Archetypal Criticism

Design Resource

Myths

About the origins of Indian crafts

Gitanjli Chhibber and Prof. Ravi Poovaiah

Archetypal Criticism

In the western tradition, Jesus Christ (considered the son of god in that tradition) is sacrificed to save humankind. In the eastern tradition, Lord Shiva drank a lethal dose of poison that otherwise would have polluted the oceans of the world, thus saving the world. Both of these traditions center around a celebration of life and a deliverance from death.

Jungian Criticism: Jung theorized that all humans carry archetypes (universal images and patterns in our individual and collective unconscious). Archetypal criticism therefore seeks to identify and analyze the presence and variance of recognizable archetypes in works of literature. These archetypes are said to be identifiable in a wide variety of works of literature, as well as myths, dreams and even ritualized modes of social behaviour.

Common archetypes:

Hero/heroine
Sidekick/helper
Villain
Wise sage
Outcast
Oracle
Caring mother/earth mother
Mad scientist
Femme fatale
Don juan\
Star-crossed lovers
Witch/shrew
Stern father
Damsel in distress

Archetypal situations:

The task/trial
The journey
The quest
The loss of innocence
The initiation
apocalypse/end of the world
Pursuit of revenge
Descent into the underworld/heavenly
ascent
Searching for father
Damsel in distress
Banishment of the prince

Quest due to Jealousy/ Revenge
Quest due task/trial
The wise sage
The villian

‹ › ×

Search form

Myths