The Archetypal HeroThe Archetypal Hero

What Do Luke Skywalker, What Do Luke Skywalker, Simba, King Arthur, Moses, Simba, King Arthur, Moses,

and William Wallace all have and William Wallace all have in common?in common?

Jung and CampbellJung and Campbell Carl Jung and Joseph Carl Jung and Joseph

Campbell developed Campbell developed the idea of the the idea of the archetypearchetype– Archetype: A recurring Archetype: 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 QuestTraumatic Event Leads to Quest Special WeaponSpecial Weapon Supernatural HelpSupernatural Help Proves Himself on QuestProves Himself on Quest Journey and Unhealable WoundJourney and Unhealable 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 w/ aunt and Luke w/ aunt and

uncleuncle– Simba born a Simba born a

princeprince– Moses put in Moses put in

basketbasket– King Arthur in King Arthur in

danger from Uther danger from Uther Pendragon’s rivals Pendragon’s rivals

Leaves FamilyLeaves Family Raised away from Raised away from

his peoplehis people– Luke w/ Luke w/ auntaunt and and

uncleuncle– Simba w/ Timon Simba w/ Timon

and Poobahand Poobah– King Arthur w/ King Arthur w/

MerlinMerlin– William Wallace William Wallace

with unclewith uncle– 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

killedkilled– Arthur pulls sword Arthur pulls sword

from stonefrom stone– Simba fights NalaSimba fights Nala– Yahweh appears Yahweh appears

to Mosesto Moses

Special WeaponSpecial Weapon Only the hero can Only the hero can

wield his weaponwield his weapon– Luke’s light saberLuke’s light saber– Arthur’s Arthur’s

ExcaliburExcalibur– Moses’ staffMoses’ staff– Wallace’s swordWallace’s sword– Simba’s ... claws?Simba’s ... claws?

Supernatural HelpSupernatural Help Hero often has Hero often has

spiritual guidancespiritual guidance– Luke hears Obi-Luke hears Obi-

Wan KenobiWan Kenobi– Arthur has MerlinArthur has Merlin– Yahweh guides Yahweh guides

MosesMoses– Wallace dreams of Wallace dreams of

his dead fatherhis dead father– Simba sees Mufasa Simba sees Mufasa

in the sky and has in the sky and has Rafiki help himRafiki help him

Proves HimselfProves Himself Hero performs feats Hero performs feats

while on Questwhile on Quest– Luke blows up Death Luke blows up Death

Star, leads Star, leads rebellionrebellion– Arthur leads battlesArthur leads battles– Moses perform Moses perform

miraclesmiracles– Simba contemplates Simba contemplates

his lifehis life– Wallace leads his Wallace leads his

men against Britishmen against British

Journey & Unhealable Journey & Unhealable WoundWound

Hero descends Hero descends into a hell-like into a hell-like area and suffers area and suffers wounding from wounding from encounter w/ evilencounter w/ evil– Symbolically goes Symbolically goes

where normal where normal 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 or evil deeds or reconciles with reconciles with father over father over wrongs done by wrongs done by the herothe hero

ApotheosisApotheosis Hero is rewarded Hero is rewarded

spiritually at the spiritually at the end of his lifeend of his life