Transcending heroic archetypes beyond sword and shield in Brandon Sanderson’s the stormlight archive series

Abstract

Heroes in Fantasy have uplifted the mindset of men providing a layout for living a legendary life by evincing a heroic placard all their life. Often, we overlook those legendary journeys that have institutionalized a collective image of men reinforcing certain qualities later deemed manly in social roles. The proliferation of the hero icons dictates the journey of manhood must be confined to the archetypes that go along with the sword and shield without letting guard of protection, sacrifice, and honor traits. This article delves into those heroic icons that have left a universal mark in shaping male identity throughout history. Brandon Sanderson’s epic fantasy novel “The Stormlight Archive Series” is used to assimilate heroic archetypes. The paper limelights the characters of Dalinar Kholin, Kaladin Stormblessed, and Szeth-son-son Vallano through the lens of the social gaze administered upon men. By applying the archetypal theory, this study aims to represent collective masculinity by unveiling the complexities undertaken to receive the ‘heroic trophy’.

Keywords

• Archetypes
• heroism
• conditioned society
• deconstruction of men’s role
• ethereal men
• Anthropology - Soc Sci