Discover your archetype

November 29, 2013

As soon as you enter the world of fairy tales or myths, you become aware of recurring types of characters. The Swiss psychologist Carl Jung called these characters "archetypes." He felt that the human race had a shared heritage and a collective unconsciousness of understood characters that acted in a certain way. Myths held important keys to the understanding of why we live and act the way we do.

The character types can be herald, threshold guardian, trickster, shapeshifter, shadow, mentor, hero, or others. Some characters combine more than one or include further types. A Writer's Journey, by Christopher Vogler, ostensibly a handbook for writing film-scripts, tells film writers what mythical qualities they must build into their characters in order to make engaging films. Vogler writes, "Being aware of archetypes can expand your command of your craft." His book is also an example of carrying Jung's ideas to the crafting of life.

Carrying the idea further, it's not surprising that we artists are ourselves built around mythical types. Furthermore, understanding these types explains why some artists are indifferent or hostile to branches of art other than their own. The "herald" artist, for example, may wish to announce new happenings, break new ground or warn of trouble ahead. The "threshold guardian" artist, on the other hand, holds a conservative and traditional rein on taste and license. Persistence of "quality" is the desirable goal. To her, newness for its own sake is a temporary cult. The "trickster" artist works by joking, deceiving, and having sport with the minds and sensitivities of others. The "shapeshifter" artist modifies her direction and even her personality in order to achieve goals. She does commissions and can pretty well do what's required. And then there's the "shadow" artist--the true-to-herself villain who sees the dark side. "Life," says the shadow, "is depressing, and I'm not going to let you forget it." The "mentor" artist is the Obi Wan Kenobi of the art world--the wise old man or woman who passes the golden brush to the "hero." I like to think of artists as heroes. "Hero" artists fight against odds that may include indifference, tyranny, stress, competition, poverty, as well as the artist's own shortcomings. Hero artists overcome and pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. Hero artists tend to be tenacious, patient, thorough, passionate, strategic and focused.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: "This is the tale I pray the divine Muse to unfold to us. Begin it, Goddess, at whatever point you will." (Homer, The Odyssey)

Esoterica: Without getting carried away, the artist's life is a hero's journey. From a state of ordinariness and relative ignorance, the hero is "called to action" and proceeds through a variety of obstacles, alliances and learning experiences until, after much struggle, she reaches a kind of epiphany. Fulfillment, joy, and success can be the natural outcome of this journey.

This is a favourite Robert Genn Twice-Weekly Letter previously published on June 1st, 2004.