What is an ARCHETYPE?

Think of archetypes as the stuff of dreams! As possibilities for significance in your subconscious.

Dreams are not composed. They happen.

Humans consciously form images in their art, their myths, and stories. The Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung, discovered that while these images vary in detail from culture to culture, and era to era, the basic patterns of archetypes remain the same within our subconscious, collective mind.

Archetypal patterns exist in the subconscious mind.

Archetypal symbols emerge in the conscious mind.

Jung defined several basic archetypal patterns. Prominent among them is the Self.

The Self is the totality of one’s spiritual and physical being. A common symbol for the self is the circle, the basis for the sacred art of mandalas (“mandala” is the Sanskrit word for “circle”):

Tibetan silk painting, or Thangka

Black Elk An Oglala Sioux medicine man (or "shaman”)

You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round . . . The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.

~ Words of Black Elk, 1931

Another powerful archetypal pattern is the Shadow. Think of the Shadow as the dark, hidden side of our personalities. This underworld wilderness is a place of chaos, inhabited by beasts and ogres, but a realm of tremendous psychic energy. Some Shadow images:

Hansel and Gretel in the woods Jesus tempted by Satan in the wilderness

Dr. Frankenstein and his creature

A part of our “fallen”, separated state Grendel’s origins:

The dark “underside” of the personality will emerge with a vengeance if ignored.

Grendel’s dwelling place:

The neglected shadow may be projected onto others.

Who are Grendel’s victims?:

The shadow must be met head on, to restore the imbalanced personality.

What action does Beowulf take?

We cannot rid ourselves of the potential for evil, but may do good in spite of it – the shadow poses a lifelong challenge.

How is the challenge of the shadow renewed in Beowulf’s life?

Grendel as the SHADOW

The Jungian Shadow archetype Grendel

A descendent of Cain

A murky marsh, down under the light of Heorot.

Innocent men he perceives as hurtful, because they exclude him.

He grapples with Grendel, in hand to hand combat, unarmed.

After Grendel, he is confronted by Grendel’s mother, and finally, in old age, the Dragon.

Some other Jungian Archetypes:

• The Self

• The Anima and Animus

• The Trickster