This document outlines Northrop Frye's theory of archetypal criticism, which examines common patterns and symbols in literature that are derived from myths and rituals. Frye discusses two types of criticism - meaningful criticism that analyzes archetypes using tools from philosophy and history, and meaningless criticism. He also describes the inductive and deductive methods of archetypal criticism, where the inductive method uses specific examples to identify common themes and the deductive method examines how individual works fit into overarching patterns and phases of myth.

1. THE ARCHETYPES OF
LITERATURE
NORTHROP FRYE

2. MYTH – What is that?

3. Three parts
concept of archetypal criticism
Inductive Method
Deductive Method

4. Archetypal Crriticism
original idea or pattern
Myths and rituals are explored
James George Frazer and Carl Gustav
Jung

5. Two Types of Criticism
Meaningful criticism,
and a Meaningless criticism
Philosophy and history – Tools.

6. Formalistic Criticism & Historical
Criticism
Archetypal criticism is a synthesis
of structural criticism and
historical criticism.
Criticism :Science

7. Structural Criticism and Inductive
Analysis
general truth
Jealousy
Othello

8. Historical Criticism and Inductive
Analysis
Sea as a common theme
The Collective Unconscious or
Racial Memory
Hamlet

9. DEDUCTIVE METHOD
Rhythm
Pattern

10. The Four Phases of the Myth
Spring – Romance
 summer – Comedy and Pastoral
autumn – Tragedy or Elegy
Winter – Satire
Quest Myth