The Archetypal Hero

What Do Luke Skywalker, Simba,
King Arthur, Moses, Wonder
Woman, William Wallace, &
Optimus Prime all have in common?

ANSWER:
They are all Archetypal Heroes

But what is an Archetype?
And what does it have to do with Heroes?

Let’s start with the two guys who
came up with the concept:
Joseph
Carl Jung Campbell

Archetype:
A recurring pattern of images, situations, or symbols
found in the mythology, religion, art, and dreams
of cultures around the world.

Okay, so what exactly characterizes an
Archetypal Hero then?
–And what does this have to do with the characters
mentioned?

Traits of the Archetypal Hero
• Unusual Circumstances of Birth
• Leaves Family and Lives With Others
• Traumatic Event Leads to Quest
• Special Weapon
• Supernatural Help

Unusual Birth
Often in danger or
born into royalty…

Leaves Family
Raised away from…
-or separated from home

Traumatic Event
The hero’s life is
changed forever…

Special Weapon
Only the hero can
wield it…

Supernatural Help
-The hero often has
spiritual guidance

More Heroic Traits…
• Proves self on Quest
• Journey and Unhealable Wound
• Atonement With Father
• Spiritual Apotheosis

Proves Him or Herself
The hero performs
heroic feats…

Journey & Unhealable Wound
Hero descends into a hell-
like area and suffers
wounding from an
encounter with evil

Atonement With Father
The hero either redeems
father’s evil deeds or
reconciles with father over
wrongs done by the hero

Apotheosis
Hero is rewarded spiritually at
the end of his, or her life

Aha! –But not all of these characters
have all of the characteristics!

That’s okay. -They don’t really
have to…
As long as a hero displays several of these
characteristics, he, or she, is in the club!

Now, can you think of any other
Archetypal Heroes?

References
Davis, Bryan M. "The Archetypal Hero in Literature,
Religion, Movies, and Popular Culture." 11 Oct
1997. Stephen F. Austin University. (07/07/2009).
<http://www.tatsbox.com/hero?
Nilsen, Alleen P., & Donelson, Kenneth L. Literature for
Today’s Young Adults, 8th ed. Boston: Pearson
Education, Inc. 2009.