Archetypes

An archetype is an idealized model of a person, object, or concept from which similar instances are derived, copied, patterned, or emulated.

Literature
Archetypes often appear in literature. William Shakespeare, for example, is known for popularizing many archetypal characters. Although he based many of his characters on existing archetypes from fables and myths, Shakespeare's characters stand out as original by their contrast against a complex, social literary landscape.

A pastiche is an imitation of an archetype or prototype in order to pay homage to the original creator.

Jungian archetypes
The archetype is also a concept of psychologist Carl Jung. In this context, archetypes are innate prototypes for ideas, which may subsequently become involved in the interpretation of observed phenomena. A group of memories and interpretations closely associated with an archetype is called a complex, and may be named for its central archetype (e.g. "mother complex"). Jung often seemed to view the archetypes as sorts of psychological organs, directly analogous to our physical, bodily organs: both being morphological givens for the species; both arising at least partially through evolutionary processes. There are four famous forms of archetypes numbered by Jung:


 * The Self
 * The Shadow
 * The Anima
 * The Animus

The symbols of the unconscious abound in Jungian psychology:


 * The Syzygy (Divine Couple, e.g. Aeons)
 * The Child (examples: Linus van Pelt)
 * The Superman (the Omnipotent)
 * The Hero (examples: Siegfried, Beowulf, Doc Savage, Luke Skywalker, Thomas A. Anderson ("Neo"), Harry Potter)


 * The Great Mother manifested either as the Good Mother or the Terrible Mother (examples: Glinda, Good Witch of the North)
 * The Wise Old Man (examples: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Gandalf, Albus Dumbledore, Mr. Miyagi (from the Karate Kid movies))
 * The Trickster or Ape (examples: Robin Goodfellow, Brer Rabbit, Bart Simpson, Bugs Bunny, Loki)
 * ...etc...

"Archetype" is sometimes broadly and misleadingly used as a substitute for such other words as prototype, stereotype, and epitome. Examples:
 * Mother
 * Father
 * Hero
 * Warrior
 * Martyr

Cultural archetypes analysis
As with other psychologies which have infiltrated mass thought, archetypes are now incorporated into discourses on cultural analysis. Archetypes in this sense include:


 * The Girl Hero
 * Water (the unconscious mind)

Enneagram character archetypes
Archetypes can be understood through character via the Enneagram. Proponents of this view state that this can help people define archetypes in their interactions with others.