archetype

An archetype is a universal, primordial pattern that recurs across cultures and time as a model or template for similar ideas, symbols, or characters. In literary, artistic, and psychological contexts, archetypes refer to recurring motifs or personality types that tend to appear in myths, stories, dreams, and rituals. The concept emphasizes shared human experiences rather than individual originality.

In psychology, the term is closely associated with Carl Jung, who argued that archetypes reside in the collective unconscious, a layer of the psyche shared by all humans. Archetypes are not learned facts but predispositions that shape perception and behavior. Common examples include the Self, the Persona, the Shadow, and the Anima/Animus, as well as narrative figures such as the Hero, the Mentor, and the Trickster.

Archetypes appear in myths, religious narratives, fairy tales, and folklore, where they reveal common human concerns such as birth, death, and transformation. In modern media and branding, writers and designers use archetypal templates to structure stories and characters, capitalizing on familiar expectations while allowing individual variation.

Scholarly critique notes that universality claims are overstated; cultural variation and historical context influence symbol meaning. Some researchers distinguish archetypes from stereotypes or tropes, and many question the scope of Jung's collective unconscious. Nevertheless, the archetype concept remains influential as a heuristic for interpreting narrative patterns and cross-cultural motifs.

Etymology: archetype comes from Greek archetypon, meaning "original model," from arkhē "beginning, origin" and typos "impression, figure."