Archetypes are the roles characters play in a story, and they can come in any gender or form such as divine being, human, animal, or object. Below are some of the most common archetypes found in world mythology.
Sources: Getty.edu, World Book Student
A god or goddess is a being, often immortal, who is responsible for different things that happen in the world. Gods and goddesses may look similar to a human, but they tend to have supernatural abilities. They typically have human emotions like love and jealousy, and it is common for them to interact with the human world.
Sometimes a god or goddess will resemble an animal rather than a human, and these types of beings are called theriomorphic. Theriomorphic examples include Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of beauty, sensuality, music, dancing, and maternity. She is often depicted as either wearing cow horns or as a cow.
There are also creatures who have the head of a human and the body of an animal. An example of this kind of mythological character is the centaur, a creature from Greek mythology who has the head of a human and the body of a horse.
Additionally, there are gods and goddesses who have the body of a human with the head of an animal. This is known as theriocephaly. An example of this type of being is Ganesh, the Hindu god known as Lord of Beginnings and Remover of Obstacles. Ganesh has the head of an elephant with one broken tusk and the body of a human with four arms.
Creatures in mythology are animal-like beings, typically descended from the gods, and they may be viewed as good or evil. Evil creatures are called monsters. Please see the Monster archetype box for more information. Good creatures in mythology have supernatural abilities, and they often aid a hero on a quest. Some famous benevolent mythological creatures include:
Monsters in mythology are creatures that are often descended from the gods but have some kind of curse placed upon them. They are often seen as evil, and heros must battle them during a quest in order to achieve a goal. Examples of famous mythological mosters include:
A hero in mythology is a character descended from both a god and a mortal. Heroes are often underdogs who must complete a dangerous quest or journey using their intelligence, courage, or self-sacrifice. Examples of heroes include:
Tricksters are characters who use cunning, wit, mischief, and deceit to achieve their goals. They cause confusion and chaos, and they often challenge the status quo. Tricksters can be gods, creatures, or humans, and they can either be a friend of the hero or cause trouble for the hero. Famous trickers in mythology include: