Definitions of Myth and Archetype
myth:
Myth originates in the effort of primitive people to explain some practice, belief, institution, or natural happening. Myths are anonymous and accepted as true. "Broadly speaking myths and mythologies seek to rationalize and explain the universe and all that is in it. Thus, they have a similar function to science, theology, religion and history in modern societies" (Bernard Doyle, Encyclopedia Mythica). Common types of myth are creation myths or stories which explain how the gods, the world, or some phenomenon came about. A mythic figure is a heroic figure involved in events which have a significant effect on the universe or society.
Other kinds of myths and uses for myth developed as society became more sophisticated. Plato, for instance, created myths or narratives of supernatural beings to speculate about open-ended subjects, that is, topics for which absolute certainty is impossible. William Blake created a private mythology in his poetry, saying "I must create a system or be enslaved by another man's." A myth may be a false belief, e.g., the myth of progress. Or it may be a fictional, fully developed setting for a literary work, like Thomas Hardy's myth of Wessex or Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha County.
archetype:
(1) An archetype is the original or prototype who sets the pattern for similar beings, for example, Frankenstein (monster) or Hercules (hero).
(2) A basic concept in Jungian psychology, the archetype is a pattern of thought or an image which is passed down from one generation to the other, a process which Jung called the "psychic residua of numberless experiences of the same type." The collective unconscious thus holds the same images as humanity's primitive ancestors, like the good mother, the wise man, the magician, the vampire, and the monster
Archetypes appear in myths, religion, literature, art, and fairy tales of most and even all societies. Common archetypes are the death-rebirth motif, going to the sea, the fatal woman, Cinderella-stories, and the sacrificial hero or god.