The Hero's Journey: Character Archetypes

In addition to articulating the concept of “the hero’s journey,” academic Joseph Campbell helped popularise the idea of character archetypes in literature.

Author of the seminal work The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1949), Campbell applied the ideas of thinkers like Sir James George Frazer and Carl Jung, combining them with his own to distill eight character archetypes found throughout the hero’s journey:

Hero: A hero willingly sacrifices their needs for others. They are actively learning and doing, and undergo transformation. They are flawed beings that have universal qualities.

Mentor: A teacher or trainer who aids the hero by teaching and protecting them. The mentor motivates the hero to overcome their fears and also prepares them for the journey.

Ally: The hero will have some great challenges ahead; too great for one person to face alone.  Plus, the journey could get a little dull without another character to interact with.

Herald: A character (or item) that issues challenges and announces coming change. Heralds serve to motivate the hero into action.

Trickster: The embodiment of mischief, this character desires to create change. They serve to ground the hero by pointing out their follies and serve as comic relief. Tricksters are frequently a catalyst who causes healthy transformations. 

Shapeshifter: A shifting or unstable character, often of the opposite sex. They mislead the hero and act as a catalyst of change by bringing in doubt and suspense. 

Guardian: A character who serves to keep the unworthy from entering. They cluster around thresholds, and can be overcome by being passed or made into an ally. These guardians serve to test the hero's character and commitment to the journey.

Shadow: This aspect represents the "dark side;" villains, antagonists, and enemies. These characters often do not think of themselves as villains and serve to challenge the hero. By being a worthy opponent they create conflict to bring out the hero's best.

Campbell’s ideas resonated with Hollywood filmmakers, particularly George Lucas, who was vocal about crafting the arc of Star Wars’ Luke Skywalker around the story beats of the hero’s journey. This made Luke more of a “classical” character, since Campbell’s theory came out of extensive study of classical literature and theater.

SOURCE: Masterclass staff (Aug 30, 2021) Writing 101: The 12 Literary Archetypes, Masterclass. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-the-12-literary-archetypes

SOURCE: Masterclass staff (Aug 30, 2021) Writing 101: The 12 Literary Archetypes, https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-the-12-literary-archetypes