In literature, an archetype refers to a typical character, an action, or a situation that represent universal patterns of human nature. An archetype is also refered to as “universal symbol” and refers to a character, a theme, a symbol, or even a setting.
Examples of archetypes in literature include:
the hero, the mother figure, the innocent youth, the mentor, the Doppelganger, the scapegoat, the villain, and the like.