Every day I get emails asking me about the female archetypes, and what they mean for you as a woman. The question is: what do these archetypes say about you? They may mean something different to everyone, but here are the basic responses I give.
The first of the female archetypes, the Mother, can come from any time during your menstrual cycle. Often referred to as the wild child, the mother archetype represents strength and protection. She is nurturing and appreciative of life, but also often a little bit naive. She is full of wisdom and wants to share it with others.
The second of the female archetypes, the Wild Woman, can be viewed as a reminder of when our wild side has been allowed to roam free. It is an indicator of when our ego has gotten out of control. It represents the feeling of excitement and danger. This is also a good time to acknowledge that we have let ourselves go and have let others walk all over us.
The third female archetypes, the Lover, can represent a personification of the opposite sex. She represents the role of a sexual being. She may not want to settle down, but she does want to experience the excitement of being desired. Her character traits are almost always to seek out excitement, sexual fulfillment and lust. These are also archetypal characteristics of someone looking for a long term partner or lover.
Perhaps the most common female archetypes, and the one that make the most sense to me, is the warrior. Women are naturally aggressive, courageous, and hard-headed. It’s not uncommon for a woman to be fierce and competitive in most any other role in life. A strong, successful and experienced fighter can bring this natural aggression to bear in a relationship, often serving as a crusader.
The fourth of the female archetypes, the Feminine Rescue is almost always represented by a pink tights and a white apron. These costumes give the impression of being a member of the anti-heroine, usually fighting against a male equivalent. However, the modern incarnation of this archetype is likely more realistic than anything in ancient history. In this modern day setting, a female character archetypal is likely to be a strong, determined and respected leader. She is likely to have superhuman physical abilities.
Wonder Woman, also known as Queen Hippolyta, is one of the four female archetypes described above. She is also commonly known as the Amazon Women’s Warriest. She is also often represented by a red apron and a tiara. Like many early examples of the Amazon Women, Wonder Woman is shown as an aggressive, powerful fighter who uses her lasso to tie up her opponents and then use her super human strength to pin them to the ground. Wonder Woman’s ability to use her super strength has been compared to that of Superman’s strength, but Superman is not known for using his lasso in fights.
Understanding the female archetypes and how they influence the self-esteem and behavioral patterns of women requires an understanding of the other two. One needs to look beyond the surface and examine the behaviors and emotions behind each archetypal character. For example, Wonder Woman’s determination and spirit are traits shared by most all women, and her love interest is none other than Superman. As these archetypes become more pronounced throughout modern culture, it is becoming increasingly difficult for our culture to limit such behaviors. This is especially true with Wonder Woman, who continues to be one of the most popular characters in comics today.