Archetype of 'A Self Made Man'

Name: - Rinkal Dangar 

Roll No: - 18

Semester: - 2(Batch 2022-24)

Enrolment number: - 4069206420220007

Paper No: - 109

Paper name: - Indian and Western Literary Theory and Criticism

Paper code: - 22342

Topic: - Archetype of 'A Self Made Man'

Submitted to: - Smt. S. B. Gardi Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Date of Submission:- 31/03/2023

Email Address: - dangarrinkal0609@gmail.com

Introduction of Archetypal Criticism:

According to Abrams, archetypal criticism is a type of literary analysis that focuses on the recurrent patterns and images that are present in literature across different cultures and time periods. These patterns and images are considered to be archetypes, which are universal symbols that reflect deep-seated human experiences and emotions.

Abrams explains that archetypal criticism is rooted in the work of psychologist Carl Jung, who believed that archetypes are inherited patterns of thought and behavior that are present in the collective unconscious of all human beings. Archetypal criticism seeks to identify and analyze these archetypes in literary works, exploring how they shape the meaning and significance of the text.

For Frye, the death-rebirth myth that Frazer sees manifest in agriculture and the harvest is not ritualistic since it is involuntary, and therefore, must be done. As for Jung, Frye was uninterested about the collective unconscious on the grounds of feeling it was unnecessary: since the unconscious is it cannot be studied. How archetypes came to be was also of no concern to Frye; rather, the function and effect of archetypes is his interest.

Frye proposed that the totality of literary works constitute a “self-contained literary universe” which has been created over the ages by the human imagination so as to assimilate the alien and indifferent world of nature into archetypal forms that serve to satisfy enduring human desires and needs. In this literary universe, four radical mythoi (i.e. plot forms, or organizing structural principles), correspondent to the four seasons in the cycle of the natural world, are incorporated in the four major genres of comedy (spring), romance (summer), tragedy (autumn), and satire (winter).

Comedy is aligned with spring because the genre of comedy is characterized by the birth of the hero, revival and resurrection. Also, spring symbolizes the defeat of winter and darkness.

· Romance and summer are paired together because summer is the culmination of life in the seasonal calendar, and the romance genre culminates with some sort of triumph, usually a marriage.

· Autumn is the dying stage of the seasonal calendar, which parallels the tragedy genre because it is, (above all), known for the “fall” or demise of the protagonist.

· Satire is metonymized with winter on the grounds that satire is a “dark” genre. Satire is a disillusioned and mocking form of the three other genres. It is noted for its darkness, dissolution, the return of chaos, and the defeat of the heroic figure.

The comedic human world is representative of wish-fulfillment and being community centered. In contrast, the tragic human world is of isolation, tyranny, and the fallen hero.

· Animals in the comedic genres are docile and pastoral (e.g. sheep), while animals are predatory and hunters in the tragic (e.g. wolves).

· For the realm of vegetation, the comedy is, again, pastoral but also represented by gardens, 

parks, roses and lotuses. As for the tragic, vegetation is of a wild forest, or as being barren.

· Cities, temples, or precious stones represent the comedic mineral realm. The tragic mineral realm is noted for being a desert, ruins, or “of sinister geometrical images”

Characters

The hero - The courageous figure, the one who's always running in and saving the day. Example: D'artagnan from Alexandre Dumas's "The Three Musketeers". (Hamlet, Macbeth, Tom Jones, Moll, … )

The outcast - The outcast is just that. He or she has been cast out of society or has left it on a voluntary basis. The outcast figure can oftentimes also be considered as a Christ figure. Example: Simon from William Golding's "The Lord of the Flies". ( Pandavas, Ram-Sita-laxman, Sugreve, Duke, Orlando, Rosalind in As You Like It, Tramps in Godot, …)

The scapegoat - The scapegoat figure is the one who gets blamed for everything, regardless of whether he or she is actually at fault Example: Snowball from George Orwell's "Animal Farm". [Tom Jones, Darcy in P&P (breaking of Lizzy’s sis’s relationship, elopement), Technology in BNW, Tess for the death of Prince, giving birth to Sorrow, …]

The star-crossed lovers - This is the young couple joined by love but unexpectedly parted by fate. Example: Romeo and Juliet from William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". Heer – Ranjha, Shirin – Farhad, ….]

The shrew - This is that nagging, bothersome wife always battering her husband with verbal abuse. Example: [ Lizzy’s mother in Pride and Prejudice].

 Femme Fatale: A female character type who brings upon catastrophic and disastrous events. Eve from the story of Genesis or Pandora from Greek mythology are two such figures. Seta, Draupadi or Surparnakha

The Journey: A narrative archetype where the protagonist must overcome a series of obstacles before reaching his or her goal. The quintessential journey archetype in Western culture is arguably Homer’s Odyssey.

Situations/symbols:

Archetypal symbols vary more than archetype narratives or character types, but any symbol with deep roots in a culture's mythology, such as the forbidden fruit in Genesis or even the poison apple in Snow White, is an example of a symbol that resonates to archetypal critics.

The task - A situation in which a character, or group of characters, is driven to complete some duty of monstrous proportion. Example: Frodo's task to keep the ring safe in J. R. R. Tolkein's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Arthurian Legends, , bring Helen back to Troy, Kurukshetra’s battle for Arjun, Savitri…)

The quest - Here, the character(s) are searching for something, whether consciously or unconsciously. Their actions, thoughts, and feelings center around the goal of completing this quest. Example: Christian's quest for salvation in John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress". (Search for Holy Grail, Search for Sita>, Nal-Damyanti, Savitri for Satyakam life, Shakuntala in Kalidas, Don Quixote, Jude, …)

The loss of innocence - This is, as the name implies, a loss of innocence through sexual experience, violence, or any other means. Example: Val's loss of innocence after settling down at the mercantile store in Tennessee William's "Orpheus Descending". [Moll, Tess, Tom, Jude, …]

Water - Water is a symbol of life, cleansing, and rebirth. It is a strong life force, and is often depicted as a living, reasoning force.

Archetype of 'A Made Man'

"Self-made man" is a classic phrase coined on February 2, 1842 by Henry Clay in the United States Senate, to describe individuals whose success lay within the individuals themselves, not with outside conditions.

Originally, the term referred to an individual who arises from a poor or otherwise disadvantaged background to eminence in financial, political or other areas by nurturing qualities, such as perseverance and hard work, as opposed to achieving these goals through inherited fortune, family connections, or other privileges. By the mid-1950s, success in the United States generally implied "business success".

In his 1954 book The Self-Made Man in America: The Myth of Rags to Riches, Irvin G. Wyllie described how on February 2, 1832 Henry Clay had "coined the phrase 'self-made men'" during his speech to the United States Senate.

In literature and popular culture

Ragged Dick (1868)

Horatio Alger Jr.'s six-volume Ragged Dick series which began with the first full-length novel, Ragged Dick published in May 1868, a Bildungsroman "whose name became synonymous with the rags-to-riches narrative", where young Dick eventually became the successful and distinguished Richard Hunter.

The Great Gatsby               

A novel written by Fitzgerald, where Gatsby made himself a millionaire from one ordinary Soldier.

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's magnum opus The Great Gatsby, describes the downfall of the "archetypal, if somewhat misguided" "socially ambitious self-made man" Jay Gatsby who rose from "an obscure and impoverished Midwestern childhood to become a wealthy and sought-after center of Long Island society".

The Old Man and the Sea 

A novella written by Earnest Hemingway where the character of The Old Man named Santiago has awakened to catch fishes though he was old, alone and poor. At the end of the novella, Santiago catches the huge Fish by struggling a lot.

These three characters Archetypes of Santiago, Gatsby and Bildungsroman are in a different than each other though they are same somewhere, As Gatsby was a successful millionaire but his life ended up with the tragedy and Santiago was successful at the last phase of his life, Gatsby was earning money to win Daisy's hand and Santiago was struggling to earn his lost Self in his older days. 

These characters are full of courage and positive attitude towards the Self and hardwork. 

Conclusion: When the concept of 'Self Made Man' comes to the context of money, as it is connected to the American dream, there are always threats to the person who became rich,has earned money by hurting others or by illegal activities in the context of the Social, National and Ethical context.

There is no such thing as a ‘self-made’ man. We are made up of thousands of others.”

 — George Matthew Adams.

When it comes to Self respect and other kind of Moral Purposes, Hard work and the dedication makes Men "Self Made" in reality.Literature often used such Archetypes of 'A Self Made Man' and would be always using to reflect human Psyche, Nature and the real struggle behind the Life.

Thank You.