| The problem studied in this thesis is the relevance of archetypes in films---how they contribute to the films' success. As a case study, the films of Clint Eastwood are explored for archetypal influence. After explaining the history and the framework of archetypes through Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell's work and Christopher Vogler's more modern approach, the bulk of Eastwood's film canon is analyzed in terms of archetypal characters, plot structures, and elements. After careful consideration of Eastwood's work, the conclusion reached is that archetypes have formed the foundation of Eastwood's success and still play an important role in film and literature regardless of the current status of archetypal criticism. |
