The examples of archetypes in literature

Name: Baraiya Bhavna P.

Roll No: 03

Sem: 02

Paper: Literary theory and criticism

Topic: The examples of archetypes in literature  

   The examples of

Archetypes

in literature

            Archetypes fall into two major categories: characters, situations/symbols. It is easiest to understand them with the help of examples. Listed below are some of the most common archetypes in each category.

The hero:

The courageous figure, the one who’s always running in the saving the day. Example: Dartagnon from Alexander Dumas’s “The Three Musketeers”. (Hamlet, Macbeth, Tom Jones, Moll...)

The outcast:

The outcast is just that. He or She has been cast out of society or has left it on a voluntary basis. The outcast figure can oftentimes also be considered as a Christ figure. Example: Simon from William Golding’s “The lord of the Flies”. (Pandavas, Ram-Sita-Laxman, Sugreve, Duke, Orlando, Rosalind in As You like It, tramps in Godot…)

The scapegoat –

The scapegoat figure is the one who gets blamed for everything. Regardless of whether he or she is actually at fault. Example: Snowball from George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”. [Tom Jones, Darcy in pride and prejudice (breaking of Lizzy’s sis’s relationship elopement) Technology in Brave New World, Tess for death of prince, giving birth to sorrow.]

The star-crossed lovers –

This is the young couple joined by love but unexpectedly parted by fate. Example: Romeo and Juliet from William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. [Tess and Angel, Heer-Ranjha, Sheeri-Farhad …]

The shrew –

This is that nagging, bothersome wife always battering her husband with verbal abuse. Example: Zeena from Edith Wharton’s “Ethan Frome”. [Katherine in Taming of Shrew. Paul’s mother in Sons and Lovers, Lizzy’s mother in pride and prejudice...]

Female Fatale:

 A female character type who brings upon catastrophic and disastrous events. Eve from the story of Genesis or Pandora from Greek mythology is two such figures. Sita, Draupadi or Suparnakha.

The journey:

 A narrative archetype where the protagonist must overcome a series of obstacle before reaching his or her goal. The quintessential journey archetype in Western culture is arguably Homer’s Odyssey.

Situations/symbols:

Archetypal symbols vary more than archetype narratives or character types. But any symbol with deep roots in a culture’s mythology. Such as the forbidden fruit of Genesis or even the poison apple in Snow White. Is an example of a symbol that resonates to archetypal criticism?

The task –

 A situation in which a character, or a group of characters, is driven to complete some duty of monstrous proportion. Example: Frodo’s task to keep the ring safe in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of Rings” trilogy. (Athurian Legends bring Helen back to Troy. Kurukshetra’s battle for Arjuna and Savitri.)

The Quest:

 Here, the characters are searching for something, whether consciously or unconsciously. Their actions, thoughts and feelings center on the goal of completing this quest. Example: Christian’s quest for salvation in John Bunyan’s “The pilgrim’s progress”. (Search for Holy Grail. Search for Sita, Nala-Damayanti. Savitri for Satyakam’s life. Shakuntala in Kalidas, Don Quixote. Jude…)

The loss of innocence:

 This is, as the name implies a loss of innocence through sexual experience, violence, or any other Tennessee William’s “Orpheus Desending”. [Moll. Tess. Tom. Jude…]

Water:

 Water is symbol of life, cleansing, and rebirth. It is a strong life force and is often depicted as living reasoning force.

Water – Birth-rebirth-resurrection: creation: purification and redemption: fertility and growth. Sea/ocean: the mother of all life: spiritual mystery: death and/or rebirth: timelessness and eternity.

Rivers:

Death and rebirth (baptism): the flowing of time into eternity: transitional phases of the life cycle. Example: Edna learns to swim in Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening”. [Water movie and novel by Bapsi Sidwa. Death by water. Polluted River in Waste Land]

Sun (fire and sky are closely related):

Creative energy; thinking, enlightenment, wisdom, spiritual vision.

Rising Sun:

Birth, creation, enlightenment

Setting Sun:

 Death

Colors:

Red: blood, sacrifice, passion; disorder.

Green:  growth, hope, fertility.

Blue: highly positive, secure; tranquil; spiritual purity.

Black: darkness, chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, wisdom, evil, melancholy.

White: light, purity, innocence, timelessness; [negative: death, terror, supernatural]

Yellow: enlightenment, wisdom.

Serpent (snake, worm):

 Symbol of energy and pure force (libido): evil, corruption, sensuality, destruction.

Numbers:

3 – Light, spiritual awareness, unity (the Holy Trinity); male principle.

4 – Associated with the circle, life cycle, four seasons; earth, nature, elements.

7 – the most potent of all symbolic numbers signifying the union of three and four , the completion of a cycle, perfect order, perfect number; religious symbol.

Wise old Man:

Savior, Redeemer, guru, representing knowledge, reflection, insight, wisdom, intuition, and morality.

Garden:

Paradise, innocence, unspoiled beauty.

Tree:

Denotes life of the cosmos; growth; proliferation; symbol of immorality; phallic symbol. Desert: All cultures believe the Cosmos was brought into existence by some Supernatural Being (or beings)

Seasons:

Spring - rebirth; genre/comedy.

Summer – life; genre/ romance,

Fall- death/dying; genre/tragedy,

Winter- without life/death; genre/irony.

(I f winter has come, can spring be far behind?)

(April is the cruelest month …)

The great fish:

Divine creation/ life. (Matsayavatar)

Freud’s symbolism/archetypes:

Concave images (ponds, flowers, cups, vases, hollows): female or womb symbols.

Phallic symbols (towers, mountain peaks, snakes, knives, swords, etc.) male symbols.

Dancing, riding, or flying: symbols of sexual pleasure.