Archetypes in Taming of the Shrew

Characters from one story to another may have different names, but their characteristics are often repeated. Applying Archetypal Theory to a text allows readers to recognize universal symbols, motifs, and patterns that appear in literature, myths, dreams, oral traditions, songs, and religions. Archetypal critics believe certain images, characters, and character types recur in literature, and all plots and characters are based on common myths, images, dreams, fairy tales, and legends (Davidson). Common character types are revealed when applying Archetypal Theory to Julia Alvarez’s novel, In the Time of the Butterflies, helping readers understand each character’s motivations. Particularly, common character types of the rebel, the ruler, and

Explain which Archetypes are represented by which characters in the novel. Write a paragraph on each of the 7 archetypes, explaining which character(s) represent the archetype (Remember that there might be more than one character representing each archetype, some characters might embody more than one archetype, and some archetypes might possibly be missing.)

An archetype is defined as an image, story-pattern, character, setting, symbol, or situation that recurs frequently in literature and in life. It demonstrates universal human experiences and associates strongly with readers through a subconscious understanding. In the Epic of Gilgamesh the main character, Gilgamesh, is an example of a superheroic archetypal hero. He took on an epic quest for everlasting life by following the archetypal steps of a hero’s journey. Through suffering due to tragedy, realizing the nature of his quest, seeking help from a mentor, experiencing failure, and returning home with a companion, Gilgamesh’s story followed the situational archetype of a hero’s journey.

Archetypes are universal symbols used in literature to represent fundamental human motifs. In the medieval romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the hero must undergo archetypal situations to succeed in his quest to redeem the honor of Camelot. Gawain embodies the transcendent hero as he further goes into “The Zone of Magnified Power” (Campbell 71) then faces conflict resulting from the threat placed on the society. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight dramatically demonstrates how a single character can play many archetypal roles.

Archetypes act as universal symbols in literature to represent fundamental human motifs. In the medieval romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the hero must undergo archetypal situations to succeed in his quest to redeem the honor of Camelot. Gawain embodies the transcendent hero as he further goes into “The Zone of Magnified Power” (Campbell 71) then faces conflict resulting from the threat placed on the society. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight dramatically demonstrate how a single character can play many archetypal roles.

With every corner we turn in today’s culture, we become more and more aware of the archetypes that surround us. Archetypes are the works of a typical character, situation, setting, or symbol that can be found in fantasy and reality. An example would be the renowned medieval story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Pearl Poet. The author permeates the story with situational, symbolic, and character archetypes that illustrate the profound life of Sir Gawain. Sir Gawain was apprehensive of his journey at first, but as time passes, he began to make choices that unveils to the audience the true flawed knight that he was.

Katherine Minola is a character who is pivotal to the progression of the exposition in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. The dynamic Kate faces everything from being unsolicited and undesirable by men, being forced into marriage, and falling in love with someone who undoubtedly mistreats her from the beginning. Being tossed and thrown from one end of the spectrum to the other allows room for drastic change in attitude, values, and behavior. There is much evidence of a revolution of character in Baptista’s daughter and Petruchio’s wife, Katherine. Reader’s can follow the transformation of an untamable shrew of society to a well loved and respectable woman figure of the upper class.

Archetypes played a large role in the displaying the theme within both story lines. Archetypes take their place in

The Taming of the Shrew examines the way traditional 16th century notions about gender and its hierarchy are tested and reinforced in tempestuous relationships. While patriarchy rules supreme at the plays end, it’s vital to consider the constant attempts to undermine the sexist assumptions about a women’s place in marriage. In The Taming of the Shrew gender plays a

There is no original story. All stories derive themes and characters that go with the human situation, The Archetypes. An Archetype is undeniably a theme for the character, the common Archetypes that Author’s exhibit are; The Hero, The Mentor, The Villain, and The Innocence. Authors use Archetypes to develop meaning to their stories, for a much deeper connection between the reader and the characters. After reading Shakespeare’s Macbeth, There are many relations to Archetypes and Character meaning. Archetypal is approached being closely connected with psychological theory because different archetypes are inserted in human psyche and the mass of archetypes have individualities with the personalities, their actions, and behaviour

The Taming of the Shrew is set in a time period that did not accept

The Taming of the Shrew was written in the Elizabethan Era in England at a time when men were considered to be superior to women. The patriarchal society of this time is reflected to a large extent in the text and various implications of traditional values can be noted.

“The Taming of the Shrew” was a play written by William Shakespeare in the late sixteenth century. The play features the characters Bianca Minola, who is the younger daughter that is loved by the city that she resides in for her beauty and is the female every non-married male in the city wants to marry; her older sister Katherina Minola, who is seen as a devilish woman that no one will marry due to her anger and the fear she strikes into the men; their father Baptista Minola; who won’t let anyone marry Bianca until he finds someone who will marry Katherina; Petruchio, who marries Katherina due to the fact that he is given money by Baptista and he finds her a marvelous woman, even if he never says such a thing, as it is hinted at by his

The central conflict of “The Taming of the Shrew” is the fact that Katherine has to be married before her beautiful younger sister, Bianca, may be wedded. This is a problem because Katherine isn’t the prettiest woman and she is a “Shrew”. A shrew is an ill-tempered, aggressive, disobedient woman. The fact that Katherine is a shrew puts everybody off from marrying her. So the main conflict revolves around getting Katherine married. Some other conflicts that happen later on in the story would be “taming the shrew” by making Katherine obedient to her husband, and winning over Bianca for marriage.

Archetypes are used in literature to portray a certain meaning, that helps create a better and more meaningful story. The archetypes used can be embedded in the characters, symbols, or even rituals involved in a story. These archetypes can help give deeper meaning to the story by giving a underlying reference to concepts that are used over and over again in literature throughout history. When an author uses an archetype in his or her writing, they link it to many other stories that use that same archetype. Some do this for a reason, to give an underlying meaning, to symbolized something of importance, or even just to make their story more interesting. Many readers may not notice the underlying archetype, but sometimes the author uses them because he or she knows that the reader will.