ARCHETYPES In literary criticism, Archetypes are recurring configurations that appear in myth, religion, folklore, fantasy, and dreams, as well as in art and literature; they are used to discuss the significance of a plot, character, or situation.

The Hero Quest Also called the Monomyth, the hero quest is one of the most enduring of Archetypes. Joseph Campbell, in his book The Hero With a Thousand Faces, defined the classic hero's journey as a series of steps that apply to mythological heroes across all cultures. In other words, Campbell discovered that most all heroes of mythology follow the same basic journey to achieve their hero status. He summarizes this concept in a single sentence (p30): “The hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

The Hero Mysterious Birth: Strange Powers The Hero Cycle Traditionally the hero’s mother is a virgin, the circumstances of his conception are unusual, and at birth some attempt is made to kill him. He is spirited away and raised by foster parents. Strange Powers The hero possesses some abilities beyond that of normal men: great strength, wisdom, or intelligence, and use of talismans or weapons. The Hero Cycle The Adventure Begins Separation Descent or Entry Struggle / Initiation Triumph Emergence The Return Reintegration

The Hero Jesus Hercules Superman

The Hero Cycle / Monomyth Reintegration of New Power The Call to Adventure The Return The Social Realm Separation Emergence Descent or Entry Triumph Sacred / Supernatural Realm Struggle / Initiation

The Adversary / Devil Figure: This character, the perpetual antagonist to the hero’s protagonist, attempts to thwart the hero’s plans and disrupt his journey; is evil incarnate, greedy, lustful, usually rich, examples: Darth Vader, Hades in Hercules, Agent Smith in the Matrix, Scar in The Lion King.

The Wise Sage / Guide: The Sage guides the hero, providing insight, advice, sometimes spiritual strength. Good examples of the Guide are: Merlin the Magician, Obi Wan Kenobi and Yoda in Star Wars, Rafiki from The Lion King, and Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings.

The Outcast / Trickster: This character usually takes the blame for things having gone wrong. They pay for the crimes by banishment from the social group. Good examples of the Outcast are: Judas in the Bible, Cypher in the Matrix.

Archetypal Figures The “Woman Figure”: usually female, as the hero is almost always male, can also be a Mother Figure (provides motivation and support), a Temptress Figure, who sometimes distracts the hero from his journey, or a Platonic Ideal Figure who the hero has eventual happiness with.

Archetypal Themes Appearance versus Reality: Good versus Evil: This theme underlies many works of literature, and usually illustrates the idea that all the hero sees is not as it appears to be. Enemies can appear to be friends, familiar places can be filled with traps, and even the world itself can be an illusion. Good versus Evil: This is the most common theme in literature, especially Fantasy literature, where the hero (or heroes) are pitted against the forces of evil, and must win several battles before facing the arch-enemy in a final battle to save the world, the love interest, or his very soul.

Archetypal Symbols Light / Darkness Water / Desert Wastelands Fire Light usually represents hope, renewal or intellectual illumination Darkness implies the unknown, ignorance, or despair. Water / Desert Wastelands Water is necessary for life and growth it appears as a birth or rebirth symbol. Water as an element can also be destructive: hurricanes, storms, can signify change or conflict. The Desert is usually seen as sterile, death-like; many heroes pass through wastelands in order to gain enlightenment. Fire This element can cleanse or destroy; and is usually associated with the power of the gods. Zeus hurled thunderbolts; Yahweh appeared as a burning bush. Heaven / Hell These extreme places embody the forces that govern the world to ancient man. Gods lived high in mountains or in the sky; the bowels of the earth contain the diabolic evil forces that threaten to consume good men’s souls.

Archetypal Situations The Quest This describes the search for someone or some talisman which, when found and brought back, will restore the Land and its ailing King or Leader. The Quest for the Holy Grail in Arthurian Legend is one example of this motif. The Journey Usually combined with the quest, the journey is used to send the Hero in search of information or talisman. On the journey the Hero meets and triumphs over several challenges, each proving his worth as a Hero. The Fellowship of the Ring is an example. The Fall This describes a descent from a higher to a lower state of being. The experience involves a loss of innocence, and an expulsion from a kind of paradise as penalty for disobedience and moral transgression. Adam and Eve are examples of this motif. Death and Rebirth The most common of all situational archetypes, this motif grows out of the parallel between the cycle of nature (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) and the cycle of Life (Birth, Youth, Adulthood, Old Age). Often, a character’s emotional state is also mirrored in the natural world, so where a character feels depressed, her surroundings mirror that state by being barren.