Today we discussed the various archetypes in the monomyth, or the "one story."
Students were given the following sheet with the various archetypes on them and we anotated the text.
Character Archetypes
Hero
The essence of the hero is not bravery or nobility, but self-sacrifice. The
mythic hero is one who will endure separation and hardship for the sake of his
clan. The hero must pay a price to obtain his goal.
The hero's journey during a story is a path from the ego, the self, to a new
identity which has grown to include the experiences of the story. This path
often consists of a separation from family or group to a new, unfamiliar and
challenging world (even if it's his own back yard), and finally a return to the
ordinary, but now expanded, world.
The hero must learn in order to grow. Often the heart of a story is not the
obstacles he faces, but the new wisdom he acquires, from a mentor, a lover, or
even from the villain.
Heroes can be willing and adventurous, or reluctant. They may be group and
family oriented, or loners. They may change and grow themselves, or act as
catalysts for others to grow and act heroic. The hero can be an innocent, a
wanderer, a martyr, a warrior, a vengeful destroyer, a ruler, or a fool. But
the essence of the hero is the sacrifice he makes to achieve his goal.
Mentor
or Ancient
Mystic
The mentor is a character who aids or trains the hero. The essence of the
mentor is the wise old man or woman. The mentor represents the wiser and more
godlike qualities within us.
The mentor's role may be to teach the hero. These characters are often found in
the roles of drill instructor, squad leader or sergeant, the older officer
policeman, the aged warrior training the squire, a trail boss, parent or
grandparent, etc. An effective teacher may be an otherwise inept or foolish
character who possesses just the skill or wisdom the hero needs for his
challenge.
The other major role of the mentor is to equip the hero by giving him a gift or
gifts which are important in his quest. These gifts may be weapons, medicine or
food, magic, or some important clue or piece of information. Frequently, the
mentor requires the hero to have passed some sort of test before receiving the
gift. The gift may be a seemingly insignificant object, the importance of which
doesn't emerge until later.
The mentor may occasionally be the hero's conscience, returning him to the
right path after he strays or strengthening him when he weakens. The hero
doesn't always appreciate this assistance, of course.
Threshold Guardian
The threshold guardian is the first obstacle to the hero in his journey. The
threshold is the gateway to the new world the hero must enter to change and
grow.
The threshold guardian is usually not the story's antagonist. Only after this
initial test has been surpassed will the hero face the true contest and the
arch-villain. Frequently the threshold guardian is a henchman or employee of
the antagonist.
But the threshold guardian can also be an otherwise neutral character, or even
a potential ally such as the police lieutenant who warns the hero private
detective off the case, or the Cowardly Lion who first frightens and then joins
Dorothy on her journey to Oz.
The role of the threshold guardian is to test the hero's mettle and worthiness
to begin the story's journey, and to show that the journey will not be easy.
The hero will encounter the guardian early in the story, usually right after he
starts his quest.
Shapeshifter
The shapeshifter changes role or personality, often in significant ways, and is
hard to understand. That very changeability is the essence of this archetype.
The shapeshifter's alliances and loyalty are uncertain, and the
sincerity of his claims is often questionable. This keeps the hero off guard.
The shapeshifter is often a person of the opposite sex, often the hero's
romantic interest. In other stories the shapeshifter may be a friend or ally of
the same sex, often a buddy figure, or in fantasies, a magical figure such as a
shaman or wizard.
The shapeshifter is sometimes a catalyst whose changing nature forces changes
in the hero, but the normal role is to bring suspense into a story by forcing
the reader, along with the hero, to question beliefs and assumptions.
As with the other archetypes, any character, including the protagonist and
antagonist, can take on attributes of the shapeshifter at different times in
the story. The hero often assumes the role of shapeshifter to get past an
obstacle. Mentors often appear as shapeshifters.
Shadow
or The Enemy
The Shadow archetype is a negative figure, representing things we don't like
and would like to eliminate.
The shadow often takes the form of the antagonist in a story. But not all
antagonists are villains; sometimes the antagonist is a good guy whose goals
disagree with the protagonist's. If the antagonist is a villain, though, he's a
shadow.
The shadow is the worthy opponent with whom the hero must struggle. In a
conflict between hero and villain, the fight is to the end; one or the other
must be destroyed or rendered impotent.
While the shadow is a negative force in the story, it's important to remember
that no man is a villain in his own eyes. In fact, the shadow frequently sees
himself as a hero, and the story's hero as his villain.
Trickster
The Trickster is a clown, a mischief maker. He provides the comedy relief that
a story often needs to offset heavy dramatic tension. The trickster keeps
things in proportion.
The trickster can be an ally or companion of the hero, or may work for the
villain. In some instances the trickster may even be the hero or villain. In
any role, the trickster usually represents the force of cunning, and is pitted
against opponents who are stronger or more powerful.
