and rejoins the gang. He is unashamed of his choice to join Guy, only repenting the betrayal of his friends and not the cause. He justifies it by saying, I know which side my bread is buttered on, and complaining to Robin that he gets all the glory and the girl - Youre always in the sun, and Im always in the shade.xxi This is his role as a Shapeshifter.

He is close Friends with Will and has a budding romantic relationship with Djaq that does not lead anywhere; Djaq is the one who whole-heartedly believes in his ability to redeem himself and make the right choice. She tells him emphatically, You are a good man, Allan a Dale.xxi He fulfills the contemporary archetypes of Jerk with a Heart of Gold and Loveable Rogue as well. He shares a fraught relationship with his brother and is deeply disappointed when his brother is executed as there is no hope for reconciliation.

Will Scarlett
An apprentice carpenter in Locksley, Wills mother died of starvation in the attempt to keep Will and his little brother alive, and his father lost his hand after taking the punishment for his children when they steal food to eat. The youngest member of the gang at eighteen, Will joins the gang after Robin saves him from hanging and due to his deep hatred of the Sheriff, something that can often cause his low-simmering temper to rise up. The most sensible, moral and sensitive member of the gang, Will falls in love with Djaq and decides to stay with her in the Holy Land at the conclusion of season two. His sensitivity and sensible nature leads him to often being termed the Chick in the gang of outlaws. He is an Orphan with a lack of a Parental figure; he loses both his parents due to the Sheriffs cruelty. He has a deep and abiding hatred of the Sheriff and puts the gang in danger due to his need to take revenge on the Sheriff. He is a Big Brother and Mentor to his brother, Luke. He is a Follower and a Companion as well.

Much
Robins faithful manservant who accompanies him to the Holy Land and who is promised an Earldom by Robin on their return to England. Disappointed at the loss of Bonchurch Estate and all the comforts that it entails, but too devoted to Robin to do anything but follow him into Sherwood, Much is simultaneously the most loyal and most reluctant member of the gang. He is a Follower, in every sense of the word. He follows Robin all the way to Acre and on his return, follows him into the forest as well.

He is Robins most faithful and devoted Companion and his closest Friend; Robin tells him, You are already more of a man than I will ever be. And my best friend.xxi Much is the Caretaker of the Group, the mother-hen, if you will. He is also a Manchild who is made fun of in his role as the Fool. This frustrates him and sometimes, he cant help but say things like, I know thats what you think. Much talks too much. And eats too much. Worries too much. Its easy for you to say because if I dont do it, then who does?xxi

Djaq
Following in the newer tradition of having a Saracen character join Robin Hoods gang, Djaq is also the first female to hold the honour. Contributing her skills as a physician, scientist, linguist and swordswoman to the team, she is also important to the gang due to the genuine affection she had for her fellow outlaws, and her role as Adviser and Counselor. Apart from being a minor plot point, Djaqs gender is never mentioned or paid much heed to; Much remarks, Apart from being a girl, Djaqs one of the lads.xxi She is a Healer, a Companion and a Friend. She is also the Lover to Will and they both opt to stay together in the Holy Land. She is, like the other outlaws, a Warrior. She is a Fighter capable of taking care of herself; she is never a Damsel in Distress. Once, when she is captured by the Sheriff, she manages to escape and finds out that the members of the gang sent to rescue her have gotten themselves captured. This exchange follows: Djaq: What are you doing here?" Outlaws: Rescuing you" Djaq: Well, now Im rescuing you."xxi She is an Orphan and an Avenger having lost her family and come to England to take revenge on the slave traders that killed her brother. She adopts his identity and his name, Djaq, to do so - her real name is Saffiya.

Little John
Outlawed prior to the shows commencement for reasons that are never specified, Little John is the leader of a team of outlaws before he throws his lot in with Robin. Believed dead by his wife

Alice, and having never even met his son John, Little John is the champion of women and children, and the Honorary Father of the outlaws. He is a Follower and a loyal one at that - he is loyal to Robin, especially, because Robin has given him a new direction in life. He takes pride in being an Outlaw in Robins gang - I have never killed - except to defend myself. I robbed, to survive, but now I rob to help others... I am one of Robin Hoods men.xxi He is a Warrior and is a Protector to the others in the gang; he is not exceptionally boisterous or outgoing. Isabella, once, remarks, You don't say much, do you.xxi His Weapon of choice is a staff and he uses it with great skill and aplomb and is very close to children, mainly because they remind him of his own son. He is an Absent Father figure to his son; he meets him during the course of the show, but cannot be around to raise him as he is an outlaw and being with his family will also put them in danger. Robin, along with his outlaws forms the Five Man Band: The outlaws and the roles they played were surprisingly complex and fluid, but the configuration (for the first two seasons) was: The Hero - Robin Hood The Lancer - Will Scarlett (though John was second-in-command and Much had the role of "best friend") The Big Guy - Little John (with The Lancer's job of vocally disagreeing with Robin) The Smart Guy - Djaq (and sometimes Allan, depending on the situation, and before his Face Heel Turn) The Chick - Much (and just as often Djaq, considering she was the designated peacemaker and "heart" of the gang). Sixth Ranger - Marian

Tuck
A mysterious monk who arrives from travelling the world (having left the church after he became disillusioned) at the start of season three, and who joins the outlaws after inspiring Robin to recommit to the cause. He is a Warrior-Priest, combining two very different archetypes; he becomes an Adviser and a Counselor to Robin. He is instrumental in Guiding Robin to help people again after he is consumed by grief and his obsession with revenge in the aftermath of Marians death. He believes that Robin and the outlaws must not only help people but also give them ways in which to support and defend themselves - We're supposed to be inspiring these men to stand up and fight for themselves, giving them real hope.xxi In this case, he is not just a Warrior and a Protector but also a Visionary and a Mentor.

Kate
She is a village girl who joins the team - this character was universally derided and disliked for having no interesting, individual characteristics and perpetually needing to be rescued. Because she has no concrete personality, the only archetype that fits her perfectly is that of the Damsel in Distress. Despite her constant remonstrations that she can take care of herself and does not need anyones help, she keeps getting captured by the Sheriff and his men - in fact, she is rescued 15 times over the course of 11 episodes. She has a rather dark moment as a Villain, or at the very least an Anti-Heroine when she, out of jealousy, sends Isabella back to her abusive and murderous husband.

Isabella
Appearing in the third season as Guys never before seen or mentioned little Sister, Isabella entered the show on the run from her sadistic husband. An enigmatic presence throughout her eight episodes, she is the centre of the political machinations that drove the final season. Initially introduced as a Replacement Love Interest for Robin and as The Mole within the castle, Isabella

subverted expectations by striking out on her own, flirting with Prince John, performing a Face Heel Turn and winning herself the position of Sheriff of Nottingham. She is an incredibly complex character, traumatized by years of being abused by her husband who is an absolute monster. She is a Queen - a powerful woman, lonely and unable to trust anyone. She falls in love with Robin but is rather cruelly rejected; she changes from the rational, compassionate and intelligent woman that she has been portrayed as into a scheming, manipulative Femme Fatale, who causes the deaths of both, her brother, Guy and Robin.

Prince John
He is King Richard's little brother, who has eye on the throne in his absence. He is a Shadow Prince and King, enamored with the power of the throne and none of its responsibility. He is a Villain, proven by the fact that he orders the Locksley Church to be burned down while there is a wedding going on inside.

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J.R.R Tolkien. The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (Ed. Humphrey Carpenter). (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1981)
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Taken in part from www.fantasymoviesandooks.blogspot.com

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J.R.R Tolkien. The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (Ed. Humphrey Carpenter). (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1981)
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J.R.R. Tolkien. The Return of the King. (London, HarperCollins, 1991)

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J.R.R Tolkien. The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (Ed. Humphrey Carpenter). (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1981)
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J.R.R. Tolkien. The Return of the King. (London, HarperCollins, 1991) J.R.R. Tolkien. The Return of the King. (London, HarperCollins, 1991) J.R.R. Tolkien. The Two Towers (London, HarperCollins, 1991) J.R.R. Tolkien. The Fellowship of the Ring. (London, HarperCollins, 1991) J.R.R. Tolkien. The Two Towers (London, HarperCollins, 1991) J.R.R. Tolkien. The Two Towers (London, HarperCollins, 1991) Tolkien. ibid J.R.R. Tolkien. The Return of the King. (London, HarperCollins, 1991) J.R.R. Tolkien. The Return of the King. (London, HarperCollins, 1991) J.R.R. Tolkien. The Fellowship of the Ring. (London, HarperCollins, 1991) Thomas Foster. How to Read Literature Like a Professor. (New York, HarperCollins, 2003)

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