Archetypes In Ancient Mythology

What are the common archetypes in ancient mythologies? I chose this topic because I have a large interest in past culture, and I would like to know more about the stories of heroes passed down through many generations. These archetypes help historians understand the lifestyle of past civilizations, such as Greek, Norse, and Egyptian. When people include an archetypal character in a piece of literature, “it helps to get the message of a work across to the reader, by appealing to specific universal components of human nature” (McSorley). Each archetype has its own characteristics, and many cultures have a recurring theme in each of their characters. The history of the introduction and usage of archetypes also interests me, because this idea started
from one person, and became something that people discuss all over the world. For my presentation, I chose to research the archetypes of the hero, the mentor, and the creator.
My project consists of a basic research investigation with primarily qualitative information.
My topic is basic because I have a question that I want to answer, and the results show usefulness in the real world to help answer other questions. Curiosity mainly fueled my research and interests, and the subject I researched can spread through many areas. However, a broad topic enhances the knowledge of what we already know. In addition, I would describe my topic as qualitative because it covers a variety of information-based sources. I researched this topic to gain a better understanding of archetypes in mythology. I also tried to decipher trends in these archetypes, and explored in depth details about what I
chose. Hero Archetype
Many call the hero, “one of the most enduring and prevalent archetypes in our society” (Barlow).
Most people can recognize this archetype, and it has been in many stories throughout mythology. Some characteristics of a hero are strength, bravery, and leadership. From Greece, scholars use Oedipus to represent a commonly known character in the hero archetype. The tragic hero more specifically describes his archetype. This type of hero has their fate foretold by the Gods or some other higher force to cause wreckage or suffering as a result of his or her choices (“Tragic Hero”). Also from Greek Mythology, many people recognize Odysseus as a hero. He fought valiantly during the Trojan War, trying to save Helen, a woman from his country who Troy kidnapped. The victory of the Greeks occurred from of Odysseus, because he disguised himself as an old beggar and managed to make his way into Troy, where he infiltrated the enemy. Odysseus also came up with the idea of the Trojan horse, which allowed most of Greece’s soldiers to invade Troy unknowingly. After fighting in this war, he began his quest to get home to his family, but many hardships ambushed him; he does not return to his homeland for twenty years (Homer). Odysseus represents a hero because of his bravery during the war, and his will to continue on even after losing all of his crew. Additionally, he had loyalty to his men, wife, and child, and would sacrifice his life just for them to live on. Beowulf, in Norse mythology, also
represents an example of a hero archetype. He died saving his people, has divine strength, and took a position of leadership when others were not brave enough to do so. His qualities have made him one of the most heroic legends told to this day. While heroes save others who need assistance, they also show courage, selflessness, and humility.
Mentor Archetype
The mentor portrays the father-figure, or teacher, of the hero. Usually, the mentor has once been in the hero’s shoes, and can teach them what they had learned in the past. Mentors show wisdom, guidance, and encouragement for others. The mentor represents a character who “uses personal knowledge of people and the world to help tell stories and offer guidance” (Jung). In Greek legends, a mythological figure named Chiron symbolizes a mentor. This centaur taught many heroes in his days, including Achilles, Asclepius, and the great Heracles. Warriors taught him the lessons he had learned from his childhood and even as an adult, and they became some of the strongest and well-known heroes during their time (McLean). Odin, from Norse mythology, portrays a mentor as well. Odin offered guidance to many young heroes, including his son Thor. He gave magical gifts to those who needed them most. Odin guided Thor throughout his journey to become a hero, and taught him how to fight, be self-sufficient, and gave him relevant information that proved vital to his survival and winning the war. The mentor archetype provides help and direction to the hero, and uses their knowledge to help the world improve.
Creator Archetype
The creator, also as the maker, embodies an all-powerful being, and takes responsibility for the construction of the world. Zeus, the king of the gods in Greece, shows an accurate example of the creator. Historians describe how he created the earth and all life living on it. Whenever one of his creations failed, he would become angry and work to make things even better. Zeus had also created many disastrous items, such as Pandora’s Box. He crafted and put into this box many curses to punish man, so that humans would not be able to have as much luxury as they did before (“Myths and Legends”). Zeus knew that Pandora could not restrain her curiosity, an imperfect quality that could cause good or harm. In her case, harm resulted from the box. When it opened, the “horrors that plague the world today – pain, sickness, envy, greed” (“Greek Creation Myth”), released from the box, which caused suffering to spread throughout the civilization. Nüwa, the leader in Chinese myths, represents a creator. She lived on the earth before any others, and decided to craft humans from clay because “earth [was] beautiful, but lonely” (Brey). When a hole tore into the sky, Nüwa decided to take action. She forged heaven back to order before it fell apart, thus determining the order of the world. While people describe the characteristics of a creator as unclear in their decisions, but also can show high imaginative and expressive traits (Golden). Background/History of Archetypes
Mythology created many archetypes while telling its stories. In these stories, readers find the hero, the mentor, and the creator more frequently than any others. An archetype conveys an original pattern based on many concepts weaved together (Golden). The archetypes found in mythologies such as Greek, Egyptian, and Norse, reflect on the cultures of the civilization. Carl Jung discovered an abundance of information just from figuring out the archetypes of mythological characters. Today, psychologists use archetypes as a “particular therapeutic approach that focuses on patients’ dreams” (Carr). I chose this topic because I enjoy learning about ancient myths, and it interests me to see the stories once told in the beginning of the world still passed down in modern times. For my potential product, I intend to create a PowerPoint. It will include a simple introduction to the archetype, and a brief explanation of mythology to introduce the audience to the topic in case they have no knowledge of it previously. If I can find an adequate video, I will also show it as a summary of archetypes and mythology, I will list off a few of the archetypes as examples, but mainly focus on the three I chose: the hero, the mentor, and the creator. I will incorporate examples of these archetypes, such as literature these characters in mythology appear in, and show the audience modern interpretations of these characters so they can form a connection to understand the individuals. My final product will incorporate all the elements of archetypes and mythology to allow the audience to have a better understanding of ancient characters and how they relate to certain groups of people.