As a writer, you've likely heard of character archetypes, but you may not have been given an explanation as to what they are. Well look no further, because I am about to give you almost everything you need to know about character archetypes in a straightforward, simple guide.
To start off, what is a character archetype? According to scribophile.com, a character archetype is "a recurring stock character that represents something universal in our human experience". In simple terms, this just means that a character represents a certain aspect of real life.
So, what are the different types of character archetypes? Read on to find out.
Arguably the most common character archetype, The Hero is who the story revolves around. A character like this is followed throughout the entire story, and their journey is what drives the plot. The Hero will typically face hardships and have their strength and perseverance tested as the story goes on, until eventually coming out on top and fully coming into their hero identity.
The Hero character will also usually have something special about them that is revealed as their journey advances. Some examples of this are special powers, something special about their birthright (think "chosen one" scenario), or something having to do with their general morality, such as an overwhelming urge to protect people or an incredibly selfless nature. Whatever it is, it sets the character apart from everyone else and makes them stand out among the rest, hence the reason they are typically the protagonist of the story.
Some examples of The Hero archetype in literature are Harry Potter and Luke Skywalker.
This character archetype is an example of what The Hero could become if they allowed the darker parts of them to take control. This type of character is usually used to teach The Hero of the story a lesson; to show them that taking the easy way out or allowing their darker traits to take hold of them is never worth it.
A good example of The Shadow character in literature is Gollum from Lord of the Rings.
I'm sure everyone knows what this archetype is, and we all probably have our own favorite sidekick, but for the sake of this article I'll explain anyway.
The Sidekick character's purpose is to keep the hero steady through all of the trials they will face along their journey. This character also lacks something that makes them able to be the hero; perhaps they have too many fears, aren't as physically strong, or have something else standing in the way of them becoming the hero. Instead, they offer up comfort and support to the hero through cautionary advice, comic relief, or both.
Oftentimes, the sidekick character is meant to draw out certain aspects of the hero's personality and highlight their traits. For example, if the hero is someone who is incredibly jovial and loves all things happiness and positivity, you may choose to have the sidekick character be a pessimistic grump who sees the worst in every situation in order to make the hero's optimism stand out more.
The most well-known example of The Sidekick archetype is Robin (Batman's sidekick).
The Villain is another well-known archetype that every writer knows well. This character's purpose- their objective in the story- directly conflicts with that of the hero, making them enemies. The villain knows that the hero stands in the way of them achieving their goal, and is therefore willing to do whatever it takes to stop the hero from meeting theirs. The way the villain chooses to go about stopping the hero is entirely up to the author.
Keep in mind that the villain must have a reason for why they commit the acts that they do. This could be former trauma, wanting revenge, how they were raised, etc. But there is always a reason, and in order for the villain to be taken seriously, a writer needs to make sure that the reason is explained.
Some well-known examples of villains are President Snow from The Hunger Games trilogy and Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter series.
This character's desire is for there to be the least amount of conflict as possible. As a stereotypically "good" character, The Lover has a well-functioning moral compass, but can sometimes lack the sense of urgency, disdain for injustice, and courage it takes to be a hero. This means that the lover will typically take the path of least resistance when it comes to achieving their goals, so as to not get themselves or the people they love into trouble.
The Lover appreciates the beauty of life and is often infatuated with the little things, like friendship, romance, emotions and feelings, a childlike sense of wonder, and the other joys of life.
An example of this kind of character is Princess Anna from Frozen.
This character is one of the most essential parts of the hero's journey. The Mentor- typically an older, wiser character who has experienced something similar to the hero- is someone who helps the hero along their journey by giving them guidance and advice.
Having a mentor in your story is a great way to world-build and further the plot without randomly info-dumping, because the hero is learning right alongside the reader. Info-dumping is one of the biggest complaints from readers, as it can be difficult to digest information when it is crammed into a scene simply because the author knows they need to explain it at some point. Having a mentor character is a great way to gradually reveal information over the course of the story without overwhelming the audience.
I'm sure you can likely think of many mentor characters, but a popular example is Haymitch Abernathy from The Hunger Games trilogy.
This character can be anyone from a character's actual mother, to some other maternal figure, to a fairy godmother. The Mother archetype is a nurturing, supportive, maternal presence in the hero's life that is there to comfort and encourage them.
Similar to The Mentor, The Mother is also strong and wise, but they don't necessarily give the hero tools to advance in their journey. Rather, they provide the hero with a comfortable place to return to after something hard, a place where they can feel nurtured and cared for.
A popular example of this character is Aunt May from Spider-Man.
The Everyman is your average, ordinary character that is so normal that the reader can relate to them, even if the character is in the most far-fetched fantasy story. This character's purpose in the story is to create a connection between the hero and the reader by making the story more relatable.
An example of this character is Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit.
Arguably one of the most iconic and well-known archetypes, The Damsel is a classic in many pieces of literature. Contrary to popular belief, the damsel character isn't defined by any one gender or age. This character represents innocence, naivety, trust, and inexperience. The damsel is someone who sees good in the world no matter what has happened to them in the past and they are persistently optimistic. Because of this attitude that they have, they can often get themselves into dangerous situations from which the hero has to save them.
A classic example of The Damsel in literature is Cinderella.
The Trickster is a character that is neither good or evil, but rather morally ambiguous with cunning and clever personality traits. This character is motivated by self-preservation, and because of this they may help the hero or they may do something that hurts the hero if it is in their own self-interest.
Many anti-hero characters are tricksters who have become involved in something that doesn't just further their own self-interest, making for an amusing story. Picture a trickster begrudgingly agreeing to help the hero with their journey because they've grown attached to them. I can imagine the banter already.
A popular example of The Trickster is Loki from Norse mythology, which works well considering he's the god of mischief.
The Guardian archetype is a character who, literally or metaphorically, stands in the way of the hero and prohibits them from advancing on their journey. Typically guardians are very single-minded and stuck in their ways because their ways are all they know. Usually they have no cares for things changing, even if the change would be for the better, because then they would no longer have a purpose.
The Guardian is also meant to teach the hero something, whether it be a new way to continue their journey, a new technique, or a new strategy. This new skill is meant to push the hero into the uncomfortable and urge them to persevere through difficulty.
An example of this character is the gatekeeper to the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz.
This character could also be called "The Messenger", as their purpose is to bring (usually upsetting or shocking) news to the hero near the beginning of the story.
Although this character may bring this news to the hero at the beginning of the story, they may remain close to the hero as the story progresses and fall into another archetype. An example of this would be Gandalf from The Hobbit.
The Scapegoat is someone who takes the blame for the actions of others, usually in a bad way. The villain will commonly use a scapegoat to distract from what they're actually doing and throw the hero off course. This allows the villain to continue on their path undisturbed.
An example of The Scapegoat is Simba from The Lion King. Scar kills Mufasa, but places the blame on Simba to keep up his image and keep the trust of the pride.
This character has no care for societal norms and bends them to their will. They may not be well-liked, but the friendships they do have are loyal and strong. Other characters may resent them for their lack of consequence, however.
An example of The Outlaw in literature is Robin Hood.
Not to be confused with the outlaw, The Rebel has a cause that they are willing to fight for, but they aren't afraid to cause a little mayhem to get there. This character has a passion for justice and is willing to do whatever it takes to restore it.
The Rebel can also be the hero of your story, just not in a stereotypical "good guy" kind of way. The rebel is usually a little morally gray, as they are willing to cause chaos to bring peace.
A classic example of The Rebel in literature is Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games.
This character is exactly what they sound like: someone in a position of power, whether it be a monarchy, a democracy, or some other high position of power. Contrary to the rebel, The Ruler thrives when there is stability, order, and tradition that is kept in tact. This character can be good or evil, but they tend to disagree with the hero because they dislike change and want everything to stay the same.
An example of The Ruler is Cornelius Fudge from the Harry Potter series.
Now that we've discussed the sixteen most popular character archetypes, you should be able to understand the next time someone mentions them. Perhaps you can even apply these to your own story.
Whether you consciously write your character to fit one of these archetypes or not, every character you will write will exhibit the qualities of at least one, or even a mix, of them.
Callaghan, Fija. “What Are Character Archetypes? 16 Archetypes, plus Examples.” Scribophile, Scribophile, 26 Jan. 2022, www.scribophile.com/academy/what-are-character-archetypes.
“Writing 101: The 12 Literary Archetypes - 2024.” MasterClass, www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-the-12-literary-archetypes. Accessed 4 Mar. 2024.