Universality and Cultural Archetypes

When you think about great books or movies, they all contain certain archetypes. A character's role in the story can be associated with one of the archetypes. Archetypes connect the story you are reading to the rich heritage of all storytelling.

An example of an archetypal character can be recalled from the tales of Robin Hood. Robin Hood is a skilled archer and swordsman who is known for “robbing from the rich and giving to the poor.” He is assisted by a group of companions called his Merry Men. Robin Hood is the archetypal hero. His Merry Men are the archetype of companions. Robin has opposition in this tale. The Sheriff of Nottingham attempts to put an end to Robin and his band of Merry Men. In doing so, he becomes the villain of the tale. Of course, no tale is complete without the hero falling in love. Maid Marian is the love interest of Robin, and she serves as yet another archetype, the maiden. The tale of Robin Hood is enjoyed by many cultures throughout the world.

Archetypes do more than just link a story together; they also link cultures together and create universality. The concept of the archetype stems from Carl Jung, the Swiss psychotherapist and psychiatrist. He founded the Theory of the Collective Unconscious. This theory states that all individuals are connected by the unconscious mind, a product of ancestral experience, thoughts, and emotions. For example, your interaction with others influences your personal thoughts. In a way, your interaction with others influences your personal thoughts.

 

Character Archetypes

Archetypes are characters who dwell in our collective unconscious.  Archetypes appear in various types of literature and are present in all cultures and time periods. Use the arrows in the lower corners of the interactivity to read each archetype's description. Click the player button to get started.

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Theme Archetypes

Themes are central ideas or statements that go beyond the definition of the moral of the story. Themes are abstract ideas that create meaning within a literary work. Themes appear in various types of literature and are present in all cultures and time periods. Use the previous and next buttons, or click each number, to read about the various themse archetypes. Click the player button to get started.

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Archetypes Review

Now the you have explored archetype character and theme, test your knowledge. In this non-graded interactivity, use the drop-down menu to match each archetype with its description. Then, click SUBMIT. Click the player button to get started.