Archetypes In Momotar

Archetypes are found in every story that has been told; although stories may seem unique in their premise, every single story is actually interconnected in several ways by archetypes. Recurring themes are found in stories with even the most dissimilar settings and protagonists. In “Momotaro: Boy-of-the-Peach” and “Theseus”, several of the same archetypes are found, though the protagonists possess different goals and experiences. These archetypes include a valiant hero, an evil villain, and the hero undergoing a quest to defeat this villain. The “hero” archetype is especially prevalent among media.

Archetypical heroes are the brave protagonists who represent the “good” that defeats the “evil”. Traits that accompany the roles of a hero are often the hero belonging to mysterious origins and owning great power. Both Momotaro and Theseus are the heroes of their respective stories. Momotaro himself says, “ ‘I wish only to go to the Island of the Ogres, to rid the land of those harmful creatures...I wish to kill the ogres so they can never harm our people again’ “ (Uchida 1041). Momotaro is a fifteen year old boy regarded as a hero by his adopted family. Momotaro, as thanks to his parents for raising him so lovingly, sets out on quest to defeat the ogres who have robbed from the people of the island. Momotaro is also a hero originating from unknown beginnings; he is born from a peach and holds strength great enough to complete his quest. Theseus,

Though each story differed in many ways, these themes still held the essence: a hero goes on a quest to defeat a villain. Archetypes are recurring themes found in essentially all stories written by mankind, including “Momotaro” and “Theseus”. Not all stories are exactly the same, however, because these archetypes are bent in order to create unique, engaging stories with interesting characters with the same essential plot