fei75766_ch04_107-148.indd 120  02/19/20 09:00 AM
Part II    Psychodynamic Theories120
andcannot bedirectly experienced byasingle individual. Politicians andothers who
speak authoritatively—but notauthentically—often sound sensible andwisetoothers 
whoarealltoowilling tobemisled bytheirownwiseoldmanarchetypes. Similarly, 
thewizard inL.Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz wasanimpressive andcaptivating speaker 
whose words, however, ranghollow. Amanorwoman dominated bythewiseold
manarchetype maygather alarge following ofdisciples byusing verbiage thatsounds 
profound butthatreally makes littlesense because thecollective unconscious cannot 
directly impart itswisdom toanindividual. Political, religious, andsocial prophets 
whoappeal toreason aswellasemotion (archetypes arealways emotionally tinged) 
areguided bythisunconscious archetype. Thedanger tosociety comes when people 
become swayed bythepseudoknowledge ofapowerful prophet andmistake nonsense 
forrealwisdom. Recall thatJungsawthepreachings ofhisownfather (apastor) as
hollow pontifications, notbacked byanystrong religious conviction.
Thewiseoldmanarchetype ispersonified indreams asfather, grandfather, 
teacher, philosopher, guru, doctor, orpriest. Heappears infairytalesastheking, the
sage, orthemagician whocomes totheaidofthetroubled protagonist and,through 
superior wisdom, hehelps theprotagonist escape from myriad misadventures. The
wiseoldmanisalsosymbolized bylifeitself. Literature isreplete withstories of
young people leaving home, venturing outintotheworld, experiencing thetrials and
sorrows oflife,andintheendacquiring ameasure ofwisdom (Jung, 1954/1959a).
Hero
Theheroarchetype isrepresented inmythology andlegends asapowerful person, 
sometimes partgod,whofights against great odds toconquer orvanquish evilinthe
form ofdragons, monsters, serpents, ordemons. Intheend,however, theherooften 
isundone bysome seemingly insignificant person orevent (Jung, 1951/1959b). For
example, Achilles, thecourageous herooftheTrojan War, waskilled byanarrow 
inhisonlyvulnerable spot—his heel.Similarly, Macbeth wasaheroic figure witha
single tragic flaw—ambition. Thisambition wasalsothesource ofhisgreatness, but
itcontributed tohisfateandhisdownfall. Heroic deeds canbeperformed onlyby
someone whoisvulnerable, suchasAchilles orthecomic book character Superman, 
whose onlyweakness wasthechemical element kryptonite. Animmortal person with
noweakness cannot beahero.
Theimage oftheherotouches anarchetype within us,asdemonstrated byour
fascination withtheheroes ofmovies, novels, plays, andtelevision programs. When 
theheroconquers thevillain, heorshefrees usfrom feelings ofimpotence andmisery, 
atthesame timeserving asourmodel fortheideal personality (Jung, 1934/1954a).
Theorigin oftheheromotif goesbacktoearliest human history—to thedawn 
ofconsciousness. Inconquering thevillain, theheroissymbolically overcoming the
darkness ofprehuman unconsciousness. Theachievement ofconsciousness wasone
ofourancestors’ greatest accomplishments, andtheimage ofthearchetypal conquer -
ingherorepresents victory overtheforces ofdarkness (Jung, 1951/1959b).
Self
Jungbelieved thateachperson possesses aninherited tendency tomove toward 
growth, perfection, andcompletion, andhecalled thisinnate disposition theself.The
most comprehensive ofallarchetypes, theselfisthearchetype of archetypes because itFinal PDF to printer