Captain America Archetype Analysis

Captain America is a new 2011 film about a young scrawny man who is deemed unfit for military service, volunteers to undergo an experiment for the US army for a Super Soldier Program. By doing this he becomes Captain America and must fight along side his fellow soldiers in war and against other foes.

Character Archetypes

Hero: Captain America  is the hero character within the film, he must fulfill a task such as restoring peace/ justice to his country through fighting his enemies.  He experiences an initiation which is undergoing the experiment to become Captain America. He is the hero as a warrior because like some super heroes he has god-like powers and must face physical challenges and external enemies.

Devil Figure/ Creature of Nightmare: From watching the trailer I'm assuming the red-faced character who pulls off his disguise is most likely the evil figure within the movie in charge of the army trying to defeat Captain America

Journey Archetypes

From watching the trailer Captain America is on a journey to save his people and rid the land of danger. The movie is probably set during World War 2 and upon receiving his super powers the hero must stop the evil Nazis enemies, specifically the red-faced figure. Like most super heroes Captain America must stop his enemies in order to save  his country and people (a warriors journey to save his people). During his journey the hero goes through an event that marks a change such as the experiment to become Captain America, he also meets a monstrous man, the red-faced figure, and must fight along side his fellow soldiers in the war. Our hero seems to be one of a kind. The hero is special and represents a nation because of his title, Captain America.

Symbolic Archetypes


Light vs. Darkness: Captian America symbolizes the light (hope/ renewal) who is in a fight against the enemies in war who symbolize the darkness (the unknown)
Supernatural Intervention: The weak man is given super human powers or strength to make him Captain America
Red: symbolizes the red- faced evil figure who represents death and anger which reflects his motifs in this movie
White: scientists in white lab coats symbolize creative force. They are the creative force behind the hero.
Circle: the hero's shield, symbolizes perfection- reflects his purpose to rid the land of danger.
Masks: concealment- the red faced figure wore a disguise to conceal his face, his real form which is why we don't really know who he is in the trailer. He wants to hide his identity and actions behind his darkness.

In the trailer there was a short clip of Captain America doubting himself. This is a possible clue of internal conflict within the hero which I think is common among hero's with such big responsibilities. What could have led to that internal conflict? Did the hero experience something that could have led him to question his purpose?

Damsels in Distress or Heroines

Have you ever noticed that damsels in distress are the ones who are trapped somewhere in solitude like a tower or cottage far away from others? And that they seem to be animal lovers and are one with nature (Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel)? I just noticed that damsels in distress seem to all be vulnerable to the world.


Growing up reading and watching classic Disney movies like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White, I remembered the females in the movies were damsels in distress. It seems that long ago the female was seen as that vulnerable character who awaits in a tower or cottage surrounded by solitude waiting for her prince charming to save her.

Now a days there seems to be a "woman movement" in films. Recent ones that come to mind are Sucker Punch and Hanna, both movies follow a dangerous heroine on a journey. In Sucker Punch a young girl is sent to a mental asylum by her step father, while in the asylum she searches for a way of escape with the help of other girl inmates. Hanna follows a teenage girl who was raised away from society by her father to become the perfect assassin. Both movies have the teenage girl as the heroine on a dangerous journey to figure out some sort of truth . Because these 2 movies showcase the female in the role of dominance, I think it conveys the equality that both male and females can be the hero. Maybe the rise in female heroines is a new wave of story lines stepping outside the literary norm or maybe its a statement that females don't have to be that vulnerable character locked away to be saved by a prince to live happily ever after.

 From first glance these movies kind of give off the idea that females can be strong, independent people. Other TV shows that come to mind are Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Nikita.  It seems as though now in modern pop culture we are seeing more and more female dominance in media typically movies or tv series. I think this modern era is giving movies or tv shows a more realistic side of portraying women as they aren't all vulnerable or damsels all the time. Rachel McAdams' character in the 2009 Sherlock Holmes, Irene Adler, is Holmes lover who in one scene is strapped to a conveyor belt in a slaughterhouse and saved from being sawed in two by a chainsaw. Yet in another scene she isn't the helpless damsel, instead she is able rob 2 men who tried to rob her. This kind of situation can also be seen in the Scooby Doo tv show with Daphne falling through trap  doors and such countless times  but at the same time being a wisecrack heroine such as opening locks with strange items from her purse. I guess having that female protagonist is giving females a new outlook on life.

To what extent are females considered damsels in distress in movies or stories (are females completely helpless in more modern movies and stories)?Do you think the rise in heroines are replacing the more dominant male heroes making them the "damsels in distress" or will the heroine still be considered the damsel?