Archetypal Literary Criticism

Historical Context

• Based on works of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell (and myth itself)

• Popular in 1950s and ‘60s due to Canadian, Northrop Frye

Definition

• Archetypal critics believe that literature is based on recurring images, characters, narrative designs and themes.

• Origins of western literature in Judeo-Christian scripture and Greco-Roman mythology

What is an archetype?

• Arche “first” and typos “form”

• An original model or pattern from which copies are made

Fundamental Plot ArchetypeTHE JOURNEY•Protagonist moves from innocence to experience •Begins in familiar environment•Descent into danger•Battle “monsters” in underworld (task)•Return home (reunion, marriage)

Key Terms

• Anima• Animus• Collective Unconscious• Persona• Shadow

Common Archetypal Figures

• The Child• The Hero• The Great Mother• The Wise old man• The Trickster or Fox

Frye vs Jung

• Frye sees archetypes as recurring patterns in literature; in contrast, Jung views archetypes as primal, ancient images/experience that we have inherited.

Objections

• Limits personal interpretation• Only analyses one aspect of literature (archetypes

Story time

In the fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel are loved by their father but resented by their step-mother, who insists on a journey into the woods with the intent of losing them. In the woods, the children meet evil in the guise of a witch who tries to kill them. But they outwit her, kill her, and return to their father. Their step-mother in some versions dies mysteriously at the same time as the witch. Familiar order is restored.

Re-write

• In groups of 3-4, write a modern version of this fairy tale. Make sure your modern tale does not alter the original theme or message. Note how you used the archetypes within this tale. Be prepared to present to the rest of the class.