Archetypes in Apollo and Daphne
Every single person goes through changes that are either positive and/or negative in their lives. Changes in life come for many reasons and the metamorphosis archetype give the tools for explaining these changes. In the story "Apollo and Daphne" a Greek myth translated by Role Humphreys, the reader can Identify the changes that can be explained by the metamorphosis archetype.
The metamorphosis archetype "Is a two-way street'; the change can be positive and/ or negative" (class notes). When Cupid shoots his arrows at Apollo and Daphne they both have a change of heart about love, "at once he loved and she at once fled from the name of lover" (178). While Apollo now loves and wants to be married, Daphne runs away from the thought of love. The changes seen In these characters can be viewed both positive and negative for each. Apollo changes from being a tough warrior to someone with a kind and loving heart.
However this change can also be viewed negatively, in the sense that his newfound love for Daphne is his only priority. Daphne on the other hand changes into someone who is incapable of love. This incapability drives her to run away from love itself, which is a negative change. "Metamorphosis stories defy the long list of human limitations; they allow humans to do and be things thought impossible" (class notes). In the story the character Daphne is not able to love and Apollo can only think about love due to Cupid's arrow.
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Once Apollo laid his eyes upon Daphne he was instantly in love. His love drove him to infers his feeling towards her, which caused Daphne to feel frightened and run away from the scene. While running away in fear Daphne asks the river to "change and destroy the body' (108). This resulted in Daphne turning into a tree "her hair was leaves, her arms were branches, and her speedy feet rooted and held" (181). A human asking for help from a river and turning into a tree is impossible but in a metamorphosis stories the impossible is defied. Many metamorphoses are actually either rewards or punishments" (class notes). At the beginning of the story we see the character Apollo as someone who Is a strong warrior when he says, "the bow Is for my shoulders; I never fall In wounding beasts or mortals" (1 78), to Cupid. Apollo also says to Cupid "the torch, my boy, Is enough for you to play with" (178). Apollo Is telling Cupid that unlike him he Is not old or strong enough to use the bow an arrow. Cupid responds to this by telling Apollo, "your bow shoots everything-maybe-but mine will fix you" (178).
At this point Cupid Is fed up tit Apollo and decides to give him a punishment. He shoots Apollo with an arrow that makes him fall In love with Daphne. He also decides to shoot an arrow at Daphne, which causes her to avoid love at all costs. Apollo at this point is chasing someone who he will never have as his punishment. The story "Apollo and Daphne" has many changes that can be analyzed with the shows the characteristics of changes that the metamorphosis archetype views. There is change all around us and it is something that cannot be avoided.
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Archetypes in Apollo and Daphne. (2017, Nov 05). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/archetypes-in-apollo-and-daphne/
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