Archetypal Criticism

This blog is written as a task assigned by the head of the Department of English (MKBU), Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. Here is the link to the blog: Click here.

                             

1) What is Archetypal Criticism?

Archetypal criticism is a type of literary analysis that focuses on identifying and interpreting recurring symbols, motifs, characters, and narrative patterns in literature. These recurring elements are called "archetypes," and they are often rooted in universal human experiences, myths, and the collective unconscious, a concept introduced by psychologist Carl Jung. Archetypal criticism seeks to uncover the deeper, often subconscious, meanings in texts by exploring how these archetypes resonate across cultures and time periods.

2) What do archetypal critics do?

Archetypal critics analyze literary works by identifying and interpreting archetypes within them. They look for patterns such as:

Character Archetypes: The Hero, the Mentor, the Trickster, the Outcast, etc.

Situational Archetypes: The Journey, the Quest, the Initiation, the Fall, etc.

Symbolic Archetypes: Light vs. Darkness, Water, the Tree, the Desert, etc.

By examining these archetypes, critics aim to understand how a work of literature taps into universal human experiences and emotions. They often draw connections between the text and broader cultural myths, religious stories, or psychological theories.

3) Exemplify how archetypal criticism is done?

Let’s take Homer’s Odyssey as an example of how archetypal criticism might be applied:

1. Identify Archetypes:

   The Hero (Odysseus): Odysseus embodies the archetype of the Hero, who undertakes a perilous journey, faces trials, and returns home transformed.

  The Journey: The entire narrative is structured around the archetypal journey, where the hero leaves home, faces challenges, and returns with newfound wisdom.

   The Mentor (Athena): Athena guides and protects Odysseus, representing the Mentor archetype who aids the hero in their quest.

   The Temptress (Circe and the Sirens): These figures represent the archetype of the Temptress, who tests the hero’s resolve and tempts him to stray from his path.

2. Interpret the Archetypes:

    The Hero’s journey in The Odyssey can be seen as a metaphor for the human experience of growth, struggle, and self-discovery. Odysseus’ trials (e.g., the Cyclops, the Sirens) symbolize the challenges one must overcome to achieve personal growth.

    The Mentor archetype (Athena) reflects the idea of divine guidance or the inner wisdom that helps individuals navigate life’s difficulties.

    The Temptress archetype represents the allure of distractions or vices that can derail one’s progress, emphasizing the need for self-control and focus.

3. Connect to Universal Themes:

    Archetypal critics might argue that The Odyssey resonates with readers across cultures because it taps into universal themes such as the struggle for identity, the importance of perseverance, and the transformative power of adversity. These themes are rooted in the collective unconscious and are expressed through archetypal characters and situations.

By analyzing these archetypes, archetypal critics reveal how The Odyssey transcends its specific cultural context to speak to timeless human experiences. This approach can be applied to other works of literature to uncover their deeper, universal meanings.

 Previous work  response  on 'The Waste Land'.

Interpreting The Waste Land through Northrop Frye's Archetypal Criticism

Northrop Frye’s archetypal criticism focuses on recurring patterns in literature that are reflective of universal human experiences, often symbolized through mythic structures. T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land employs various recurring motifs—animals, birds, colors, and seasons—that align with these archetypal patterns, especially those of life, death, and rebirth. By examining the poem's symbols through Frye's framework, we can uncover how Eliot critiques modernity’s fragmentation and spiritual decay while also invoking universal cycles and myths.

Archetypes of Life, Death, and Rebirth

Frye argues that the archetypal patterns of life, death, and rebirth are fundamental to understanding the human experience. The Waste Land reflects these cycles primarily through its seasonal motifs and the pervasive images of desolation and regeneration.

• April and Spring: April, traditionally a symbol of rebirth, is ironically termed the “cruellest month” in the poem. This inversion points to the emotional and spiritual burden that rebirth can entail, particularly in a world steeped in decay. Spring is tied to both the promise and the pain of renewal, as shown in the “dull roots” stirred by the rain. Frye might interpret this as the spring archetype being subverted: rather than a pure symbol of life’s renewal, it is a reminder of the painful effort required to regenerate in a spiritually barren landscape.

• The Desert and The Garden: The contrast between the desert and the garden aligns with Frye’s archetypes of spiritual desolation and spiritual rebirth. The “wasteland” is an archetypal desert, representing a spiritually arid environment where life struggles to emerge. This wasteland is contrasted with references to gardens (like Gethsemane in Part 5), symbolizing potential redemption and spiritual awakening. The barren desert (spiritual decay) and the fertile garden (spiritual renewal) are opposites that echo Frye’s mythical archetypes of the cycle of life.

• Water and Rebirth: Water plays a significant role in the poem, especially in the image of Phlebas the Phoenician, the drowned sailor. Frye’s archetype of the waters of life becomes distorted here, as water (traditionally symbolic of purification) instead represents destruction. The drowning of Phlebas serves as an example of humanity’s material pursuits and failure to achieve spiritual rebirth. Yet, water also holds the potential for renewal, as symbolized by the Hermit Thrush’s song at the end of Part 5, echoing a theme of spiritual awakening.

The Archetype of The Quest

In the tradition of mythic heroism, the Quest archetype often involves a journey in which the hero seeks transformation, either physical or spiritual. In The Waste Land, this quest is undertaken not by one single hero but by various characters, including Tiresias, who represents humanity in its entirety.

• Tiresias as the Unifying Hero: Tiresias is a central archetype of the mythic sage or prophet, embodying both male and female experiences. Frye might categorize Tiresias as a figure akin to the sage hero whose role is to mediate between the spiritual and material worlds. Tiresias’s omniscience allows him to witness and interpret the spiritual decay of modern life. His role is crucial because, like many mythic heroes, he both suffers and transcends human limitations, attempting to guide others toward redemption.

• The Sacrificial Scapegoat: The character of Phlebas, the Phoenician, also reflects the sacrificial archetype. His death in water is symbolic of both physical and spiritual sacrifice. Phlebas, like Christ or any sacrificial figure, represents the ultimate loss that might bring about a new beginning for others. However, this sacrifice is rendered meaningless in the wasteland, where materialism overrides spiritual potential.

Symbolic Use of Animals and Birds

Frye identifies recurring animal motifs as symbols of certain psychological states or spiritual conditions. In The Waste Land, animals often symbolize either decay or potential redemption.

• The Dog: A symbol of conscience and spiritual awareness, the dog appears in various scenes, particularly warning against the desecration of sacred spaces. In Frye’s terms, the dog is a guide in the hero’s journey, attempting to steer the characters toward ethical understanding.

• The Nightingale and the Swallow: Both birds are associated with themes of love and renewal. However, their songs are often described as "rudely forced," reflecting the perversion of natural, spiritual processes. The nightingale, like many mythic birds, becomes a symbol of broken harmony in the modern world. Similarly, the swallow's fleeting appearance signals potential but unfulfilled beauty, mirroring the failed promises of spiritual rebirth.

Color as an Archetype of Spiritual Meaning

Colors in The Waste Land often symbolize moral or spiritual states, a common technique in Frye’s archetypal criticism.

• Red: Red appears frequently, often in violent or destructive contexts, such as the image of the “red rock” and “torchlight.” Red is aligned with violence, passion, and bloodshed, but it can also hint at the possibility of renewal, as seen in the context of the Christian church and the cross.

• Brown and Yellow: These earth tones suggest decay, rottenness, and spiritual paralysis. The "brown fog" over the "Unreal City" conveys the emotional and physical stagnation of modern life, linking to Frye’s image of a decayed earth that must be healed.

The Quest for Spiritual Rebirth

The poem’s fragmented, disjointed structure reflects the archetype of the descent into chaos or the fall. Eliot’s use of fractured references, multiple languages, and allusions suggests a world disintegrating under the weight of modernity’s moral and spiritual decline. Yet, by drawing on mythic archetypes, Eliot also opens the door for potential regeneration. The final lines, “Shantih, Shantih, Shantih,” suggest peace—an ending that alludes to the possibility of spiritual renewal, echoing Frye’s archetype of restoration after destruction.

Conclusion

By analyzing The Waste Land through Northrop Frye's archetypal criticism, we see how Eliot uses universal motifs—such as the quest, sacrifice, and seasonal cycles—to create a modern myth that critiques the spiritual fragmentation of contemporary life. The recurring symbols of desolation (the desert, water, rats) and rebirth (the garden, birds, spring) reflect the cyclical nature of human existence. Eliot’s fragmented yet interconnected imagery evokes both despair and hope, suggesting that the path to renewal in the modern world is arduous but possible. The poem thus functions as an archetypal map of the spiritual journey—one that grapples with the tension between decay and redemption.

Reference:

• The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "archetype". Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Jan. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/archetype. Accessed 28 March 2025.

• Brown, Daniel Russell. “A Look at Archetypal Criticism.” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, vol. 28, no. 4, 1970, pp. 465–72. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/428486. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.

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