ArchetypesArchetypesUniversal Patterns in Universal Patterns in

LiteratureLiterature

Dr. Carl Jung, Swiss Dr. Carl Jung, Swiss Psychologist Psychologist

“Father of Archetypes”“Father of Archetypes”

circa 1960: Swiss pioneer of psychology Dr Carl Gustav Jung (1875 - 1961). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Definition of Definition of ArchetypeArchetype

► ArchetypeArchetype is a Greek word meaning “original is a Greek word meaning “original pattern, or model” (Webster’s Dictionary).pattern, or model” (Webster’s Dictionary).

► ArchetypeArchetype is a is a charactercharacter, an , an eventevent, a , a storystory or or an an imageimage that recurs in different works, in that recurs in different works, in different cultures and in different periods of different cultures and in different periods of time. time.

► Can you think of any Can you think of any storiesstories or or imageimage patterns that have been repeated in movies, patterns that have been repeated in movies, books, or even commercials? books, or even commercials? {Hint: Nursery {Hint: Nursery rhymes, Disney movies rhymes, Disney movies }}

The The GoldenGolden Age Age

►What do you think “What do you think “The Golden AgeThe Golden Age” ” means? means?

►When you think of the word or the When you think of the word or the color color goldgold, what kind of , what kind of imagesimages do do you think of?you think of?

PIETRO DA CORTONA, The Golden Age (Fresco, Sala della Stufa, Palazzo Pitti, Florence)

The End of The End of ChildhoodChildhoodThe End of The End of ChildhoodChildhood

This archetype focuses on This archetype focuses on stories of both loss of innocence stories of both loss of innocence as well as the acquisition of as well as the acquisition of knowledge. knowledge.

““What is the meaning of “lost What is the meaning of “lost childhood” or “falling down”? In childhood” or “falling down”? In life, it is called “growing up.” life, it is called “growing up.” That time when innocence That time when innocence somehow fades away and is somehow fades away and is replaced by experience or replaced by experience or knowledge of the world. knowledge of the world.

But in the imagination , it is the opening of a forbidden jar, the eating of a forbidden fruit, the death of a loved one, the destruction of something beautiful.

It is a story or an event that is a symbol of a universal human experience.

When such imaginative stories or events are so common as to be used over and over by many cultures, they are called archetypes” (Jewkes 142).

William Blake, “Songs of Innocence and of Experience”

Interesting Note: Blake’s poetry inspired the lyrics and band name of The Doors… “the doors of perception”

Artwork from Blake’s “The Marriage of Heaven & Hell”

John Milton’s “Paradise Lost”

Interesting Note: You WILL read the whole thing in college!

The Cataracts of HeavenThe Cataracts of Heaven

• Though you might have heard the word Though you might have heard the word “cataracts” in terms of clouding one’s “cataracts” in terms of clouding one’s vision, the word cataract can also mean a vision, the word cataract can also mean a great flood. What is the story of the flood great flood. What is the story of the flood from heaven that you know? What did it from heaven that you know? What did it result in?result in?

• “…“…there is one story pattern, or archetype, there is one story pattern, or archetype, which tells [an abbreviation of] the entire which tells [an abbreviation of] the entire imaginative story of the human race. It is imaginative story of the human race. It is the story of the “flood”—a cycle of birth, the story of the “flood”—a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (Jewkes 174).death, and rebirth (Jewkes 174).

ChangesChangesPeople can become something else. They People can become something else. They experience a “metamorphosis” physically, experience a “metamorphosis” physically, emotionally or spiritually.emotionally or spiritually.

In ‘reality’ we are subject to the changes In ‘reality’ we are subject to the changes of time, but we can imagine the changes of time, but we can imagine the changes that are not [subject to the changes of that are not [subject to the changes of time” (Jukes 229).time” (Jukes 229).

The Human YearThe Human Year

Spring - the time of planting and Spring - the time of planting and growth is related in the growth is related in the imagination to youth, hope, imagination to youth, hope, courtship and love.courtship and love.

Summer - a time of ripening, is Summer - a time of ripening, is related to the maturing of related to the maturing of relations, to comradeship and relations, to comradeship and community, to fertility and community, to fertility and passion. passion.

The Human YearThe Human Year

Fall - the time of harvest, Fall - the time of harvest, related to reflection and related to reflection and declining vigor. declining vigor.

Winter - when the earth seems Winter - when the earth seems sterile, related to death and sterile, related to death and emptiness” (Jewkes 302).emptiness” (Jewkes 302).

Archetypal SymbolsArchetypal Symbols

► WATERWATER – birth/death/resurrection; creation; – birth/death/resurrection; creation; purification & redemption; fertility & growth.purification & redemption; fertility & growth.

► SEA/OCEANSEA/OCEAN - the mother of all life; spiritual - the mother of all life; spiritual mystery; death and/or rebirth; timelessness & mystery; death and/or rebirth; timelessness & eternity.eternity.

► RIVERSRIVERS - - death and rebirth (baptism); the flowing of death and rebirth (baptism); the flowing of time into eternity; transitional phases of the life cycle.time into eternity; transitional phases of the life cycle.

► SunSun ( (fire and sky are closely relatedfire and sky are closely related) - creative ) - creative energy; thinking, enlightenment, wisdom, spiritual energy; thinking, enlightenment, wisdom, spiritual vision.vision. Rising sunRising sun = birth, creation, enlightenment= birth, creation, enlightenment Setting sunSetting sun = death= death

Archetypal ColorsArchetypal Colors► RedRed - blood, sacrifice, passion; disorder. - blood, sacrifice, passion; disorder.

► GreenGreen - growth, hope, fertility. - growth, hope, fertility.

► BlueBlue - highly positive; secure; tranquil; spiritual purity. - highly positive; secure; tranquil; spiritual purity.

► BlackBlack - darkness, chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, - darkness, chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, wisdom, evil, melancholy.wisdom, evil, melancholy.

► WhiteWhite - light, purity, innocence, timelessness; - light, purity, innocence, timelessness; [negative = death, terror, supernatural] [negative = death, terror, supernatural]

► YellowYellow - enlightenment, wisdom. - enlightenment, wisdom.

Archetypal NumbersArchetypal Numbers

►33 - light, spiritual awareness, unity (the Holy - light, spiritual awareness, unity (the Holy Trinity); male principle.Trinity); male principle.

►44 - associated with the circle, life cycle, four - associated with the circle, life cycle, four seasons; female principle, earth, nature, elements.seasons; female principle, earth, nature, elements.

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

Archetypal SymbolsArchetypal Symbols

► SerpentSerpent (snake, worm) - symbol of energy and (snake, worm) - symbol of energy and

pure force; evil, corruption, destruction.pure force; evil, corruption, destruction.

► Wise old ManWise old Man - savior, redeemer, guru, - savior, redeemer, guru,

representing knowledge, reflection, insight, representing knowledge, reflection, insight,

wisdom, intuition, and morality.wisdom, intuition, and morality.

► GardenGarden - paradise, innocence, unspoiled beauty. - paradise, innocence, unspoiled beauty.

► TreeTree - denotes life of the cosmos; growth; - denotes life of the cosmos; growth;

proliferation; symbol of immortality; phallic symbol.proliferation; symbol of immortality; phallic symbol.

► DesertDesert - spiritual aridity; death; hopelessness. - spiritual aridity; death; hopelessness.

•Creation - 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.

•The Great Fish - divine creation/life.

Archetypal SymbolsArchetypal Symbols

Eight Archetypal CharactersEight Archetypal Characters1.1.Protagonist – hero or “good guy”Protagonist – hero or “good guy”

2.2.Antagonist – villain or “bad guy”Antagonist – villain or “bad guy”

3.3.Voice of Reason – usually a friend or Voice of Reason – usually a friend or relative of hero or main characterrelative of hero or main character

4.4.Emotion – the “drama queen or king”Emotion – the “drama queen or king”

5.5.Sidekick – often the “foil” characterSidekick – often the “foil” character

6.6.Skeptic – plays “devil’s advocate”Skeptic – plays “devil’s advocate”

7.7.Guardian – mentor/teacher/mother/fatherGuardian – mentor/teacher/mother/father

8.8.Contagonist - stalls or delays heroContagonist - stalls or delays hero