the archetypal hero n the “hero” archetype appears in all religions, mythologies, and stories of...
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The Archetypal HeroThe Archetypal Hero The “hero” archetype appears in The “hero” archetype appears in
all religions, mythologies, and all religions, mythologies, and stories of the worldstories of the world
All hero archetypes share certain All hero archetypes share certain characteristicscharacteristics
A “hero” is the expression of a A “hero” is the expression of a culture’s valuesculture’s values
Their function is to give men and Their function is to give men and women hope for things such as women hope for things such as life after death, sense of order, life after death, sense of order,
and reprieve from sufferingand reprieve from suffering
Jung and CampbellJung and Campbell Carl Jung and Joseph Carl Jung and Joseph
Campbell were two Campbell were two prominent psychologists who prominent psychologists who developed the idea of the developed the idea of the archetype after studying the archetype after studying the world’s myths, arts, world’s myths, arts, religions, and storiesreligions, and stories
– Archetype:Archetype: A recurring A recurring pattern of images, pattern of images, situations, or symbols situations, or symbols found in the found in the mythology, religion, mythology, religion, art, and dreams of art, and dreams of cultures around the cultures around the worldworld
Joseph CampbellJoseph Campbell
Carl JungCarl Jung
Archetypal Hero TraitsArchetypal Hero Traits Unusual Circumstances of BirthUnusual Circumstances of Birth Leaves Family and Lives With OthersLeaves Family and Lives With Others Traumatic Event Leads to Quest or Traumatic Event Leads to Quest or
journeyjourney Special WeaponSpecial Weapon Supernatural HelpSupernatural Help Proves Himself on QuestProves Himself on Quest Journey and Un-healable WoundJourney and Un-healable Wound Atonement With FatherAtonement With Father Spiritual ApotheosisSpiritual Apotheosis
Unusual BirthUnusual Birth Often in danger or Often in danger or
born into royaltyborn into royalty– Luke born into Luke born into
royalty but sent to royalty but sent to live with aunt and live with aunt and uncle to escape uncle to escape harmharm
– Simba born a Simba born a princeprince
– Moses put in Moses put in basket and sent basket and sent down the river to down the river to avoid danger avoid danger
– Jesus born to the Jesus born to the union of God and union of God and virgin mothervirgin mother
Leaves FamilyLeaves Family Raised away from Raised away from
his peoplehis people– Luke w/ Luke w/ auntaunt and and
uncleuncle– Simba w/ Timon and Simba w/ Timon and
PoombahPoombah– King Arthur w/ MerlinKing Arthur w/ Merlin– William Wallace or William Wallace or
“Braveheart” with “Braveheart” with uncleuncle
– Moses w/ Pharaoh’s Moses w/ Pharaoh’s daughterdaughter
Traumatic EventTraumatic Event A hero’s life is A hero’s life is
changed foreverchanged forever– Luke’s aunt and Luke’s aunt and
uncle’s uncle’s deathdeath– Wallace’s wife is Wallace’s wife is
murderedmurdered– Arthur pulls the Arthur pulls the
sword from stonesword from stone– Simba witnesses Simba witnesses
his father’s deathhis father’s death– God appears to God appears to
Moses on the Moses on the mountainmountain
Special WeaponSpecial Weapon Only the hero Only the hero
can wield his can wield his weaponweapon– Luke’s light Luke’s light
sabersaber– Arthur’s Arthur’s
sword, sword, ExcaliburExcalibur
– Moses’ staffMoses’ staff– Wallace’s Wallace’s
swordsword
Supernatural HelpSupernatural Help Hero often has Hero often has
spiritual guidancespiritual guidance– Luke hears Obi-Luke hears Obi-
Wan Kenobi and Wan Kenobi and YodaYoda
– Arthur has Merlin Arthur has Merlin for helpfor help
– God guides MosesGod guides Moses– Wallace dreams of Wallace dreams of
his dead fatherhis dead father– Simba sees Simba sees
Mufasa in the sky Mufasa in the sky and has Rafiki and has Rafiki help himhelp him
Proves HimselfProves Himself Hero performs brave Hero performs brave
feats while on Questfeats while on Quest– Luke blows up Luke blows up
Death Star, leads Death Star, leads rebellionrebellion
– Arthur leads battles Arthur leads battles with his knightswith his knights
– Moses performs Moses performs miraclesmiracles
-Wallace leads his -Wallace leads his men against Britishmen against British
Journey & Unhealable Journey & Unhealable WoundWound
Hero descends into Hero descends into a hell-like situation a hell-like situation or battle and suffers or battle and suffers wounding (mental or wounding (mental or physical) from physical) from encounter w/ evilencounter w/ evil– Symbolically goes Symbolically goes
where “normal” where “normal” or “average” or “average” humans can’t and humans can’t and finds truth about finds truth about selfself
Atonement With FatherAtonement With Father Hero either Hero either
redeems father’s redeems father’s evil deeds evil deeds
or reconciles with or reconciles with father over father over tortured tortured relationshiprelationship
Makes father Makes father proudproud
Restores father’s Restores father’s reputation or reputation or honorhonor
ApotheosisApotheosis Hero is rewarded Hero is rewarded
spiritually at the spiritually at the end of his lifeend of his life
MartyrMartyr ImmortalityImmortality HeavenHeaven
Are Heroes Relevant Are Heroes Relevant Today?Today?Heroes are a small part of a Heroes are a small part of a
culture's mythology. They culture's mythology. They have been useful for have been useful for
thousands of years as an thousands of years as an idealized human, a sort of idealized human, a sort of "super" person, capable of "super" person, capable of dealing with problems that dealing with problems that
surpass normal humans and surpass normal humans and their abilities. Heroes their abilities. Heroes
contribute to the society's contribute to the society's necessary business of necessary business of
reproducing itself and its reproducing itself and its values.values.
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