There are many archetypes to be found within ‘The Ring', but several that remain prominent throughout.
The Magic - This archetype is, in some size, shape or form, essential to all folk and fairy tales, but the reasons for its use are vague. Most believe that magic adds a needed sense of un-reality to the tale, which safely distances the reader from whatever occurs within while still teaching a lesson. This particular folktale would have very little meaning without the presence of the magical ring which guides the young prince through his quest. After all, he wouldn't have gotten anywhere if the ring had just lain still instead of jumping about as it did, and it even gives us the beginnings of romantic interest, as can be observed in this passage:
"Always he carried it in his breast pocket, and . . . he could still feel it tugging
at him, as if sobbing quietly. The prince heard the small, sorrowful throbbing
at his breast over the beating of his own heart, and every day he loved the ring
more and more."
Through the ring he senses the sadness of the maiden and because of this link, comes to care for her, despite the fact that they've never met. So, even though the theme would be evident with or without the magic element, the story would lose its impact.
The Quest - Although not as common among central European tales, this archetype is often found in Swedish stories of the same variety. The young man, or occasionally a young girl, goes on a quest in search of something, meeting and sometimes helping others along the way. The significance of this journey, which may take mere days or many years, always seems to be to show the worth of the individual; why it is that they deserve whatever they may be looking for. In Nyblom's story, the prince's travels show us his compassion and determination, as can be read here:
"Then the prince opened his purse, full of gold coins, and let them rain into the
bereaved woman's arms. . . And before the woman had had time to thank him,
he rode off. . . "
". . . The prince hardly noticed as water sprayed high above him and his horse
was almost pulled downstream by the current. . . he enjoyed having to struggle
with all his might to get to the far bank."
The theme couldn't never truly exist without this small set of trials because the prince's journey is what shows us he deserves his heart's desire. So, without these side adventures, we would lose the theme's meaning; that kindness and courage are always rewarded.
The Troll - The last archetype is definitely an interesting one and can also be found in just about every Swedish folk and fairy tale. So, although the troll's role in this story is fairly brief I felt it needed to be mentioned because of it's reoccurrence throughout the stories in the book. Trolls seemed to symbolize a number of different things to the populace of the time. Sometimes the tales portray them as comical while others show them as cruel, but mostly they seem to simply be large, greedy louts too stupid to understand right from wrong. And a few of the stories even warn that if you disobey your elders a troll will come and carry you off into the mountains. So, basically, trolls are all of humanity's vices rolled into a single creature, a warning to humans, perhaps, of what they might become if they aren't careful. In ‘The Ring' the troll is an evil villain, the second that the heroine has had to endure, and he keeps her as a slave, often threatening to eat her. The prince must face the troll if he wishes to save the girl, thus showing the reader his courage against one of the most terrible creatures in all of Sweden. Without this confrontation, the theme loses one of it's vital elements, the battle against an evil, and sometimes magical, force.
This particular story, although probably unknown to 99.9% of the American populace, has a lot to say to anyone who's willing to listen. The archetypes pull you into the tale, helping you to understand what's being said. Magic is a universal theme found in every culture dating all the way back to prehistoric times; it's appeal is eternal, drawing the reader into whatever world the author has created. It captures you and somehow makes the story that much more believable. Quests are something that can be found even in today's world of scientific mayhem. From the search for a lost loved one all the way down to the hunt for the perfect outfit to wear to a social gathering, everyone knows what it's like to face adversity. They also know what it feels like to beat back that same adversity and eventually emerge in triumph. Trolls, although not quite as universal, still exude an aura of villainy which just about everyone can relate to in some way or another, whether it's through personal experience or otherwise. Unfortunately, in the real world good doesn't always triumph over evil, but perhaps that's why stories such as ‘The Ring' were created; to give humanity hope that things always have the ability to be better than what they are.
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