Lit archetypes: what are they?

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Literary archetypes are identifiable themes that recur frequently throughout the history of literature. Generally, they are divided into three categories: characters, settings and events. Common archetypal characters include the hero and the mother. Frequently used setting archetypes include mountain and sea, and common archetypal events include travel, death, and rebirth.

Characters are one of the most popular types of literary archetypes and the best known might be the hero and the villain. Most stories feature these two characters in some way. In the mystery genre, both are key. The hero is often the main character in the book, the person whose story the reader is following and who the reader is rooting for. The villain is the character who gets in the way of or tries to defeat the hero, often considered the “bad guy”.

Both hero and villain can be male or female, and can be human, animal, artificial intelligence, or fantasy creature, depending on the story. There may be more than one, although this occurs more often with the role of the villain, as in the case of a tribe of monsters. Other common character-based literary archetypes include star-crossed lovers, the classic example being Romeo and Juliet; the mother, who takes care of the hero, even if she is not his real mother; and the innocent or virgin, often represented by a child or an inexperienced or mentally disabled adult.

Setting-based literary archetypes include the mountain or peak, which is used to represent a literal or figurative place from which the hero can see clearly, or at least see far away from himself. The sea is also often used to demonstrate hard times, uncertainties or dangers. Similarly, the island can represent isolation and solitude or it can, alternatively, represent an opportunity for peace and self-reflection. Also, a river often signifies a major change in a character’s life, and the crossroads signifies a major decision.

Event-based literary archetypes can include a wide range of situations. Perhaps the best known is travel, sometimes called research. In a romance novel, for example, the journey is usually the hero’s search for true love. In classical literature, however, travel is best seen in adventure tales such as the legends of King Arthur’s knights and books such as The Odyssey. Other event archetypes include sacrifice, where the hero must give up something dear to him for the greater good; coming of age, in which the character’s life takes a dramatic turn, usually requiring him to accept new responsibilities or to renounce his innocence; and death and rebirth, in which the hero fails, then starts again or dies and is brought back to life.

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