Five realms of archetypes in tragedy and comedy

Ajit A KaliyaM.A. SEM 2

Roll No 1Paper 7 Literary theory & criticism- 2

Enrolment No 2069108420170013Batch 2016-18

Department of English, MKBU

Introduction

Archetypal criticism: Study of designs, patterns of action, character types, themes and images which are identifiable in wide variety of works of literature, as well as in myths, dreams and social rituals.

In his essay ‘Archetypes of literature’ and in next book ‘Anatomy of criticism’ Frye gives the idea that genre of the work depends on how symbol or image is to be interpreted and gives five realms of archetypes to study.

Human

Animals

Vegetation

Mineral

Water

1. Human World

Example:Hamlet

Tragic

Example:Anti sentimental comedies like

‘She stoops to conquer’ , ‘School for scandal’

Comic

Animal World

Like

Sheep,Lambs,Dogs,

Cattles,Doves, etc.

Example: Far from the madding crowd

comedy

Like

Wolves,Vultures, serpents,

Etc.

Example: Little red riding hood

Tragedy

Vegetable world

Comic Tragic

Mineral world

Comic Tragic

Water world

Comic Tragic

Conclusion

Simply, delightful and useful objects and scenes represents comic world and eyesore scenes and useless things have been used in tragic scenes. If writer wants to create feeling of horror, obviously dark nights will be used. So that way it works. But it is not compulsory that these realms always be true as Frye himself says, “Our Tables are, of course, not only elementary but grossly oversimplified, just as our inductive approach to the archetype was a mere hunch.”

Thank You