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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