The archetype of the hero. An approach to themes and motifs

This article will begin by delimiting the importance of the perennial concept of the archetype in the evolution of society, followed by a brief critical review of the archetype of the hero in different academic studies. Subsequently, a comparative analysis of themes and motifs of the hero archetype in different mythologies of the world will try to offer substantial proof, and reinforce the idea, in a qualitative manner, that the figure of the mythological hero is the same all around the globe. On the other hand, since 1902, when Carl Gustav Jung introduced the concept of the archetype in his work entitled Zur Psychologie und Pathologie sogenannter occulter Phänomene. Eine psychiatrische Studie, the archetype of the hero has been thoroughly studied by many anthropologists and folklorists of great importance, and on several occasions, these studies have served concrete political interests, or have been created in the service of certain ideologies. In order to create his concept of archetype, Jung was inspired by the reiteration of motifs and themes in various mythologies of the world. Hence, the work we propose employs mythological heroes from the most diverse origins. Such elements will be the translator hero, the penetrating hero, the magical circle, and the gift, which shall disclose relevant data regarding to the common characteristics to many, if not all, mythological heroes of the world.

關鍵字

hero ； archetype ； myth ； penetrating ； gift

並列摘要

本文首先將界定原型在社會進程中歷年不衰的重要性，再對不同學術研究中所提及的英雄原型進行簡短的批判性回顧。隨後，我們也針對世界神話中對英雄原型的主題和動機進行比較分析，並為全球神話英雄的身份實質上相同的觀點提供實質性的佐證。自1902年以來，在卡爾．古斯塔夫．榮格大師在Zur Psychologie und Pathologie sogenannter occulter Phänomene. Eine psychiatrische Studie作品中介紹了原型的概念後，許多人類學家和民俗學家便開始深入研究英雄的原型，原型相關研究也多次利用於支持政治利益以及特定意識形態。榮格受世界各種神話中重複的動機和主題的啟發而塑造了原型概念，因此，本研究將使用來自不同來源的神話英雄，這些元素則包含了譯者的英雄、穿透力的英雄、魔幻圈以及禮物，這些世界神話英雄的共同特徵的元素將能夠向我們提供相關數據。