Tracing Archetypes. Based on class lectures regarding archetypal criticism, students will select a character from The Lord of the Rings and a character from the Star Wars Trilogy they believe reflect the same archetype. As we proceed through the texts and films, students will chart the progress of these two characters through their respective narratives.Particular attention should be paid to the characters’ histories, the characters’ values and beliefs, their relations to other characters, their functions within the stories, and their individual narrative trajectories.
Part 1 (1-1.5pp): Students will compose a one page comparative analysis of their selected characters based on The Fellowship of the Ring and Star Wars. Part 1 should seek to explore why these two characters have been selected and what archetype they fulfill.
AS I MENTIONED IN CLASS, I am less concerned with defining a specific archetype at this time and am more interested in your finding two characters who fulfill comparable roles in their respective narratives. In other words, which two characters seem to serve the same purpose(s)?
