Archetypes and the

Monomyth
…and why you need to
understand them…
 “Now, where have I seen her
before?”
 HTRLLAP
– “Here it is: there’s only one story…Ever. One.
It’s always been going on and it’s everywhere
around us and every story you’ve ever read or
heard or watched is part of it.” (Foster 32)

– Don’t believe it?

 Archetype: Definition
 The original pattern or model of which all
things of the same type are representations
or copies
 Universal patterns in stories and
mythologies, regardless of culture or
historical period
 Background on Archetypes
 Carl Jung (1875-1961) —Swiss psychiatrist;
founder of analytical psychology
– First applied the term archetype to literature
– Believed that part of the human mind contained a
collective unconscious shared by all members of the
human species—think: UNIVERSAL MEMORY
 Background on Archetypes
 Joseph Campbell (1904-1987): professor of
comparative literature—specifically mythology and
religion
– Influenced early by the writings of Carl Jung, specifically
Jung’s work on archetypes
– Applied Jung’s theory of archetypes to world mythology
 The Hero with a Thousand Faces: refined concept of the hero’s
journey
 The term archetype can be applied
to ….
 An image
 A theme
 A symbol
 An idea
 A character type
 A plot pattern
 Archetypes can be expressed in…

 Myths
 Dreams
 Literature
 Religions
 Fantasies
 Folklore
 Defining the Hero
 Hero: a human being of extraordinary
qualities
– Campbell’s definition:
 male or female
 who leaves the world of everyday life to undergo a
journey
 to a special world where challenges and fears are
overcome in order to
 Secure a reward, which
 The hero shares with his original community
 Heroic Archetypes
 Hero as…
– WARRIOR: near god-like hero faces physical
challenges and external enemies
 Ex. Odysseus
– LOVER: a pure love motivates hero to complete his
quest
 Ex. Prince Charming
– SCAPEGOAT: hero suffers for the sake of others
 Ex. Jesus
 Heroic Archetypes
– Transcendent Hero: The hero of tragedy whose fatal flaw
brings about his downfall
 Ex. Greek and Shakespearean tragic heroes—Oedipus, Hamlet,
Macbeth, etc.
– Romantic/Gothic Hero: lover with a dark side
 Ex. Dr. Frankenstein from Frankenstein; Heathcliff from Wuthering
Heights
– Proto-Feminist Heroes: female hero
 Ex. Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice
– Apocalyptic Hero: Hero who faces the possible destruction
of society
 Ex. Neo from The Matrix
 Heroic Archetypes
– Anti-Hero: a non-hero, given the vocation of failure;
frequently humorous
 Ex. Homer Simpson
– Defiant Anti-Hero: Opposer of society’s definition of
heroism/goodness
 Ex. Kurtz from Heart of Darkness or Apocalypse Now
– Unbalanced Hero: protagonist has (or pretends to
have) mental or emotional deficiencies
 Ex. Hamlet; McMurphy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s
Nest
 Heroic Archetypes
– The Other—The Denied Hero: a protagonist whose
status or essential otherness makes heroism possible
 Ex. Invisible Man; The Joy Luck Club
– The Superheroic: exaggerates the normal proportions of
humanity; frequently has divine or supernatural origins.
Is set apart from society, but is nonetheless needed by
society
 Ex. Mythological heroes (David from the Old Testament);
Superman
 The Hero’s Journey or The
MONOMYTH
 Stage One: The Call to Adventure
– The hero is presented with a problem, challenge, or
adventure
 Stage Two: The Reluctant Hero
– Once presented with the adventure, the hero is
sometimes reluctant to accept
 Stage Three: Wise Helpers/Mentors
– The hero meets a mentor who gives advice and a
magical weapon. The mentor prepares the hero to face
the unknown, but can only go so far with the hero.
Eventually, the hero must face the unknown alone.
 The Hero’s Journey or The
MONOMYTH
 Stage Four: Crossing the Threshold
– This is the moment when the hero leaves the safety of
his “normal” world and begins the adventure
 Stage Five: Tests, Allies, and Enemies
– The hero is forced to make allies and enemies in the
unknown world, and to pass certain tests that are part of
his/her training
 Stage Six: The Ordeal/The Innermost Cave
– The hero comes, at last, to a dangerous place, often
deep underground, where the object of his quest is
hidden. The hero faces death in order to obtain the
object.
 The Hero’s Journey or The
MONOMYTH
 Stage Seven: Seizing the Sword
– Having survived the ordeal, the hero now takes possession of the treasure.
Sometimes the treasure is knowledge and experience that leads to greater
understanding and a reconciliation with hostile forces or imp. ppl in the
hero’s life.
 Stage Eight: The Road Back
– The hero’s not safe yet…the hero is possibly pursued by vengeful forces
from whom he stole the treasure.
 Stage Nine: The Resurrection
– The hero emerges from the special world, transformed by the experience.
There is often a replay here of the death-and-rebirth in the innermost cave
ordeal, as the hero once again faces death and survives.
 Stage Ten: The Return
– The hero comes back to his ordinary world…with an elixir of somekind for
his ppl. which he shares for the benefit of all.
 Situational Archetypes
(plot patterns)
 The Quest
– for identity
– To rid the land of danger
– For vengeance
– For love
 The Task
 The Journey
– To find the promised land
– To save his/her people
– In search of knowledge
 The Fall
 Types of Archetypal Journeys
 The journey in search of knowledge
 The tragic quest—penance or self denial
 The fool’s errand
 The quest to rid the land of danger
 The grail quest—the quest for human
perfection
 Character Archetypes
 The Hero
– Young Man from rural area—not sophisticated
 Mentor
– Older and wiser, guides the hero on his journey, is usually outside
accepted society himself. The mentor equips the hero with a gift
(either tangible or knowledge) that will help the hero later in his
quest
 The Threshold Guardian
– Is the first obstacle in the hero’s journey, usually a henchman of the
true antagonist. Serves to test the hero’s worthiness for the journey
 Hunting Group of Companions
– These are the loyal group of companions who assist the hero on his
journey. The quest is not theirs, but they support the hero.
 Character Archetypes
 Friendly Beast
– An animal companion to the hero
 The Shadow
– Psychologically represents the darker side of the hero’s own psyche
 The Devil Figure
– This character is evil incarnate
 Evil Figure with a good heart
– A devil figure with the potential to be good. This person is usually saved by
the love of the hero
 The Creature of Nightmare
– A monster summoned from the deepest part of the human psyche to
threaten the life of the hero. Often is a perversion of the human body
 The Scapegoat
– Someone whose death in a public ceremony removes the taint of sin from
the community. More powerful in death than in life
 Character Archetypes
 The Outcast
– Character banished from society for a real or imagined crime,
destined to wander
 The Platonic Ideal
– A woman who is a source of inspiration for the hero, who has an
intellectual, rather than physical attraction for hero
 Damsel in Distress
– Vulnerable woman who needs rescued
 The Earth Mother
– Symbolizes abundance, fertility, offers spiritual and emotional
nourishment to the hero…usually large breasted and hipped—
symbolic of her childbearing capabilities
 Character Archetypes
 The Temptress/Black Goddess
– Characterized by sensuous beauty, this woman
is attractive to the hero and will ultimately bring
about his downfall
 White Goddess
– Good, beautiful woman who offers aid to the
hero
 The Unfaithful Wife
 Star Crossed Lovers