Archetype vs Myth - What's the difference?
archetype | myth |
An original model of which all other similar persons, objects, or concepts are merely derivative, copied, patterned, or emulated; a prototype
(literature) A character, story, or object that is based on a known character, story, or object.
An ideal example of something; a quintessence.
* {{quote-news, year=2012
, date=May 27
, author=Nathan Rabin
, title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)
, work=The Onion AV Club
(psychology) According to the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, a universal pattern of thought, present in an individual's unconscious, inherited from the past collective experience of humanity.
To depict as, model using or otherwise associate a subject or object with an archetype.
* '>citation
----
A traditional story which embodies a belief regarding some fact or phenomenon of experience, and in which often the forces of nature and of the soul are personified; a sacred narrative regarding a god, a hero, the origin of the world or of a people, etc.
(uncountable) Such stories as a genre.
A commonly-held but false belief, a common misconception; a fictitious or imaginary person or thing; a popular conception about a real person or event which exaggerates or idealizes reality.
A person or thing held in excessive or quasi-religious awe or admiration based on popular legend
A person or thing existing only in imagination, or whose actual existence is not verifiable.
* Ld. Lytton
As nouns the difference between archetype and myth
is that archetype is an original model of which all other similar persons, objects, or concepts are merely derivative, copied, patterned, or emulated; a prototype while myth is a traditional story which embodies a belief regarding some fact or phenomenon of experience, and in which often the forces of nature and of the soul are personified; a sacred narrative regarding a god, a hero, the origin of the world or of a people, etc.As a verb archetype
is to depict as, model using or otherwise associate a subject or object with an archetype.archetype
English
Noun
(en noun)citation, page= , passage=“New Kid On The Block” doubles as a terrific showcase for the Sea Captain who, in the grand tradition of Simpsons supporting characters, quickly goes from being a stereotype to an archetype , from being a crusty sea-captain character to the crusty sea-captain character.}}
Usage notes
Traditionally archetype'' refers to the model upon which something is based, but it has also come to mean an example of a personality archetype, particularly a fictional character in a story based on a well-established personality model. In this fashion, a character ''based'' on the Jesus archetype might be referred to as a "Jesus archetype". See ''eponym for a similar usage conflict.Synonyms
* See alsoVerb
myth
English
Alternative forms
* mythe (rare or archaic)Noun
(en noun)- Myth was the product of man's emotion and imagination, acted upon by his surroundings.'' (E. Clodd, ''Myths & Dreams (1885), 7, cited after OED)
- Father Flanagan was legendary, his institution an American myth. (Tucson (Arizona) Citizen, 20 September 1979, 5A/3, cited after OED)
- As for Mrs. Primmins's bones, they had been myths these twenty years.