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,

the son of a king and a hero of legend, is the protagonist in “Theseus”. Theseus proves his courage by setting out to kill the minotaur. “At once Theseus came forward and offered to be one of the victims. All loved him for his goodness and admired him for his nobility, but they had no idea that he intended to try to kill the Minotaur” (Hamilton 1031). Theseus is incredibly strong, being able to lift a boulder in order to claim his birthright as son of Aegeus— Theseus is another hero with an enigmatic history—and choosing to set out on a journey to his father on a treacherous road littered with bandits rather than taking an effortless route. The archetypical hero is found in all stories, though the protagonists may have differing origins, ages, or goals. A villain often opposes this hero.
A hero usually faces some sort of evil force—an antagonist. Stories often have some sort of hero vs. villain archetype of some variation. The ogres in “Momotaro” serve as the villains. “[The ogres] have killed many good people, and have stolen and robbed throughout the country” (Uchida 1041). The ogres are cruel, plundering, murderous creatures, and when faced with justice from Momotaro, they do not back down. As with the ogres from “Momotaro”, the minotaur from “Theseus” also serves as the evildoer. “To this place the young Athenians were each time taken and left to the Minotaur. There was no possible way to escape. In whatever direction they ran, they might be running straight to the monster; if they stood still, he might at any moment emerge from the maze” (Hamilton 1030). Even though the minotaur is forced into its place as the villain, it is still a creature that kills and eats the innocent Athenians sent into its labyrinth. The evil creatures which serve as villains opposing the protagonist are found in both stories and come in all shapes and sizes. In order to slaughter the villains and halt their heinous deeds, the hero usually endures a quest.
In “Theseus” and “Momotaro”, both protagonists undergo a journey to defeat the wrongdoers. Archetypical quests are often lengthy and involve arduous deeds, and friends are frequently found along the way who help the hero accomplish their goals. Momotaro sets out to the Island of the Ogres to defeat the ogres and retrieve the goods that they have stolen. He meets three animals along the way who at first are all untrusting of one another, but with Momotaro’s guidance and leadership, each individual plays a large part in helping Momotaro complete his quest. “Now there were four of them going to the Island of the Ogres, and as they walked down the path together, they became very good friends. Before long they came to the water’s edge and Momotaro found a boat big enough for all of them. They climbed in and headed for the Island of the Ogres” (Uchida 1042). Momotaro’s quest begins with Momotaro anxious to arrive at the Island of the Ogres. His quest includes handing millet cakes to the ones he befriends, symbolizing his kindness. The animals learn to trust one another along the way, overlooking the bitter fights that spark when they first encounter one another. Momotaro reaches the island of the ogres, and with the distractions of the pheasant and the use of brute force alongside the others to defeat the ogres, the ogres are defeated; the ogres themselves are the bringers of their downfall by falling in hordes into the sea, overcome by fear of Momotaro and friends. The minotaur is the progeny of Pasiphaë and a bull; this was possible due to divine intervention. King Minos demands 14 youths to be released into the maze that holds the minotaur in order to feed it. The maze is endlessly intricate and infamous for its ever twisting paths. “[Ariadne] gave him the clue she had got from Daedalus, a ball of thread which he was to fasten at one end to the inside of the door and unwind as he went on. This he did and, certain that he could retrace his steps whenever he chose, he walked boldly into the maze, looking for the Minotaur. He came upon him asleep and fell upon him, pinning him to the ground; and with his fists—he had no other weapon—he battered the monster to death” (Hamilton 1031). Theseus volunteers to be fed to minotaur, planning to kill it, and boards the ship that travels to the maze. He meets Ariadne in Crete; Ariadne is the daughter of Minos and presumably falls in love with Theseus, enough so that she chooses to give him yarn so that he is able to retrace his steps in the maze at any given time. Theseus’s desire to defeat the minotaur fuels him to undergo the journey to the maze that holds the minotaur as he is tired of the unjust deaths that have been occurring for years in order to feed it. Stories of adventure are repeatedly built on the hero’s voyage to defeat an ungodly opponent; these journeys create suspense and advance character development, as well bringing new characters into play. Many more archetypical traits exist in stories like “Momotaro” and “Theseus”.
“Momotaro” and “Theseus” shared many archetypical traits, including a hero, a villain, and a quest.

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

backbones.