DANSE MACABRE: AN ARCHETYPAL STUDY OF EDGAR ALLEN POE’S “THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH

Abstract

Archetypes are universal patterns or images that are situated in the “collective
unconsciousness”. These patterns are established as they enter our consciousness and interact with
the outside world and meaning is formed. Jung believed that the human psyche was composed of three
components: the “ego”, the “personal unconscious” and the “collective unconscious”. The “ego”
represents the conscious mind and rationality; the personal unconscious represents the repressed
memories while the “collective unconscious” serves as the unique component of the psyche that
contains all knowledge and experiences of the human race. Archetypes may take the shape of a
symbol, character or a plot setting Archetypal Criticism therefore shares a strong relationship with
narrative structures. Narratology gains momentum with the construction of meaning through
extensive study and interpretations of texts, infusing archetypes and symbolism into its structures. The
theory of narrative has become an active branch of literary theory. Literary studies relies on the
narrative structure such as notions on plot, different kinds of narrators, characters, and narrative
techniques, attempting to understand how narrative achieve their affect and construct meaning. The
aim of this paper is to attempt an extensive study relating to Jungian archetypes and its interpretation
to plot situations and characterization in Edgar Allan Poe’s story titled “The Masque of the Red
Death”. The paper also attempts to display the visualization of color symbolism through archetypal
criticism and the revelation of various archetypes solely to one character or setting