Archetype
The concept of an archetype (/ˈɑːrkɪˌtaɪp/; from Ancient Greek ἄρχω (árkhō) 'to begin', and τύπος (túpos) 'sort, type') appears in areas relating to behavior, historical psychology, and literary analysis.
For other uses, see Archetype (disambiguation).
An archetype can be any of the following:
Archetypes are also very close analogies to instincts, in that, long before any consciousness develops, it is the impersonal and inherited traits of human beings that present and motivate human behavior.[1] They also continue to influence feelings and behavior even after some degree of consciousness developed later on.[1]
Etymology[edit]
The word archetype, "original pattern from which copies are made," first entered into English usage in the 1540s.[2] It derives from the Latin noun archetypum, latinisation of the Greek noun ἀρχέτυπον (archétypon), whose adjective form is ἀρχέτυπος (archétypos), which means "first-molded",[3] which is a compound of ἀρχή archḗ, "beginning, origin",[4] and τύπος týpos, which can mean, amongst other things, "pattern", "model", or "type".[5] It, thus, referred to the beginning or origin of the pattern, model or type.[6]
Archetypes in literature[edit]
Function[edit]
Usage of archetypes in specific pieces of writing is a holistic approach, which can help the writing win universal acceptance. This is because readers can relate to and identify with the characters and the situation, both socially and culturally. By deploying common archetypes contextually, a writer aims to impart realism to their work.[7] According to many literary critics, archetypes have a standard and recurring depiction in a particular human culture or the whole human race that ultimately lays concrete pillars and can shape the whole structure in a literary work.
Story archetypes[edit]
Christopher Booker, author of The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, argues that the following basic archetypes underlie all stories:[8]
