Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of characters that seem very similar to each other in different movies and films? How there’s always some poor orphaned boy with the potential for greatness or the downtrodden girl who wins big in a contest? That’s because these are what are known as archetypes. Archetypes are similar to themes in that they are recurring characters, symbols, or situations that occur across different literary genres. For the sake of simplicity, today we are going to explore a short list of a few of the most common archetypes in literature. Let’s get started!

The Hero

This is the protagonist who goes on a journey or quest, facing challenges and often making sacrifices in the process.

Defining Characteristics: Courageous, divine, self-sacrificing, transformative.

Examples: Luke Skywalker (Star Wars), Harry Potter (The Harry Potter series), Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games)

The Mentor

The wise and experienced figure or figures who guide and teach the hero on their journey.

Defining Characteristics: Wise, guiding, patient, selfless

Examples: Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings), Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Star Wars)

The Villain

The antagonist and foil of the hero. Often, they are driven by evil or selfish motives.

Defining Characteristics: Opposing, driven by malice, manipulative, threatening

Examples: Darth Vader (Star Wars), Lord Voldemort (Harry Potter), The Joker (Batman)

The Everyman

The ordinary person who is placed in extraordinary circumstances.

Defining Characteristics: Relatable, down-to-earth, empathetic, vulnerable

Examples: Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit), and many of the main characters in stories that are meant to be very relatable.

The Lover

The character who is driven by emotions and seeks connection and intimacy.

Defining Characteristics: Passionate, idealistic, vulnerable, loyal

Examples: Romeo and Juliet (Romeo and Juliet), Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice)

The Sage

The person who is known for their wisdom seeks out truth and knowledge, and many characters go to them for the same thing.

Defining Characteristics: Knowledgeable, analytical, calm, truth-seeking

Examples: Yoda (Star Wars)

The Rebel

The character that refuses to conform to society’s expectations.

Defining Characteristics: Nonconformist, independent, iconoclastic, passionate

Examples: Huckleberry Finn (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)

Obviously, this isn’t an exhaustive list of archetypes, and there are other things that any writer or reader should keep in mind when studying them. This includes character growth (as I’ve mentioned in previous posts) and even blending archetypes (such as an Everyman Hero like Bilbo Baggins). I encourage you to do some research on these and other archetypes, and if you have a favorite archetype or blend of archetypes, please feel free to share in the comments! Happy writing!