Archetypes in Tombstone

By Mrs. Janet Vickers

History

Carl Jung, a psychologist, was the first to apply the term “archetype” to literature. His ideas are based on works by Plato. Besides literature, archetypes can be expressed in myths, dreams, religions, fantasies, and folklore.

Jung’s archetypes are universal patterns that appear in stories and mythologies regardless of culture or historical period.

Introduction to ArchetypesThe term archetype can be applied to--

An image A plot pattern

A theme A character type

An idea A symbol

As you watch Tombstone, you will analyze

a few universal archetypes in each of three areas: Plot Patterns: Separation, Initiation, Return Character types: Lady/Goddess/Seductress,

Mentor/Guide/Sidekick, Contagonist (contrasted with Protagonist and Antagonist)

Symbols: woods, water, desert

Plot Patterns: The Journey

•Joseph Campbell, author of The Hero With a Thousand Faces, applied Jung’s archetypes to the world of mythology, inspiring countless works we read, watch, and experience today.

•One of most famous storytellers to follow Campbell’s format: George Lucas in his Star Wars film saga, and Luke Skywalker’s Archetypal Journey.

Plot Patterns: The JourneyIn literature--whether film story or print story--the cycle of life is often categorized in stages, as with this typical seven-part journey: birth, growth, maturity, decline, death, resurrection, rebirth, and the repetition of the cycle. An archetypal journey may be categorized with various labels.In Tombstone, you will label events that demonstrate a three-part journey:1. Separation--a Departure2. Initiation--Crossing the Threshold (with a

Road of Trials and an Innermost Cave)3. Return--Reintegration into Society

The Journey: Separation

Separation: The hero breaks away from the local social order; often he leaves behind his identity, his connection to the community, but he is reluctant to accept the Call to Adventure.• Where does Wyatt encounter conflict between

what he wants to do in Tombstone, and what he has to do?

• What event do you think marks Wyatt’s actual Departure? At what point does

his path separate from his brothers’ path?

Character Archetypes

In the late 1990s, Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley, authors of Dramatica: a New Theory of Story, presented archetypes in pairs: the typical Protagonist/Antagonist, and also Reason/Emotion, Sidekick/Skeptic, and Guardian/Contagonist--coining a new archetype. • Their work reminds us that archetypal

labels can overlap, and just like a person in real life, a Complex Character may even

represent conflicting archetypes.

Character Archetypes

In Tombstone, you will label three character categories:• Mentor/Guide/

Guardian/ Sidekick• Lady/Goddess/

Seductress• Contagonist

Character ArchetypesThese archetype terms, like any synonyms, have both commonalities and unique qualities:• Mentor/Guide—Named after Odysseus’ friend Mentor in Homer’s

great epic, The Odyssey, the bond between a character and the Mentor is rich with symbolic value. The Mentor may give gifts or teach lessons.

• Guardian—teacher, helper, protector, eliminates obstacles and illuminates the path; conscience for the Protagonist; its opposite is the Contagonist

• Sidekick—faithful supporter, loyal (whether for good or evil), points out success indicators, gives the partner confidence; its opposite is the Skeptic, who causes the partner to feel doubt and disbelief

The same agent for a Protagonist’s happiness may cause the Antagonist’s demise, and vice-versa.

Character Archetypes

• Lady—the hero yearns for a beautiful lady who sometime guides or inspires him

• Goddess—This beautiful but formidable figure may challenge or love the Protagonist, confirming his worth as a contender. She may be temptress, or image of a mother figure. She may even be help in the form of an idea or gift.

• Seductress—A woman who holds enormous power over others, hypnotizing them with her charm and desirability, she is often mysterious, manipulative, and bewitching.

Character Archetypes

Contagonist—This recently coined word (circa 1996) forms a triangle with the Protagonist and Antagonist• Neither inherently good nor evil, guide nor opponent,

but serves a role between the two extremes• The Contagonist is a tempter, an enticer, who deflects,

delays, diverts for a time, placing obstacles in the Protagonist’s (or Antagonist’s) path, but the intent is not to stop, just to delay the success.

• When allied with the Protagonist, the Contagonist functions as a bad influence or a thorn in the side.

• When allied with the Antagonist, the Contagonist functions as a henchman or second-in-command.

Symbolism

Northrup Frye, a college mythology professor, saw archetypes as symbols, images which recur often enough in literature to be recognizable as elements of the whole literary experience. He refers to archetypal images that are re-occurring symbols as motifs.Symbols might be a bird (vulture, crow), place (cave, mountain, village), flower (rose)--Anything may serve a symbolic purpose when it communicates an idea about both itself and a greater meaning. * Each image’s meaning depends on context, as when a forest

provides shelter in one story, but becomes the source of terror in another tale.

• Frye’s work reminds us of the importance of context in our own decision making. Depending on individual perspective, one comment or action perceived by two different people may be complimentary or bullying, reassuring or terrifying.

Symbolism: WoodsWoods—may take the form of thick forest, timberland, closely-packed high-rise buildings, or even a single tree in a vast landscape• Mystery, secrets, primitive instinct• Fertility, growth

• The place with no protections, where one is dependent on one’s own skills• Entering woods may indicate beginning to grow• Leaving woods may indicate readiness to unite with one

of the opposite gender; proliferation

Water—may take the form of oceans, seas, rivers, fish, or even a full, refreshing beverage.• Cleansing, purification, redemption• Transitional phases of the life cycle; rebirth, a

strong life force• Spiritual mystery; death• A living, reasoning force• Timelessness & eternity

Symbolism: Water

Symbolism: Desert

• Desert—may take the form of open, arid landscape, a barren house, an empty street, or even an empty beverage container.

• Hopelessness• Spiritual aridity• Death• The path from the old life to the new adventure

Archetypes

When you watch Tombstone, think about the archetypal possibilities, and how the story’s texture changes when it is “read” or viewed as an archetypal journey.