Jungian Archetypes: An Introduction to Jungianism through Poems and Reflections
Introduction
Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung is a prominent figure in the field of psychology–most known for the study of analytical psychology. In this field of psychology, individuals are said not only to be influenced by their personal experiences in the unconscious mind, but also by the collective unconscious–that is, an underlying connection with humankind as a whole. Here we find symbolism and archetypical characters that are universally shared ideas and themes that take on various meanings across different cultures. Individually, we can often access these parts by analyzing our dreams, for example–getting a glimpse into a deeper part of our psyche.
Carl Jung also focused on the process of self-realization, which he called “individuation”. In the process of individuation, we discover a sense of self separate from those around us, including what we learned from family and society. We may discover (or rediscover) interests, hobbies, values, personality traits, and so on resulting from changes in our lives. The overall purpose of this is to reach our most authentic self by integrating various parts of ourselves. As a result, we reach acceptance of our inner world and often find it easier to form healthier relationships with those around us.
Below are the four major Jungian archetypes: The anima/animus, the shadow, the persona, and the self. In short, the Anima and Animus represent gender identities, with the anima representing the feminine image in men and the animus the masculine image in women; the shadow is the realm where we store repressed ideas, desires, weaknesses, and parts of ourselves that we deem unacceptable; the persona is the mask we wear in society to protect ourselves from negative evaluation by others; and the self is the unified part of ourselves that we discover during the process of individuation.
In this piece, I will focus on the archetypes we often see depicted in art, literature, and entertainment. There are a total of twelve Jungian archetypes that represent behavioral or personality patterns evident throughout stories and cultures.
“The Explorer”
“Know thyself.”
A seeker of truth,
Inside and out;
Awakening, we rise,
Seeing the world anew.
But day turns to night–
Shadowy paths,
Lit by the moon and stars,
Reveals the forgotten.
The night is long,
But the sun will rise,
With courage and hope,
Bringing a new day.
A better life ahead,
Unfolds with wonder.
An inner wholeness.
The Delphic maxim “know thyself” is a guidepost on the road to an individuated life. It’s an unfamiliar path that we must courageously explore on our journey to wholeness. It is uncertain, yet full of realization and “aha” moments–often calling for a step into the darkness of the unknown and forgotten. However, it takes this step into the darkness to see more light, for we have gained more wisdom and common humanity from this journey. One way to think of this is to consider roses: the stem may be thorny and painful, but at the end is a beautiful flower; if we choose to stop at the thorns and their potential to cause pain, we miss out on true beauty lying ahead.
By knowing ourselves, we are better equipped to deal with challenges. We treat ourselves with more compassion and extend it outwards, loving others more fully–leading us to a happier, more fulfilled life.
“The Rebel”
“Change starts with me,”
She says, challenging.
A desire for justice–
For lasting changes.
Challenging the status quo,
Opening the doors to progress.
Anger turns to passion–
A revolution based on fairness.
We speak up with courage,
Our voices unsilenced,
Starting a conversation,
Listening and debating,
Dialectically converging,
Integrating change.
It takes courage to stand up for what is right, especially if it starts out as a lonely journey. But we still press on, envisioning a brighter future. After all, change starts with those who challenge the status quo–often facing discomfort to reach the greatest good. It starts with those who speak up for what is right, with a focus on fairness.
Sometimes the costs are high, however. Anger can turn to passion and peace, but it can also turn to violence. We must be aware of the direction we are taking and continually focus on peace, speaking diplomatically with love and justice–for speaking with anger and fear begets more of the same; but speaking with love opens hearts.
“The Hero”
“I want to change the world.”
She dreams of a bright future,
Taking steps to make it her own.
Arrogant, she draws her sword,
Exorcising demons,
With her own in wait.
Within the hero’s goodness,
A hidden darkness bursts forth.
It rises within her, debilitating,
Like turbulent, dark waters.
She gasps for breath,
Sinking into the waves,
Fighting, yet she holds on,
Swimming to the shore.
Overwhelmed, crestfallen,
She rises, exposed.
The armor falls off.
She surrenders, beginning again.
The hero is depicted as a symbol of strength, bravery, hope, and goodness that fights for justice and defeats evil. This is an archetype often weighed down by expectations, having to keep the respect of the people. But what is underneath that armor? Is the hero all good or do they put a mask over the darkness within?
Why does a hero fight–what is the personal background that creates this role? Does the hero fight because they have been touched by darkness in the past? Metaphorically, the enemies depicted in heroic stories may represent pieces of darkness found within humankind, physically manifested as an evil force. In contrast, the hero is the light within us fighting against these dark forces. But there cannot be light without darkness, nor darkness without light. Thus, the hero’s suppressed weakness may create arrogance.
The hero’s journey is full of pain and suffering, yet they still show up. However, there is a limit to strength and the hero’s heart must not harden. With the presence of these parts of the journey, the hero likely falters at times or questions their own goodness. But still they pick up their sword and the story continues.
“The Orphan”
Fairness and justice,
Connection and belonging.
She steps forward, wary,
Doubting — “Is this right?”
An opportunity,
Another step.
“It may not be fair,
I may not belong,
But I will try,
And accept whatever comes.”
The future is uncertain,
The past immutable,
So we live in the present.
Grateful for connection,
No matter how fleeting.
Fitting in involves adapting ourselves to an external environment, but belonging is to be who we are–feeling an authentic connection with something beyond ourselves. This is what The Orphan archetype desires. In reality, this is something we all yearn for in some way… For someone to understand us, love us despite our flaws, and accept us for who we are at the core. We often expect those in our family or those we love to fulfill this role, as they witness us at both our best and our worst.
However, we may have faced wounding in our family relationships or in love–we may not have had a stable foundation on which to build a happy, fulfilled, connected life. This is where the Orphan archetype comes in–it is the part of us that feels neglected, abused, disconnected, or abandoned. The Orphan longs to rebuild these foundations, to find belonging where there may have been none in the past. This often starts with inner work–loving those parts of ourselves that may have been unseen and unloved by others, often by reparenting or speaking to the wounded parts of ourselves with love and compassion.
“The Caregiver”
She nurtures with warmth,
Caring for those around her.
Harmony and cohesiveness,
Loving all despite their flaws,
Their beliefs, their character.
Welcoming the light and dark,
At her own expense, vulnerable.
A rupture, a realization–
Recognizing boundaries,
Protecting and caring for herself,
An act of self-love.
She accepts her needs,
As valid as those around her.
Her own caregiver,
And a better one for others.
There is a caring, nurturing part within us–instinctually acting as a mother or father figure. This is the part of us who will sacrifice our own time and energy to help another in the name of love, both in times of joy and suffering. But what is the limit to this? In order to be balanced and healthy, a caregiver must acknowledge their own needs and energy and also act as their own caregiver, caring for themselves before others at times. This time spent on the self enables the caregiver to be energized and better able to care for others.
The Caregiver may also present itself in platonic or romantic relationships. As we grow up, we may enter into cycles and patterns that reflect treatment received when growing up, often unconsciously. For example, someone who was not properly cared for may compensate for this by overly caring for others, for example–sometimes at their own expense. By recognizing these patterns and knowing our values and limits, one who experiences this can break out of the cycles and form healthier, more uplifting relationships with others based on mutual growth.
Conclusion
How can knowledge of archetypes help us? By knowing these parts of ourselves, we can recognize when we’re identifying with one and shift into a more balanced state by getting in touch with other parts of ourselves that may be more suitable to the situation at hand. We can also use this knowledge to gain awareness of the shadow sides of ourselves and reach further integration.
For example, identifying with The Orphan too often may hold us back from reaching our true potential and we may succumb to a negative, often cynical mindset by focusing on past treatment. Also, someone identifying with The Rebel archetype may disregard authority when it is necessary to find harmony at that moment. There are light and dark sides to each part of us–but by recognizing the dark sides, we can prevent them from taking over.
There are several more archetypes but I’ll leave those for another time. Thanks for reading!
