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The mentor is an archetypal character in storytelling that offers guidance, training, and support to the protagonist, often playing a crucial role in the hero's development. Myth criticism looks at how this figure functions within the narrative and its symbolic significance.

Archetypal criticism is a form of myth criticism that specifically focuses on the use and analysis of archetypes in literature. It seeks to uncover the unconscious elements that recur across different literary genres and cultural narratives.

The archetype of the 'Wise Old Man' represents knowledge, reflection, and moral guidance in literature, often appearing as a mentor figure. Myth criticism evaluates the role and influence of these characters in a protagonist’s journey.

Coined by T.S. Eliot, the mythical method is the technique of juxtaposing contemporary events with ancient mythological narratives. It is examined in myth criticism as a way of interpreting modern texts in light of classical myths.

The 'shadow' in myth criticism, another concept from Jung, represents the unknown, dark side of the personality, often portrayed as an antagonist or a conflicting force in literature. Through this lens, critics analyze characters' complexities and internal struggles.

Initiation is an archetype involving rites of passage or coming-of-age ceremonies that signify a character's transition from adolescence to adulthood. In myth criticism, this is often connected to the Hero's Journey and personal transformation in narratives.

Persona is a Jungian archetype referring to the social face or mask one presents to the world, to protect the ego from negative perceptions. Myth criticism can use this concept to analyze the characters’ roles and identities within a literary work.

Coined by Carl Jung, the collective unconscious is the part of the unconscious mind that is derived from ancestral memory and experience, and is common to all humankind. It is composed of archetypes, which are elements of myth criticism.

Myth criticism is a critical approach to literature that seeks to understand the cultural myths underlying a text. It is based on the idea that these myths shape the collective consciousness and that texts can be interpreted through these recurring patterns or themes.

In literary criticism, 'mythos' refers to the pattern of storytelling present in a culture, often embodying its moral and philosophical beliefs. Myth criticism explores how these narrative patterns shape and reflect the collective psyche of a society.

The Hero's Journey is a common narrative archetype described by Joseph Campbell, representing a universal pattern that heroes follow in stories across different cultures. Myth criticism uses this to analyze the protagonist's quest and its symbolic meanings in literature.

In Jungian psychology, anima and animus are the elements of the collective unconscious that are manifest as the feminine and masculine inner personality elements respectively. In literature, they help to understand gender representations and their archetypal meanings.

In literature, an elixir is a magical or medicinal potion often sought in myths and stories. It symbolizes the achievement of the hero's quest and transformation. Myth criticism explores its symbolic role in narratives involving quests.

The term 'monomyth', introduced by Joseph Campbell, refers to the single, overarching narrative that he argued underlies and is shared by all myths and stories. It is used in myth criticism to study the common storytelling structure in different cultures.

The Great Mother is an archetype representing fertility, nurturing, and creation, often associated with goddesses and mother figures in mythology. Myth criticism applies this to analyze characters and themes associated with motherhood and creation in literature.

The trickster archetype is characterized by wit, cunning, and a penchant for subverting norms and conventions. In literary criticism, the trickster is examined for its role in challenging established order and offering alternative perspectives within a narrative.

An archetype is a universal symbol, theme, or character that recurs across cultures and literature. It represents fundamental human experiences. In myth criticism, it's used to identify and analyze these recurring elements in literature to understand their significance.

Mythological criticism is a branch of literary criticism that not only includes myth criticism but also encompasses the study of literature through the lens of mythology and its patterns. It includes analyzing the use of mythological figures and motifs within literary works.

Mythopoeic refers to the method or genre of creating new myths or incorporating existing myths into new works of literature. Myth criticism examines how authors use mythopoeic techniques to weave ancient themes into contemporary stories.