Archetypes and Motifs in Folklore and Literature: A Handbook (review)

Beginning in the mid-twentieth century, Stith Thompson’s monumental Motif-Index of Folk Literature (Indiana University Press, 1955–1958) and Antti Aarni and Thompson’s Types of the Folktale (Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, 1961) were the indispensable research tools for comparative folklore. Thompson hoped that, through the contributions of many folklorists, his systematic classification of international mythology and popular narratives into thousands of motifs would someday evolve into a comprehensive tale-type index of world literature. Types of the Folktale was superceded in 2004 by Hans-Jorg Uther’s Types of International Folktales: A Classification and Bibliography, Based on the System of Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson (Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia). Now Jane Garry and Hasan El-Shamy have coedited a fine updated companion to Thompson’s original Motif-Index. It is intended to introduce that work to students and others. Their handbook amplifies and augments more than 150 primary folk motifs within Thompson’s “umbrella” headings by offering sixty-six detailed essays by twenty-six specialists. The headings include “Mythical Animals,” “Sex,” “Magic,” “Unnatural Cruelty,” “Marvels,” “Reversals of Fortune,” “The Dead,” “Doubles,” “Tests,” “Deceptions,” “Nature of Life,” and “Society” (the least developed area in the Motif-Index). The handbook fulfills the editors’ stated goals in an engaging, accessible way.

A knowledgeable introduction surveys the history and methodologies of comparative folklore, describes the structure of the Motif-Index, summarizes recent developments in folklore, and justifies the new application of Jungian archetypes to motif indexing. (Thompson eschewed psychological principles.) The format is keyed to the Motif-Index’s organization, in incorporates new tale types, offers a clear “How to Use This Book” section, and provides charming, old-fashioned illustrations. These features make the handbook especially attractive for classroom use and ensure its interdisciplinary appeal. As the only study in English of folklore motifs and themes systematically linked to the Motif-Index, this handbook is destined to become a standard text for folk studies and comparative literature, although the shortcomings in ancient Greek and Roman scholarship will dismay classical folklorists.

In collected volumes of such broad scope, the quality of scholarship, sophistication of the work, and engagement with recent scholarly literature can be uneven. On the whole, the contributions here are excellent, wide ranging, and original, despite occasional failures to account for current research. Volume editors often do not sufficiently edit contributions for consistency and accuracy, and this book is no exception. Numerous conflicting publication dates, erroneous and outdated references, overlapping and missing information, and other flaws pose irritating obstacles in an authoritative sourcebook. These glitches, however, will not interfere with the reader’s comprehension or enjoyment, nor do they detract from the book’s overall value; perhaps they can be corrected in subsequent editions.

Some of the most thought-provoking essays relate traditional motifs to international sociopolitical issues, including “Origins of Inequality” and “Step Relatives” by D. L. Ashliman and “Justice and Injustice” by Kimberly A. Nance and Jane Garry. Several of the essays (Carole G. Silver’s “Abductions,” Hasan El-Shamy’s “Sister and Brother,” Jane Garry’s “Choice of Roads,” and Judith Neaman’s “Doomsday”) are outstanding and refer to popular culture, science fiction, TV and film, cults, and current events. However, contemporary legend scholarship, which has achieved disciplinary status and recognition in recent decades, is rarely mentioned. One exception is the masterful “Ghosts” by Jane Garry and Janet L. Langlois, who cite Jan Harold Brunvand’s “vanishing hitchhiker” legend. Other perceptive and stimulating entries include Joan Peternel’s Jungian approach to “The Double” and Esther Clinton’s insights into “Trickster” figures ranging from the Norse Loki and China’s Monkey to Roadrunner cartoons.

As noted above, the treatment of classical myth and popular literature is surprisingly unsophisticated. Published in 1942, Edith Hamilton’s outdated Mythology (Little, Brown and Co.) was an attempt to popularize this area of research, and it appears to serve as the sole...