45 Master Characters (24 page)

Archie Gates (George Clooney) in
Three Kings

Cal Trask (James Dean) in
East of Eden

Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) in
Top Gun

Jack Colton (Michael Douglas) in
Romancing the Stone

Han Solo (Harrison Ford) in
Star Wars

“Sonny” Corleone (James Caan) in
The Godfather

Little John

Superman

Zorro

Lancelot

The Incredible Hulk

Thor Romeo in
Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare

Jack in
Lord of the Flies
by William Golding

Richard in
Rogue Warrior
series by Richard Marcinko

Dwelling in the dark underworld, unable to find light, Hades lives inside his head. He has no need for friends or acquaintances but instead prefers to linger alone. His life is full of the richness of the imagination as he goes about his daily activities. His mind is always somewhere else. He never realized what he was missing in his life until he came upon the beautiful goddess Persephone. Seeing her he knew he needed some companionship to get through his life, but unschooled in the ways of love he kidnaps her and drags her into his underworld life. He steals her innocence and realizes how unfeeling he has become. As his love grows he decides to sacrifice part of his time with her so that she may visit her mother in the Spring. She has taught him compassion and self-awareness.

The Recluse is a man who has a rich inner life and creative spirit but can sometimes get lost in his own fantasies. He may be a sensitive man who can see other realms, a sort of psychic, and is in danger of totally withdrawing from reality altogether.

He can also be a great philosopher who spends hours reading and analyzing ideas. If he finds the right woman he can have a small family life and enjoy some companionship but the entire relationship is up to her. He has no skill in that department and may be distant for days at a time. Hestia is the perfect woman for him. She enjoys being alone.

When Hamlet (a Recluse) sees his father's ghost, he is forced out of his solitary world by a need for revenge. He later exhibits Warlock qualities, as he turns away Ophelia and seeks to bring about Claudius's downfall.

What Does the Recluse Care About?

The Recluse cares about being alone. He has a rich inner life and enjoys being inside his head. He's not comfortable around people, especially large groups, and would prefer to be a mountain man than a businessman. If he lives closer to the city he may opt to become a monk.

He cares only about his inner world; everyone else can keep their dramas to themselves. He doesn't want to be bothered by others at all. He likes being invisible in large groups.

He feels alien to everyone else and may want to move on to the next world, welcoming death.

He cares about his hobbies and projects, often spending hours and hours on one small task. He chooses to do everything himself rather than running down to the store to buy a gadget that may do the job.

Many of the characters in Edgar Allan Poe's short stories, such as Roderick Usher in “The Fall of the House of Usher,” demonstrate a solitary nature that is typical of the Recluse archetype.

What Does the Recluse Fear?

The Recluse fears large groups of people. He loves his solitude, but a part of him may long for a small family unit to bring him some companionship.

He fears losing his mind in one of his rich fantasy worlds, especially if he's highly psychic and can hear spirits.

He's afraid of his own emotions and seems very bland, without personality at times.

He fears the world will come upon him and swallow him up. He's afraid of people forcing themselves into his life. His home base is the most important thing to him; it's his safety net.

With their solitary ramblings in the wilderness, many early explorers, such as Daniel Boone, exemplify the Recluse archetype.