The shadow archetype is the unconscious side of a personality that a person represses, first coined by Carl Jung. It represents the dark forces of human nature and is part of the collective unconscious. People must unite their conscious self with their unconscious drives and instincts in order to be psychologically healthy.
The shadow archetype is the unconscious side of a personality that a person represses. This term was first coined by Carl Jung, the famous psychologist who practiced in the early 20th century. In literature and cinema, this archetype is a powerful prototype representing the dark forces of human nature.
Carl Jung theorized that humans have a set of shared unconscious and instinctual psychological ideas that are passed down from generation to generation regardless of culture. Called the collective unconscious, these thoughts and instincts are expressed as archetypes and can influence a person’s behavior without their knowledge. An example is the shadow archetype.
The shadow archetype is presumably the reservoir of repressed impulses and emotions that are expressed outwardly in the conscious mind as the very aspects a person dislikes about themselves. As the word shadow implies, this archetype is often seen as a dark force. When a person looks inward and sees emotions or behavioral tendencies that are frowned upon by society, they may choose not to recognize the behavior as a natural part of the personality. Anger, selfishness, violent tendencies, the pursuit of unbridled power, and some sexual urges are examples of the type of behavior a person may choose not to recognize.
In literature, a classic example of the shadow archetype is The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1886. Mr. Hyde is the ugly, homicidal personality who emerges after the affable Dr Jekyll develops an experimental drug that he tests on himself. Many times in literature and film, however, the shadow archetype is not the full villain. The Batman character is an example as he may be the savior of the city of Gotham, but he is also seen as a dark force, barely able to keep his anger and love of power under wraps. He has been battling with his own demons and is therefore better able to control them.
According to Jung, people must unite their conscious self with their unconscious drives and instincts in order to be psychologically healthy and lead a fulfilling life. The more aware a person is of his shadow archetype, the more control he can exert over the dark impulses he generates. According to psychologists, however, most people are afraid to face their darker side and often project their flaws onto other people instead.
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