Home › Glossary › Letter A

Archetypal imagery

Imagery
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Symbolic images drawn from universal human experiences, myths, or archetypes (e.g., mother, shadow, hero); in poetry, they tap into collective unconscious, lending depth and resonance to individual expression.

Detailed Definition
Archetypal imagery draws on universal symbols and motifs—such as the hero, the journey, light/darkness, or rebirth—that resonate across cultures due to their presence in collective human experience; Carl Jung’s theories heavily influence its use in mythic or symbolic poetry.
Example
Example in poetry:
Archetypal imagery: “The Hero’s journey” symbolized by crossing a threshold; “The Mother” figure as nurturing in poems; “The Shadow” representing the dark self; “The Journey” imagery of roads and paths symbolizing life
Additional Notes
Archetypal imagery: Images, characters, or symbols that possess a universal, recurring significance across different cultures and eras (e.g., the sea, the hero's journey, the shadow); associated with Jungian psychology.
Also Known As
Symbolic imagery Universal imagery Mythic imagery Primordial imagery Deep Image Primal image poetry
Skip to main content