COMMON ARCHETYPES
Father Figure
The father figure archetype is someone who is an old man that is a wise and strong figure who is respected for paternal qualities and being the leader in the group. The father figure imposes their morals on the main character by trying to be a positive influence and affects the main characters decisions. This character is usually used as motivation for the main character and teaches the main character lessons along the way.
Though the Father Figure is a positive archetype it’s also a negative archetype. This archetype is someone who is a negative influence, which is an abuse of authority. They represent rigidity, control, and have a cold intellectual way of relating to the main character.
The Hero
The Hero works to overcome a specific obstacle and achieve goals. The hero’s objective can be a variety of things such as finding a missing object, find a captured person. Save a group of people, etc. Examples: The Ghostbusters - they save the city by ridding of the Ghosts; Simba (The Lion King); Luke Skywalker (Star Wars); Wonder Woman (DC)
Earth Mother
The Earth Mother is a symbol of fertility; she offers spiritual and emotional support to others and usually wears earthen color, In some cases, she is like a hippie. She is typically full of understanding and emotion. One example is the Fairy Godmother.
The Unhealable Wound
This is where the hero/protagonist goes from having a decent life until something horrible happened that leaves them in a low point which leaves them with an emotional unhealable wound. The unhealable wound could be a physical or psychological wound and scar. For example, Harry Potter loses his parents and then has to live with his cruel relatives, or that Darth Vader has to suffer from his physical battle wounds.
The Devil Figure
The Devil Figure is an evil incarnate who offers worldly goods, fame, or knowledge. He or she will temp, cheat, steal, lie, and destroy anything they come in contact with. This figure has no good intentions. The Devil Figure can be any type of creature, animal, or even human. Examples of the devil figure could be Voldemort (Harry Potter), The Joker (Batman), Adolf Hitler, Kronos (Greek Mythology), Ursula (The Little Mermaid). Character traits of the usual devil figure could be perceived as dramatic, terrifying, revolting, or charismatic.
Star Crossed Lovers
The archetype that was most famously used by William Shakespeare in his play Romeo and Juliet. These two characters are so deeply in love with each other that they would rather die than be apart or separated. Romeo and Juliet are an example of the star crossed lovers because their families do not allow them to be together.
The Journey
A journey starts with a call to adventure. Usually, supernatural aid appears when it seems like the hero will fail. A mentor may step in to help. A journey sends a hero in search of truth, to restore justice and harmony or self-discovery. There are obstacles, allies, enemies, success, and a transformation (change or discovery). The hero returns with a gift or reward.
Father Figure
The father figure archetype is someone who is an old man that is a wise and strong figure who is respected for paternal qualities and being the leader in the group. The father figure imposes their morals on the main character by trying to be a positive influence and affects the main characters decisions. This character is usually used as motivation for the main character and teaches the main character lessons along the way.
Though the Father Figure is a positive archetype it’s also a negative archetype. This archetype is someone who is a negative influence, which is an abuse of authority. They represent rigidity, control, and have a cold intellectual way of relating to the main character.
The Hero
The Hero works to overcome a specific obstacle and achieve goals. The hero’s objective can be a variety of things such as finding a missing object, find a captured person. Save a group of people, etc. Examples: The Ghostbusters - they save the city by ridding of the Ghosts; Simba (The Lion King); Luke Skywalker (Star Wars); Wonder Woman (DC)
Earth Mother
The Earth Mother is a symbol of fertility; she offers spiritual and emotional support to others and usually wears earthen color, In some cases, she is like a hippie. She is typically full of understanding and emotion. One example is the Fairy Godmother.
The Unhealable Wound
This is where the hero/protagonist goes from having a decent life until something horrible happened that leaves them in a low point which leaves them with an emotional unhealable wound. The unhealable wound could be a physical or psychological wound and scar. For example, Harry Potter loses his parents and then has to live with his cruel relatives, or that Darth Vader has to suffer from his physical battle wounds.
The Devil Figure
The Devil Figure is an evil incarnate who offers worldly goods, fame, or knowledge. He or she will temp, cheat, steal, lie, and destroy anything they come in contact with. This figure has no good intentions. The Devil Figure can be any type of creature, animal, or even human. Examples of the devil figure could be Voldemort (Harry Potter), The Joker (Batman), Adolf Hitler, Kronos (Greek Mythology), Ursula (The Little Mermaid). Character traits of the usual devil figure could be perceived as dramatic, terrifying, revolting, or charismatic.
Star Crossed Lovers
The archetype that was most famously used by William Shakespeare in his play Romeo and Juliet. These two characters are so deeply in love with each other that they would rather die than be apart or separated. Romeo and Juliet are an example of the star crossed lovers because their families do not allow them to be together.
The Journey
A journey starts with a call to adventure. Usually, supernatural aid appears when it seems like the hero will fail. A mentor may step in to help. A journey sends a hero in search of truth, to restore justice and harmony or self-discovery. There are obstacles, allies, enemies, success, and a transformation (change or discovery). The hero returns with a gift or reward.
COMMON ARCHETYPES
Father Figure
The father figure archetype is someone who is an old man that is a wise and strong figure who is respected for paternal qualities and being the leader in the group. The father figure imposes their morals on the main character by trying to be a positive influence and affects the main characters decisions. This character is usually used as motivation for the main character and teaches the main character lessons along the way.
Though the Father Figure is a positive archetype it’s also a negative archetype. This archetype is someone who is a negative influence, which is an abuse of authority. They represent rigidity, control, and have a cold intellectual way of relating to the main character.
The Hero
The Hero works to overcome a specific obstacle and achieve goals. The hero’s objective can be a variety of things such as finding a missing object, find a captured person. Save a group of people, etc. Examples: The Ghostbusters - they save the city by ridding of the Ghosts; Simba (The Lion King); Luke Skywalker (Star Wars); Wonder Woman (DC)
The Scapegoat
In many stories, they’re archetypes, a typical example of a certain person or thing. A type of archetype is The Scapegoat, The character who takes the blame for everything that goes wrong even if it was not their fault almost like the designated blame taker. The Scapegoat is used as a solution in any situation that goes haywire. An example of a Scapegoat is Shrek, he's used as a Scapegoat because he looks different and the humans blame him.
Evil Mother
The evil stepmother is a person who acts jealousy towards someone else, or uses someone for their own personal gain. The Evil Stepmother is mainly jealous of their stepdaughter. An example of this archetype is Lady Tremaine, the evil stepmother from Cinderella. In Cinderella, Lady Tremaine is jealous of Cinderella’s beauty, so she essentially forces her into indentured servitude because of her jealousy to make Cinderella seem less beautiful.
The Threshold Guardian
This is the first obstacle in the hero’s journey. It tests worthiness of a hero. This obstacle will show the hero that the journey will not be easy and that it is only the first step, not even close to the harder challenges they will encounter along the rest of their journey. Examples include the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz. The monkeys are hard to fight, but they show that the battle with the Wicked Witch of the West will be much harder.
The Platonic Ideal
A platonic relationship represents a close friendly relationship, but not romantic. An example would be a boy and a girl being best friends, but not dating. The main character has more of an intellectual attraction rather than a physical attraction. The Platonic Ideal is one of the most commonly used archetypes on television and in books. An example of a platonic relationship would be Harry and Hermione from Harry Potter. The archetype is most commonly and almost always a woman.
Group of Companions
The Group of Companions is a group of main characters who travel together and are in companionship with each other for most of the story. These characters are normally willing to face any type of danger together. They are usually a group of friends who work together towards a common goal. An example is Luke, Han, and Leia from Star Wars. They stick together through thick and thin, and also face a lot of danger together.
Supernatural Intervention
This archetype is about forces not of our world intruding and helping or not helping the main character. Normally, a strange power interferes in a character’s life. This character is often saved or helped. Ex: The Eagles from The Lord of The Rings; they swoop into save Frodo and Sam from the Lava, or the Force from Star Wars.
Earth Mother
The Earth Mother is a symbol of fertility; she offers spiritual and emotional support to others and usually wears earthen color, In some cases, she is like a hippie. She is typically full of understanding and emotion. One example is the Fairy Godmother.
The Unhealable Wound
This is where the hero/protagonist goes from having a decent life until something horrible happened that leaves them in a low point which leaves them with an emotional unhealable wound. The unhealable wound could be a physical or psychological wound and scar. For example, Harry Potter loses his parents and then has to live with his cruel relatives, or that Darth Vader has to suffer from his physical battle wounds.
The Journey
A journey starts with a call to adventure. Usually, supernatural aid appears when it seems like the hero will fail. A mentor may step in to help. A journey sends a hero in search of truth, to restore justice and harmony or self-discovery. There are obstacles, allies, enemies, success, and a transformation (change or discovery). The hero returns with a gift or reward.
Heaven and Hell
Similar to good vs evil. Heaven represents good as a setting encompassing all good. Hell represents evil as a setting of Ultimate evil. Also, they represent a battle between good and evil. Ex: Loyal Retainers, Noble sidekicks to hero, Retainer reflects hero’s nobility, Sidekick always elevates the hero, kind of like a suck-up. More examples include the Bible, where heaven is represented by Eden, nature, light, abundance, and angels. Hell is represented by fire, danger, demons, evil, and eternal misery.
Safe Haven Vs. Wilderness
The Safe Haven is where characters in a story can feel safe or comforted. The Wilderness is where the characters, usually the protagonist, feel out of place, or outside of their comfort zone. The Safe Haven could be the starting place/ending place, while the Wilderness is where the fight or confrontation happens.
The Mentor
A mentor guides the main hero in their quest to achieve their goals using their wisdom and inspiration. There are multiple variations of mentors, but they typically are shown as older males or gods.The mentor is put in the hero’s path to teach them life lessons and assists the hero in maturing to enable them to complete their quest. The help from the mentor must be attained through sacrifice and perseverance. The mentor archetype is an umbrella for multiple other types of Comic Mentor: Offers questionable advice that ends up being the solution to the problem. Dark Mentor: Represents the opposite of the hero's ideals and leads them into dangerous situations. Continuing Mentor: A recurring character who keeps helping the hero throughout the story. Inner Mentor: A relationship with the deceased which motivates the hero internally. Fallen Mentor: Person who was in a similar situation as the hero but fell from grace and teaches the hero what not to do. Examples of mentors are Yoda in Star Wars and Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid.
Damsel in Distress
This archetype refers to the helpless love interest of our main character who he or she has to save. She is usually weak, not very bright, and usually very attractive. There distress is presented in many forms such as a fire breathing dragon, and a giant ape. Disney princesses are the most common form of a Damsel in Distress. A few examples would be Andromeda from Greek myths who Perseus has to save from a sea monster, Mary Jane Watson from the Spider-Man movies, as she was constantly being captured and Spider-Man had to save her, and Kim Mills from the movie Taken where she was captured and her dad had to save her.
The Friendly Beast
A friendly beast is an animal companion who gives special help to the hero to assist them in achieving their goal. A friendly beast is loyal, fearless, good natured, and helpful. They could save hero from danger or death and they show hero nature is good and people shouldn’t be judged by outward appearance. Helps lead hero, could make sacrifice, stays by their side like a sidekick. This archetype shows that it is okay to receive help from other beings. Ex: The Lorax, The Beast from Beauty and the Beast.
The Devil Figure
The Devil Figure is an evil incarnate who offers worldly goods, fame, or knowledge. He or she will temp, cheat, steal, lie, and destroy anything they come in contact with. This figure has no good intentions. The Devil Figure can be any type of creature, animal, or even human. Examples of the devil figure could be Voldemort (Harry Potter), The Joker (Batman), Adolf Hitler, Kronos (Greek Mythology), Ursula (The Little Mermaid). Character traits of the usual devil figure could be perceived as dramatic, terrifying, revolting, or charismatic.
Star Crossed Lovers
The archetype that was most famously used by William Shakespeare in his play Romeo and Juliet. These two characters are so deeply in love with each other that they would rather die than be apart or separated. Romeo and Juliet are an example of the star crossed lovers because their families do not allow them to be together.
The Temptress
Typically an attractive woman who tries to lure or seduce someone. Characterized by her beauty. Manipulative, a complication in the Hero’s journey. Beautiful, but probably dangerous.
A temptress could also be in the form of something physical, such as power or wealth. This tempting item will pull the hero away from their original goal. An example would be in Percy Jackson, when they were lured into the casino, and unable to leave, so they wasted precious time to get the lightning bolt for Zeus.
The Outcast
The Outcast is someone who is rejected by society or by a social group. They are rejected by society due to a possible crime committed or a difference in personality/appearance- a strange characteristic. The outcast actually plays an important part in the story because they may seem insignificant, but eventually become the hero or more likely, the villain. An example of the outcast going from “zero to hero” is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. At first, bullied about appearance, but after Santa recognizes him as special, he is considered a hero.
Water and Desert
It is used as a birth/rebirth symbol. Water can be used to symbolize the prosperity or successfulness of a character, while desert can be used to symbolize drought or failure. It can be used to a character arch, and it can show change throughout the story. An example is when in The Little Mermaid, when Ariel goes from her place of success because she had a life set up for her there. She she would not have had any problems. She moves into the desert part of the archetype when she goes on land. She had less prosperity on land than she did in the water portion of the archetype. She has to restart her life essentially, which could be seen as the death of her old self, which is similar to a drought.
The Quest
The quest archetype, also known as the hero’s journey is a well-known archetype in the world of literature. The quest could be considered as the task sometimes as well, and it is what the protagonist/main character has to get done, or complete. This can be found in almost every story, as it is a staple of what stories with a main character’s needs, or else there is nothing for this main character to do.
The Ritual
The Ritual Archetype is like the initiate archetype but the difference is that this one is more formal, it's a formal ceremony that welcomes a person or persons into a group. It can be into an organization, an activity, or a group of people. Some examples include the choosing ceremony in the Giver. In this instance, the main character is welcomed into the society of the Community when he is given a job. Another example is the choosing ceremony in the Hunger games. The main character is initiated into the Hunger Games.
Loyal Retainer
The loyal retainer is the hero’s sidekick, wisest advisor, and trusted friend. They usually glorify the hero and help him/her succeed on their quest. Ex: Loyal Retainers, Noble sidekicks to hero, Retainer reflects hero’s nobility, Sidekick always elevates the hero, kind of like a suck-up.
ABOUT
The dictionary definition of an archetype is as follows: A very typical example of a certain person or thing. For example, in many stories there is a hero, which is a type of archetype. This website's purpose is to educate the public about what an archetype is and to describe some common archetypes with examples in popular culture.
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