8/19/2019 Archetype Essay

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How is the Role of the Hero Important as an Archetype in Literature

Every hero is a dynamic character, but what causes a hero to be dynamic? Authorsincorporate many different archetypes of literature into their plot, but every archetype directlyand indirectly alters the hero’s identity. In The Odyssey attributed to Homer , Around the World in80 Days by Jules Verne, and the movie Thor directed by enneth !rana"h, the main characterunder"oes a ma#or development in their personality as well as their mentality. $heir %uest is

completed usin" the hero’s newfound approach. Every archetype molds the hero to be a dynamiccharacter and allows them to complete their %uest.

&ultiple complications stand in between a hero and their ultimate "oal. $hese obstacleschan"e a hero over a period of time to the point that they are hardly the person they were whenthey started their %uest. In The Odyssey , 'dysseus’ immense e"o caused him to taunt(olyphemus the cyclops, one of 'dysseus’ many challen"es, and almost "et him and his crewcrushed by "iant boulders) he is cursed to sail a five year #ourney on sea. In Thor , $he *estroyer,sent by +o i, $hor’s obstacle, threatens the lives of the people in the city as well as Jane -oster.$hor reali es that he would sacrifice his life to save the people and his companions) he alsore"ains his di"nity and allows him to annihilate $he *estroyer. 'dysseus learns to control hise"o to some e/tent and $hor learns to put others before his own "oals. In each case, the hero istested in some way and they learn a valuable lesson from their challen"es and faults. $hecharacters show a si"nificant difference in personality from the start of their %uest to the end ofit.

$he author purposely ma es the hero dynamic so they are adept to "ain a new perspectiveon the world. In the boo Around the World in 80 Days , Jules Verne incorporates 0ir -rancis1romarty into the novel as the archetype of the mentor. 'n the train, 0ir -rancis encoura"es(hileas -o"" to ta e a loo at the world around him) -o"" reali es his blindness and be"ins toappreciate his #ourney and its e/periences. In enneth !rana"h’s movie Thor , $hor is initially

portrayed as a na2ve character, but later he matures and shows that he learns to be compassionateto others. He proves that he may, one day, ma e a worthy in". Althou"h the hero’s shift inmentality comes in different ways, they serve the same role in a story’s plot and allow them to beable to react in new ways to the situations they encounter on their #ourney. $he hero’s new

perspective on the world opens new paths for the character to successfully complete their %uest.

$he hero completes the %uest in a way that they would not have ima"ined had it not beenfor their transformation. 'dysseus returns home after the lon" ten years and has to sneainco"nito bac into the palace so he can survey the dama"e done by the men who have ta enover. He has to stay undercover even thou"h the men a""ravate him to no e/tent usin" his newself3restraint. !y the time that $hor is able to return home to As"ard, his initial "oal, he finds it

hard to leave Earth and Jane -oster. 4hen he is able to "et home, he faces his brother +o i, andma es the decision to sever the 5ainbow !rid"e, their only orthodo/ way in or out of the realm,so he can save As"ard from annihilation. In Around the World in 80 Days , (hileas -o"", a manwith a very simple life, "ets bac to En"land and spontaneously marries Aouda, an Indian

princess. $hese e/amples all show that the hero’s chan"e allows them to complete their %uest in adifferent way than he mi"ht have e/pected at the be"innin" of the story. In all stories, the author

8/19/2019 Archetype Essay

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How is the Role of the Hero Important as an Archetype in Literature

shows that the dramatic chan"e in the character determines the rest of the plot line. 4ithout theirchan"e, they would not have been able to complete their %uest.

Every archetype "ives the hero dimension and drives them to the conclusion of their%uest. In The Odyssey , 'dysseus is chan"ed mainly from his e"o "ettin" the best of him.

$hrou"h his faults, he was able to develop as well as learn how to repress his self3esteem and histemper. (hileas -o"" from Around the World in 80 Days chan"ed from barely showin" emotionto returnin" home and marryin" Aouda. In Thor , $hor "oes from havin" a very pompous attitudeto bein" empathetic for those around him. 'dysseus’ chan"e transpired by his fatal flaw almost"ot him and his crew illed. $hor’s transformation was invo ed by his obstacle, +o i, and hisneed to protect those in the city and one of his desires, Jane -oster. His alteration was brou"htupon by the archetype of the mentor who was 0ir -rancis 1romarty and the archetype of thecompanion, Aouda. Althou"h each hero’s development was brou"ht out by different archetypes,they all serve the same purpose in a story’s plot line, to chan"e the hero and allow him to finishtheir #ourney.