Posted: March 12th, 2023

Character Archetypes Discussion

1.Review the following four evaluation questions posted below.

2.Choose one evaluation question to complete.

3.Response:

• Develop a one-to-two paragraph response
• Cite examples directly from the play (include citations)
• Explain how the examples prove your evaluation to be valid

Evaluation Questions:

Q1: Wise Man: Which character in the play best fits the archetype of a Wise Man? In your answer, provide 2-3 examples for support.

Q2: Fool: Which character in the play best fits the archetype of a Fool? In your answer, provide 2-3 examples for support.

Q3: Mother: Which character in the play best fits the archetype of a Mother? In your answer, provide 2-3 examples for support.

Q4: Crone/Witch: Which character in the play best fits the archetype of a Crone/Witch? In your answer, provide 2-3 examples for support.

LIT1100 Introduction to Literature University of Northwestern – St. Paul

Archetypes for Twelfth Night

1. Instinctive patterns in the collective unconscious of humankind. Figures or patterns that recur in works of art

from generation to generation.
2. Archetypes can come in the form of stories, characters and symbols.
3. These symbols must be shared by different cultures to be archetypes. They must be universal.

A symbol is an object that stands for something else. This can be a letter, a character or a sign such as the American flag,
a police badge or the Greek letter delta. While these specific symbols have meaning, their meaning is specific to a
culture or a context. For example, the American flag will only have symbolic meaning in the time period that America
exists.

Another example is in Hawthorne’s short story “The Birthmark.” In that story, the birthmark is symbolic of man’s sin or
corrupt nature. However, in real life or in another story or in another culture, a birthmark doesn’t contain that same
symbolism. Thus, the birthmark is a symbol because its meaning is context-specific and not an archetype, which would
have to be universally recognized as a symbol of man’s sin.

Comedy is a relative term; every culture’s definition of what is funny varies a little. However, three elements of comedy
are found in almost all culture’s comedic storylines:

1. The comedy revolves around a normal or common people
2. The comedy includes some form of mistaken identity
3. In a comedy, everyone gets married in the end (or everything ends happily)

Some character types are considered archetypes because all cultures have the same basic character. There are four
recognized character archetypes for men and four archetypes for women. The following characteristics define each
character archetype, however, a character doesn’t have to display all characteristics to fall into that category; all
examples are taken from popular Disney movies:

MALE CHARACTERS FEMALE CHARACTERS

Hero: young, handsome, muscular, courageous,
strong (sometimes super-strength), rebel or
maverick
Ex: Hercules, Aladdin, Peter Pan

Maiden/virgin: Young, beautiful, often helpless,
innocent, is usually saved by the hero
Ex.: Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty

Wise Man: Older than hero, intelligent, spiritual and
moral, sometimes has special powers
Ex: Merlin, Genie, Gill (Finding Nemo)

Mother: Birth, life, fertility, warmth, protection and
nourishment
Ex: Grandmother Willow

Fool: Usually a physical defect, overweight, usually a
sidekick, humorous and bumbling, occasionally
speaks the truth no one else will
Ex: Sebastian the crab, Dory, Terk (Tarzan)

Crone/witch: Old or ugly, mysterious, intelligent,
plotting or conniving (not necessarily magical)
Ex: Cruella de Ville, Wicked Stepmother

Devil: Usually offers a trade or exchange,
manipulative and deceptive, often physically
attractive and well-dressed
Ex: Hades, Scar

Temptress: Older than maiden, younger than
mother, beautiful, usually dark-haired, sexual,
deceptive and underhanded
Ex: Queen Grimhilde (Snow White), Ursula

What is an Archetype?

How is an archetype different than a symbol?

The Archetypal Comedy Plot

Archetypal Characters

LIT1100 Introduction to Literature University of Northwestern – St. Paul

Twelfth Night Characters

The ruler of Illyria. Powerful and a gentleman, he is obsessed with
gaining the hand in marriage of the fair

, unaware that he himself has a secret
admirer.

The secret admirer of Orsino, Viola comes to work for
Orsino when having been shipwrecked, she disguises herself as a man and works for the Duke.
Much favored by the Duke, Viola is entrusted to convey the Duke’s love to Countess Olivia. This
later causes problems for Viola, who serves her master faithfully, despite desiring Orsino for
herself and being the unwitting (and unwilling!) target of Countess Olivia’s affections. Viola has
a brother, called

who is identical to her male appearance as Cesario; she fears that he
died when their ship broke up at the beginning of the play.

(Note: Cesario will be described in the third person as the man he appears to be to the other
characters in this play, though Cesario is, of course, a woman in disguise).

A friend to Viola, he helps her to disguise herself as Cesario. He initially reports
Sebastian dead.

Lady Olivia
A countess of high social standing and great beauty, her hand in marriage is
desired by Orsino. She has resigned herself to seven years solitude following the loss of first her
father and then her much loved brother. Spurning love in all its forms, she shuns Orsino’s
romantic overtures, but at the sight of Cesario, falls deeply in love, causing many problems for
Cesario (really Viola). She later marries Sebastian, who looking exactly like Cesario, also steals
Lady Olivia’s heart.

Sebastian
Viola’s twin brother. When the ship he and Viola were traveling on sinks, he
fears his sister dead, as her sister does of him. Frequently mistaken for Cesario, Sebastian
eventually is reunited with his sister, earlier taking the hand the willing Countess Olivia as his
wife.

A Sea Captain by trade, Antonio is a man with many enemies in the Duke Orsino’s
court. Nonetheless he accompanies Sebastian in his travels. Memorable for the expression,
“That danger shall seem sport….” (Act II, Scene I).

LIT1100 Introduction to Literature University of Northwestern – St. Paul

As Olivia’s uncle, Sir Toby passes away his time drinking in
Olivia’s house with fellow drinker

, much to the displeasure of Olivia, her
servant

and Olivia’s uptight and humorless steward

. A great schemer of
practical jokes, Sir Toby enjoys playing tricks on Malvolio, his friend Sir Andrew and anyone else
who captures his fleeting attention.

Sir Andrew Aguecheek
The drinking partner of Sir Toby, he too pushes Lady Olivia’s patience
and hospitality with his continuously loud and lewd behavior. Described by Sir Toby as being “as
tall a man as any’s in Illyria”, Sir Andrew is not overly intelligent, Sir Andrew like Sir Toby having
little love for the annoying Malvolio and is party to a practical joke against him. Sir Andrew
however is greatly valued by Sir Toby since he is rich, earning some “three thousand ducats a
year.” Unwittingly, Sir Andrew is also the pawn in Sir Toby’s plot making. Naive by nature, he is
manipulated by Sir Toby into pursuing Lady Olivia since this will maintain Sir Toby’s drinking
lifestyle. Later Sir Andrew is manipulated into challenging Cesario, who becomes a threat to Sir
Toby’s plans.

Malvolio
As Lady Olivia’s steward, Malvolio sees himself in a somewhat grandiose light,
imagining Olivia to love him and wishing to be more than his current rank. This and his
continuous disapproval of Sir Toby and Sir Andrew’s drinking, earn him their hatred and he
quickly becomes their pawn in a complex romantic ruse.

Maria
Lady Olivia’s woman, she is patient and tactful where Malvolio is brash and insulting.
She too, disapproves of Sir Toby and company’s drinking but tries tactfully to subdue their
boisterous spirits. Her dislike of Malvolio leads her to create an elaborate romantic trick on
Malvolio, which she also uses to calm down Sir Toby and company, who are now enthusiastic
conspirators in Malvolio’s humiliation.

Referred to in the text as “The Clown” and a servant to Olivia, Feste like so many of
Shakespeare’s fools, speaks the truth from the source of recognized foolishness. He is much
appreciated by Sir Toby, who spends many hours with him.

A servant of Lady Olivia’s, he too dislikes Malvolio, and also participates
enthusiastically in Malvolio’s downfall.

Gentlemen attending Orsino at the start of the play.

Orsino, Duke of Illyria

Viola and disguised as a man, Cesario

A Sea Captain

Lady Olivia

Sebastian

Antonio

Sir Toby Belch, Uncle to Olivia

Sir Andrew Aguecheek

Malvolio

Maria

Feste

Fabian

Valentine and Curio