Trickster Archetypes

The trickster is in all of us. It may seem as though we are far from it, but all of us have a little bit of the archetypal trickster and these similarities display themselves in subtle ways that we disregard them altogether. Tricksters have been a part of our history for a very long time, either handed down from generations to generations, verbally or transcribed to keep records for the future. Archetypes are symbolism of people, and how the majority perceives them, and a trickster archetype derives from that. When studying the trickster archetype, it is important to explore all of the areas that make the trickster, what it is. This includes its characteristics, roles, cultural purpose and evolution.

Tricksters have coinciding characteristics

such as being witty, amoral and conniving, but they are full of contradictions and are the third party catalyst of the plot, not engaging fully into the story but just enough to move the story further along. Firstly, tricksters thrive by using their cunning intelligence as Trudier Harris, author of The Trickster in African-American Culture Freedom’s Story, pens, “Tricksters succeed by outsmarting or outthinking their opponents” (Harris). Tricksters use their intellect far more than any other powers they may hold. They become so adept at integrating their own cunning plans that they are swift at noticing other’s deviousness (Hyde) the trickster’s intelligence is their distinctive trait. Although tricksters have negative attributes, they also demonstrate many beneficial characteristics. One example of how tricksters assist others is by helping those weaker in intelligence and power. “A compendium of opposite. Simultaneously an omniscient creator and an innocent fool, a malicious destroyer and a childlike prankster,” (Trickster tale) this sort of difference is imminent in their cleverness as they sometimes fall into the traps they set up themselves. Lewis Hyde, the author of Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth and Art writes, “At once culture hero and fool, clever predator and stupid prey.” (Hyde) Lastly, the characteristic that makes them stay on the fringes of the tale and puts them in the background of a story is their ability to be a third party catalyst. As per described, “The trickster is a third party in between a predator-prey relationship” (Hyde). The trickster is not always taking the center stage and in these times, they will only stand as a catalyst to move the story forward. The reason why they do not participate actively in the tale is mainly that their motivation spurs from something other than what the story is centering. They are essentially to the plot as they may end up changing the course of the plot or fueling the fire between two characters that may be on the verge of butting heads. This all too well brings us to the next point where the “childlike prankster” (Trickster tale) of the trickster is visible. It is when they choose to interfere with the plot for their own entertainment as Hyde transcribes, “He plays and changes the rules and removes himself from the eating game.” (Hyde) This characteristic moves the plot along and keeps the story, which makes the archetype essential to the story.
In addition to the characteristics of a trickster, the tricksters play roles that serve as lifelong lessons. One of the key roles a trickster plays is about being a teacher. Tricksters have for a very long time, as many other archetypes have taught us a thing or two. One of the things the trickster really emphasizes on teaching us is survival (Trickster tale) throughout various cultures’ trickster stories stood as comic relief from the various hardships of everyday life. “That he begins to understand the trickster mentality as a strategy for survival with dignity…as well as strategy for political intervention” (Harris). This outlines just how the trickster had provided hope and a solution to the many that may feel weak or oppressed in a situation. Furthermore, one of the roles of a trickster that they take upon themselves is one that requires them to create order. Tricksters are equalizers, helping balance out the power struggle among a group as Harris says, “A desire to level the playing field in the circumstances surrounding her” (Harris). This mainly stems from its characteristic to be a third party catalyst and evenly distributing the power between the weak and strong. Tricksters are creators of order out of chaos and transformers (Trickster tale). Lastly, the role of a trickster is displayed through the contest situations the character is put in and the outcome of the contest is usually the weak winning over the strong. As illustrated, “Contest dominates their interactions in a world where the weak and witty, always triumph over the powerful and the presumed intellectually superior” (Harris). Which refers back to the tricksters need to level the playing field. Contest situations are for a majority of the time the setting for a story involving a trickster (Harris) Telling us that through situations that involve competition we see the trickster take off the hypothetical mask, he wears to show us his true self.
”Appears as a mythological figure and a rival of the sky god.” (Trickster tale) The very last thing that builds the trickster archetype is its cultural purpose and evolution.

Tying in many generations of storytelling and implicit messages, the trickster archetype has evolved and changed its cultural purpose depending on the area. The archetype has progressed heavily as within many cultures, evident in African cultures where mythological creatures are humans (Trickster tale) this change from a being that may have magical powers to a human just like us portrays how important the archetype has become and how they stand for revolution and defiance of society. Moreover, trickster tales have developed serious undertones with the humor standing as a coat over it. The undertones of trickster tales emphasize mainly the power imbalance that may be present in the story. Harris says, “frequently a source of humor, they also contain serious commentary on the inequalities of existence.” (Harris) We see these implications throughout different cultures and through when trickster stories are recited during mourning processions or comedic gatherings (Trickster tale). Finally, trickster tales have many layers to them that make them quite purposeful; Tricksters give voice to the thoughts of the people. Written in regards to the Africans enslaved in America, “perhaps the actions of the characters did indeed reflect the actions of those enslaved.” (Harris) In majority of world trickster literature, oppressed and intelligent would win over superior and intelligent which makes the case that, “Intelligence and wits only rival more intelligence and wits.” (Hyde) It stands as an example on how trickster tales had evolved from being simply just for entertainment to having an undertone of rebellion and grave

situations.
To conclude, Tricksters are within all of us in just a more mild and realistic form as they help us display and accept our weaknesses and inspire us to use our wits and intelligence to go beyond a hurdle. The trickster archetype covers many overlapping areas and they can never be just one thing. Archetypes are a creation of our individual minds and how we perceive them goes beyond us, whether it be through their characteristics, the roles they play and the cultural purpose and evolution, they have gone through, they all come together to tie together an archetype we can all relate to. The archetype of a trickster is quite diverse, and deeply embedded in all of us that it reflects, teaches and changed all of us, individually and spiritually.