Archetype by

Example #1: The Hero

He or she is a character who predominantly exhibits goodness, and struggles against evil in order to restore harmony and justice to society. Examples of hero include Beowulf, in the book Beowulf, Hercules, in the book Hercules, and d’Artagnan, from The Three Musketeers.

Example #2: The Mother Figure

Such a character may be represented as a Fairy God Mother, who guides and directs a child, Mother Earth, who contacts people and offers spiritual and emotional nourishment, or a Stepmother who treats their stepchildren poorly. Examples of a mother figure include:

In Literature:

Lucy and Madame Defarge, from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities
Disely, from William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury
Gladriel, from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings
Glinda, from the Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

In Fairy Tales:

The wicked stepmother in Charles Perrault’s Cinderella
The fairy godmothers in Charles Perrault’s Sleeping Beauty
Mother Goose
The grandmother in Charles Perrault’s Little Red Riding Hood

In Mythology:

The mythological figures of Persephone, Demeter, Hecate, Gorgon, Medusa

Example #3: The Innocent Youth

He or she is inexperienced, with many weaknesses, and seeks safety with others. Others like him or her because of the trust he or she shows in other people. Usually, the experience of coming of age comes in the later parts of the narratives. Examples of innocent youth include:

Pip in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations
Nicholas in Charles Dickens’ The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
Joseph from Henry Fielding’s The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews

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