Literary Archetypes

• New Historicism: putting historical events in the story and analyzing stories from a historical point of view (e.g. concerning war, feminism, racism, etc.)
• Literary Archetypes: a way to read that focuses on seeing all archetypes
• archetype: a pattern (template) from which copies can be made, repetition of a particular trope, method of writing to convey different ideas
• Hero Archetype: a courageous character who usually saves the day (e.g. Spiderman, Batman, etc.)
• Hero archetypes are usually shown as saviors and give us hope when we are in a bad situation.
• Collective unconscious: The shared unconscious of all humans, including all cultures and all ages.
• Primordial: All individuals have archetypal images ingrained in our understanding before birth
• Universal: Archetypes can be found all over the world and throughout history
• Tasks are external, but quests are more internal
• A task is like killing a monster (e.g. Harry Potter killing Voldemort)
• A quest is like finding a purpose in life
• Archetypal literary criticism can help readers understand literature as it considers our collective unconscious, so the reader can be able to understand literature by connecting some aspects to their experiences and thoughts
• The hero's journey is an archetype that describes how heroes go through different stages on their way to becoming successful or achieving something important.
• In the first stage, the hero receives a call to adventure, which could come from within themselves or from outside forces.
• In the second stage, the hero refuses the call at first, but eventually accepts it and sets out on their journey.
• The 3rd stage is the threshold when the hero enters an unknown environment and gets help from mentors and helpers
• After the threshold, the hero goes through challenges such as boss battles or conflicts, and temptations such as love, wealth, or even laziness
• At this point, the hero may experience self-doubt and fear, but they must overcome these obstacles to continue on their path towards success.
• The abyss is when the hero goes through a major conflict or loss and reaches an all-time low, considered the turning point of the story
• After the abyss, the hero goes through a transformation, whether it be physical or mental, to complete their journey and become a better person
• Joseph Campbell came up with the Hero's Journey, which is a story structure that follows a character's journey from ordinary to extraordinary.
• The atonement stage is when the hero accepts themselves and moves on to complete their task
• The gift of goddess is when the hero returns to their familiar world but with a new attribute or ability (e.g. courage, intelligence, a power of some sort)