Archetypes and Icons

[qos]

The question for the evening is this: which archetypes resonate most deeply with you, and which - if any - characters from literature or film or history or culture exemplify that archetype to you?

For example: The Witch is an archetype. She exists cross-culturally, and seems to be part of the imaginative inheritance of the human psyche. In my "Witchtrials" class, we learned that a "witch" was someone upon whom the negative values of a community were projected: baby eating, crop-blighting, milk-drying, etc. I read an article once which called The Wicked Witch of the West, as portrayed by Margaret Hamilton in The Wizard of Oz the ur-witch, with her green skin, hooked nose, black conical hat, and shapeless black dress. Say "witch" and she is what leaps to the mind of millions of Americans. On the other hand, the witch sisters in the film Practical Magic remind all too many people of raptures_shadow and myself. (See "Iconic" below.)

Warrior. Seeker. King. Queen. Princess. Knight. Wizard. Sage. Mother. Father. Magician. Witch. Soldier. Priest/ess. Guardian. Beloved. These are all archetypes. And there are many more.

The other category is Icon. For my Purposes of the Moment, this is not an archetype - a universal template - but something more personal. What figure(s) resonate with your soul, make your heart beat faster, say "I am not the only one?" or "Here is what I want to be?" or "That is who I am in the secrecy of my soul?" Legendary, modern, or mixed? Mortal or divine? Tam Lin and/or Fair Janet? Jeremy Irons as Aramis? Barbara Streisand as Yentl? Galileo? Inanna? Beauty (with or without Beast)? King Arthur or Guinevere (pick your version)? Charlie Brown? Dilbert? Drusilla?

I'm not in a fit state to respond to my own question tonight, but I want to know your answers. I'll answer this weekend.

Comments

Since you asked, welcome to my universe... ;-)

[iswari.livejournal.com]

Devi, the Divine Mother in the Hindu tradition...particularly as manifested by my spiritual teacher, Mata Amritanandamayi (or Amma, Mother, for short). She is both "archetype" and "icon" for me.

~ Amritapuri (India, main ashram site)
~ MA Center (US ashram site)

[toesontheground.livejournal.com]

I don't really think I process the world in archtypes, at least not consciously. But... I think my archetype, if I had one, used to be "The Outsider" and now it's increasingly a mix of "The Seeker" and "The Activist"

I don't tend to identify myself strongly with movie or book characters either, even when I really love a show (e.g. Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Douglas Coupland's narrators in Generation X and Life After God "spoke" to me and gave me "ah-ha!" moments.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm inclined to answer "all the above". I think the point about archetypes is that we have the whole cast of them milling about inside our heads.

Fair Janet and/or Tam Lin? Well definitely "and". As I'm hearing that song I'm switching between the two characters, identifying with whichever of them happens to be speaking or doing at the time. And then, right at the end, I briefly turn into the Queen of Elfhame.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

which archetypes resonate most deeply with you?

The misunderstood one. The one rejected by others for being too [insert any adjective here]. The one perpetually unlucky at romantic love, whose love is taken for granted, misused, and abused. The one who gives so much of her/his heart, yet dies alone and lonely.

which - if any - characters from literature or film or history or culture exemplify that archetype to you?

Charlie Brown, Amos (from Chicago), The Phantom (from Phantom of the Opera)

[ladyvivien.livejournal.com]

That Wicked Witch article sounds intriguing. Anywhere I could find it?

[qos.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I have no idea where I found it. I think I read it on the internet, remembered that one comment, and have forgotten everything else.

Sorry!

[gothic-coop.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, the witch sisters in the film Practical Magic remind all too many people of raptures_shadow and myself.

I tis true that movie reminds me of you and your sister. But I think you more elegant and intelligent than Sandra Bullock's character. WE have already talked about what I think your archtype is.

What do you see me as?

[justbeast.livejournal.com]

Excellent questions, all.
Ok, archetypes that resonate with me:
Sage, Fool, Luck Dragon, and (possibly deranged) Creator/Craftsman.

Icon-wise, a cross between Hagbard Celine and Dealy Lama from the Illuminatus! trilogy (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0440539811/), John Percival Hackworth from Diamond Age (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553380966/), Ivan the Fool from fairy tales, and possibly a touch of Lord Whimsy (http://www.lordwhimsy.com).

Hey, I aspire! :)

[queenofhalves]

most recently: priestess. sophie/promethea.

[amqu.livejournal.com]

Of the options you provided, my archtype is the Soldier.

Icon: Not sure. The Ice Falcon from the Darwath Trilogy maybe, but much friendlier. ;)