Ep. 543: Archetypal Character Arcs, Pt. 10: The Hero’s Shadow Archetypes
The Hero’s shadow archetypes of Coward and Bully are especially important (and cautionary) due to the pervasiveness of the Hero’s Journey.
Helping Writers Become Authors provides writers help in summoning inspiration, crafting solid characters, outlining and structuring novels, and polishing prose. Learn how to write a book and edit it into a story agents will buy and readers will love. (Music intro by Kevin MacLeod.)
The Hero’s shadow archetypes of Coward and Bully are especially important (and cautionary) due to the pervasiveness of the Hero’s Journey.
Out of fear and egoism, the Maiden’s shadow archetypes would prevent her from embracing a new perspective and completing her journey.
Each positive character archetype inherently represents a struggle with related shadow archetypes–one passive and one aggressive.
The powerful and mysterious Mage Arc–the final archetypal character arc–turns its attention to questions of power and surrender.
The Crone Arc begins the final act of the “life arcs” by presenting an inevitable and imperative Underworld Journey.
Although the plot in a King Arc can be absolutely epic, it is a fundamentally spiritual arc–more so than any that have preceded it.
The majestic Queen Arc builds upon the lessons learned in the Hero’s Journey to create an archetypal character arc that offers a worthy sequel.
The Hero Arc is the story of the conquering champion–the ingenuous but perhaps immodest youth setting out to do a great deed.
As the “youngest” of the archetypal character arcs, the Maiden Arc represents the quintessential coming-of-age story.