From the dawn of time, it seems almost all things remain bound by the limits of time and space; the one exception may be the eternal nature of stories. They transcend temporality, stir our emotions, and create endless possibilities for our imagination. Why do some stories remain while others fade? Of course, there are many analytical reasons. Still, if you look deep enough, you discover that archetypes inform the nature of the story and provide the dynamic energy that captivates the reader or recipient, grabs our attention, stirs our emotions, and engages us fully.
So, what are archetypes? Their elusive nature defies a classic definition, and as a result, Carl Jung, the seminal pioneer in the field, wrote volumes describing the nature of archetypes. In their most basic form, archetypes are universal and preexisting themes and motifs representing fundamental aspects of the human experience. Archetypes clothe themselves in universal images, symbols, patterns, or themes. No wonder they are the creative force in literature, art, mythology, or other forms of expression within the collective and the individual. When archetypes drive a story – imagination and emotions are alive within us. Excitement, fear, anticipation, intrigue, sadness, and exuberance remind us that an image-filled story lives within our bodies just as much as in word, print, theatre, or film.
When a story is alive, we share archetypal resonance with the present-day collective and past generations. A true archetypal story transcends its author and lives far beyond the duration of one’s life; these stories come through us from the Beyond – the place forever mysterious and yet familiar in some way, much like an ephemeral dream that is just beyond our reach.
Defining Archetypal Stories
Gilgamesh is one of the oldest stories known today. A Mesopotamian epic created approximately 4000 years ago is still recited and studied in our modern day. What makes this so? Is it the characters, plot, or something much deeper? Arguably, what makes Gilgamesh timeless are the universal archetypal motifs that resonate today as much as in ancient days. Even if we do not know the names Gilgamesh, Enkidu, Humbaba, or Utnaoishtim, we know the motifs of love and loss; we understand the human desire for immortality, the reality of limits; we know the ironical power of embracing one’s fate to find one’s destiny.
Archetypal stories are timeless narratives that embody universal themes, characters, and plot structures. They originate from humanity’s shared experiences, fears, dreams, and desires. These stories are paradoxically eternal and modern. At times, they exist in various forms across cultures and have been passed down through generations, captivating us throughout history. Other times, these stories are born into our present day with all the zeal and energy the zeitgeist can offer.
Have you ever found that specific stories keep you coming back? Each time you engage, it is as if you simultaneously discover something familiar and new. The reason is that archetypes expressed through images and symbols in stories do more than entertain; they resonate deep within our souls, leaving an indelible mark on the individual and the collective. Archetypal stories transcend a temporal existence and allow us to experience a world greater than our own. The story has a deep underlying and often mysterious wisdom that coherently unifies all the images and symbols within the narrative. We know the story, and yet there is still so much imagination and emotion alive in us that we form an intimate relationship with the content. We keep returning to a story because it affirms our existence and reminds us we exist in many worlds.
Not every story falls into this realm; many don’t. When stories fail, it is primarily due to their incoherence between images, forced allegory, or plot that never autonomously stirs the emotions or imagination. There is also a danger in concretizing an archetype. Carl Jung stated that a symbol is not wholly known, while a sign is something we fully understand. Nowadays, it is unfortunately all too expected to find an energized story full of archetypes later reduced to a repetitive, overproduced formula. This recipe kills the original energy and does not honor the wisdom of the creative collective unconscious, the very source of archetypes living and breathing. We are wise to remember archetypes are not simply categories; they are verbs as much as nouns.
The Power of Archetypes
From the seminal work of Carl Jung, we learn that the totality of an archetype is beyond our comprehension; their definition comes more from a range of potential in a defined boundary than a fixed point. Rarely do we name archetypes when they are active in our lives, although their effects are somatic and stir emotions. The images in their story are not constructs but rather living entities that require one’s attention. Archetypes act with unconscious influence; at first, we feel them, and then, with reflection, we know their presence through the images and symbols they produce. These symbolic manifestations act as ambassadors and bridge our collective unconscious’s mysteries to our subjective sense of self. Archetypes have the paradoxical power to unite us with all humanity while defining our unique individuality. When we encounter the Hero, the Shadow, the Wise Old Man, the Wise Crone, and the Trickster in stories, we experience these psychological energies within ourselves. We may not always recognize them immediately, but they have been inside us from the beginning, waiting for their moment to come alive. Archetypal stories generate their transcendent quality by bridging the internal and external worlds.
Themes and Symbolism
Archetypal stories often explore profound themes that resonate with our shared human experience. Love, death, redemption, and personal transformation are archetypal narrative themes. These stories generate symbolism to convey their messages, using tangible objects or events to represent abstract concepts and universal truths.
Symbols in stories can be subtle, acting quietly to move the story without being the focal point. Other times, symbolic content is at the forefront, challenging us to discover its core message. Fans and enthusiasts enter dialogue and debate over the true meaning at hand. Symbols intrigue us by their very nature, but in the same light, they are elusive to the conscious mind; this is how they power a story. Most describe symbols as evasive or possessing hidden meaning, although accurate from a particular perspective; their authentic power and nature are in their expression. The difficulty for us is that our subjective approach is often too limited to comprehend the richness of their spirit. Sometimes, we are incapable, unwilling, or unprepared to assimilate their meaning. They are always speaking to us; the question is, are we ready to hear their meaning?
In truth, it is often unnecessary to understand symbols to love a story; they create an experience instead of an intellectual exercise. However, if you find that a story grabs you emotionally, know that deep within you lives a mysterious world that invites you to explore if you want a sense of adventure. You will discover the rich wisdom of archetypal images and symbols at this layer; they will draw you deeper into their realm, challenge you, and then guide you back to the profane world – although now transformed.
Their origin is born from the collective and individual:
When we think of stories, we think of authorship. We marvel at the creative genius the human mind generates to bring to life worlds, characters, and plots that bring us under their spell. Names such as Tolstoy, Austen, Wolfe, or Hemmingway elicit images of writing brilliance; some may even say divine – it is here we find the mark of archetypal influence. An author of an archetypal story is a vessel of the creative field of the collective unconscious, which holds universal motifs for all. Such a proposition is an unsettling thought to our egos. Rarely do we like to relinquish our identity. We must look at history to know we are not always the masters of our fate. More simply stated, our stories are not ours but something for the collective. The ancients and indigenous cultures have always expressed their stories came from the Beyond. Mythology was not manufactured stories for the Greeks and early Romans; it was lived. The stories have their own life; they are organic, born, and live in the world to interact with a sense of purpose and meaning. At first glance, this origin that goes beyond the author’s intent is bound in mystery. How can a story take on more than its author intended? The answer lies in the actual creative source of the Collective Unconscious, the deepest psychological layers familiar to us all. When active, creative people often tell of the story coming from somewhere else, as if it comes through them instead of from them. They are kissed by the Muse, possessed, envigorated, tortured, driven, and ultimately a vessel for something divine. The Epic of Gilgamesh does not live with us today as the result of a genius writer but instead through the eternal nature of archetypal patterns that reside in our souls.
The Enduring Appeal:
Archetypal stories endure because they tap into our shared humanity. They evoke emotions, provoke introspection, and offer insights into the human condition. These narratives provide
a sense of familiarity. Archetypes remind us of our interconnectedness and collective experiences, regardless of time and place.
When we revisit an archetypical story, we find something new that was not there before, as if it remained hidden until our senses and consciousness were ready to perceive it. Each time we encounter an archetypal story, we follow familiar paths, not knowing what we may experience this time, or we see there was another way of traveling through the story. As we grow in our lives, the story reveals itself a bit more, until one day, we realize that as we gaze upon the story, it gazes back, as if we are looking in the mirror.
Archetypal stories are the elixirs of life. When consumed, our temporal existence transcends into the eternal and binds us to one another while preserving a sense of self. Our stories are the closest experience to immortality we have known during a lifetime. So, how do you know an archetypal story? You know it when you feel it.
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