The Archetypal The Archetypal Hero Hero What Do Luke Skywalker, What Do Luke Skywalker, Simba, King Arthur, Simba, King Arthur, Moses, and William Moses, and William Wallace all have in Wallace all have in common? common?
Nov 24, 2014
The Archetypal HeroThe Archetypal Hero
What Do Luke Skywalker, What Do Luke Skywalker, Simba, King Arthur, Moses, Simba, King Arthur, Moses,
and William Wallace all have and William Wallace all have in common?in common?
Jung and CampbellJung and Campbell Carl Jung and Joseph Carl Jung and Joseph
Campbell developed Campbell developed the idea of the the idea of the archetypearchetype– Archetype: A recurring Archetype: 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 QuestTraumatic Event Leads to Quest Special WeaponSpecial Weapon Supernatural HelpSupernatural Help Proves Himself on QuestProves Himself on Quest Journey and Unhealable WoundJourney and Unhealable 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 w/ aunt and Luke w/ aunt and
uncleuncle– Simba born a Simba born a
princeprince– Moses put in Moses put in
basketbasket– King Arthur in King Arthur in
danger from Uther danger from Uther Pendragon’s rivals Pendragon’s rivals
Leaves FamilyLeaves Family Raised away from Raised away from
his peoplehis people– Luke w/ Luke w/ auntaunt and and
uncleuncle– Simba w/ Timon Simba w/ Timon
and Poobahand Poobah– King Arthur w/ King Arthur w/
MerlinMerlin– William Wallace William Wallace
with unclewith uncle– 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
killedkilled– Arthur pulls sword Arthur pulls sword
from stonefrom stone– Simba fights NalaSimba fights Nala– Yahweh appears Yahweh appears
to Mosesto Moses
Special WeaponSpecial Weapon Only the hero can Only the hero can
wield his weaponwield his weapon– Luke’s light saberLuke’s light saber– Arthur’s Arthur’s
ExcaliburExcalibur– Moses’ staffMoses’ staff– Wallace’s swordWallace’s sword– Simba’s ... claws?Simba’s ... claws?
Supernatural HelpSupernatural Help Hero often has Hero often has
spiritual guidancespiritual guidance– Luke hears Obi-Luke hears Obi-
Wan KenobiWan Kenobi– Arthur has MerlinArthur has Merlin– Yahweh guides Yahweh guides
MosesMoses– Wallace dreams of Wallace dreams of
his dead fatherhis dead father– Simba sees Mufasa Simba sees Mufasa
in the sky and has in the sky and has Rafiki help himRafiki help him
Proves HimselfProves Himself Hero performs feats Hero performs feats
while on Questwhile on Quest– Luke blows up Death Luke blows up Death
Star, leads Star, leads rebellionrebellion– Arthur leads battlesArthur leads battles– Moses perform Moses perform
miraclesmiracles– Simba contemplates Simba contemplates
his lifehis life– Wallace leads his Wallace leads his
men against Britishmen against British
Journey & Unhealable Journey & Unhealable WoundWound
Hero descends Hero descends into a hell-like into a hell-like area and suffers area and suffers wounding from wounding from encounter w/ evilencounter w/ evil– Symbolically goes Symbolically goes
where normal where normal 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 or evil deeds or reconciles with reconciles with father over father over wrongs done by wrongs done by the herothe hero
ApotheosisApotheosis Hero is rewarded Hero is rewarded
spiritually at the spiritually at the end of his lifeend of his life