Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious

Kainat Talib
2 min readSep 22, 2020

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Jung thought that the aggregate unconscious is communicated through all-inclusive ideas called archetypes. Archetypes can be signs, images, or examples of reasoning and behaviors that are acquired from our predecessor. In Jung’s point of view, these fanciful pictures or cultural images are not static or fixed; rather, a wide range of prime examples may cover or consolidate at some random time. A few instances of models that Jung proposed include:

The Child- we generally associate characteristics of purity, rashness, immediacy, spontaneity just as those of reliance, naivety, obliviousness, the tenacity with our concept of a ‘child’. These characteristics of the child archetype frequently show themselves in various manners for every one of us.

The Great Mother- this archetype is usually divided into two categories i.e. nurturing mother and devouring mother. The nurturing mother is represented as the pictorial of the selfless mother who is always there in concern of her child. On the other hand, devouring mother is dangerous, who is using her child to accomplish her goals.

The Persona- the persona is the image we present in front of others and the whole world. We select a mask to wear according to the given situation and people.

The Shadow- the shadow retains all over bad experiences, traumas, and to some extent the ugly aspects of our personality.

Eros- this archetype emerges the awareness of sexual impulses and romantic feelings.

Anima and Animus- the feminine qualities in the male are termed as anima and the masculine qualities in the female are termed as animus.

The Hero- individual with this archetype wants to be a champion. He is generally rescuer and defender. He mostly depends on his good fate and strength.

The Wise Old Man- this archetype represents the character of an experienced peer, who has a lot of experience and is ready to be a mentor. He can guide others and uses his knowledge.

The Trickster- individual with this archetype is always finding a way to deceive others for his benefit. He used multiple tricks to be benefited even though, it is harmful to others.

The Self- this is the integrated form of an individual. The individual with this archetype is self-actualized and independent to achieve their goals.

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