Hi, I'm Beverley Joy of Simply Story Poetry. Back in 2014, my young adult daughter gave me a birthday card with a picture of a Queen on the front cover with the caption 'You Totally Rule'. I was surprised that she chose that picture, as I did not see myself as a 'Queen' but she did, in a nice way! I had previously read about Archetypes and receiving this card prompted me to write this poem.
I want to take a moment to briefly explain Archetypes to help you understand the context of this poem. Archetypes are symbols used in literature, art and mythology and refer to the recurrence of characters or ideas sharing similar traits throughout history. For example, a Queen is a female ruler of a country or province, or a queen is the most powerful chess piece in a game of Chess, or a queen is a woman who possesses a status of importance or success e.g. 'queen of the pops.' Another example of an Archetype is a Thief. When we see a picture of a figure in black hooded clothes with a mask and a torch tiptoeing away, we identify that image as a Thief; or we may call someone a Thief in an emotional sense because he/she "stole my heart" (positive) or "stole my reputation or an opportunity" (negative). Some other Archetypes include a Clown, Don Juan, Father, King.
The general theory is that Archetypes have a character identity, that spans throughout history and crosses cultures, and they also have a behaviour characteristic that is commonly associated with them. For example, a Teacher is found at a school or college; or we may say to someone "You're not my teacher" if they are always lecturing us and telling us what to do! A Rescuer is a Surf Life Saver and someone who rescues people from physical danger; or someone who rescues people or their partner emotionally).
This poem shares my thoughts as I lightly pondered over some Archetypes that I have recognized throughout my life. You can read my poems and verses at Simply Story Poetry on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and the website.
