Psychologist Carl Jung suggested there were twelve basic archetypes of human psyche that could be seen in any story. The countries of the Eurovision Song Contest all have a part to play in the story of the Contest, and the countries all have their own Jungian Archetype to follow. It’s time to look at the final few archetypes of Jung’s Eurovision.
The Magician
Sweden
Like The Explorer and The Creator, The Magician is a character that relies on knowledge, but it’s not the search that drives them but the power that knowledge provides to control the world around them (turning worms into butterflies, for example).
No other country has mastered the formula for Eurovision the same way Sweden has. In its 55 appearances, it has won six, came in the top five 22 times, and only had one failure to qualify from the Semi Finals. Sweden’s mastery of music is not confined to Eurovision, however. Artists like Robyn and Avicii, and producers like Max Martin, are a few of Sweden’s most popular exports. THe willingness to share this knowledge with others to benefit everyone is very much in line with its archetype.
Conversely, this knowledge of the inner workings of the system means The Magician has the power to manipulate others to act in its own interests. If unchecked, a Magician can adopt the attitude of supremacy, at which point it becomes Sweden’s show and everyone is else just an actor.
The last time Sweden hosted in 2013, they brought in the producer-led running order that some saw as devious (this is just as much on the EBU as Sweden, but we are talking about perception). During 2015, eight of the entries had Swedish songwriters behind them in acts from countries such as Russia, Spain, and the Netherlands. While everyone getting the edge on the Contest makes for a better show, there’s a danger of creating homogeneity (or, when that fails, you end up with a surplus of unused glowsticks). If this trend continues, the Song Contest could potentially lose the diversity that makes it so special.
The Jester
Moldova
The Jester frees himself from the stresses of the world and gives others permission to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Nothing is really sacred for this archetype, and characters like Timon and Pumbaa or Puck see the potential for fun in even the most trivial aspects of life.
Who do we owe more to for bringing us a few minutes of joy every year than Moldova?
Despite its short tenure, Moldova has become the clown princes of the Eurovision Song Contest with bright, colorful staging, elaborate movement, and moments that go viral long after the Song Contest is over. This is the nation that brought us the unicycle fairy princess (Zdob şi Zdub), frenetic folk dancing and vocals (Nelly Ciobanu), and, of course, Epic Sax Guy (SunStroke Project and Olia Tira). Even their forays into more serious territory have those surreal elements that give them life and energy. Moldova has the charm to make everyone feel welcome at the party.
However, there’s a point in fun where things can go over the line and become meaningless. Just this year, we saw Eduard Romanyuta perform with a squadron of sexy cops which included a close-up of a female dancer’s booty shaking straight to camera and ends with simulated cop killing. What was meant to be sexy came off as crass and the fun was lost and replaced by a sense of unease.
Even in strong past performances, Moldova’s generous use of color, quick-cut editing, fast rhythm, and overly-elaborate staging could result in sensory overload for some viewers. Audiences might need a break to collect themselves and slow their heart rate back to a resting state. Like getting off a roller coaster, you remember the fun you had even if you ended up back where you started, but that’s the point of The Jester, to take you out of your routine and get you to enjoy yourself for a few minutes.
The Ruler
Russia
The world is a mess, and what it needs now more than ever is a strong leader to step in and bring it order, so says the The Ruler. Riding a recent trend of angelic-voiced peace anthems, Russia has stepped into the role of Eurovision’s Ruler.
With an impressive string of performances over its twenty-years of participation, Russia has consistently demonstrated it is a force to be reckoned with. In 2009, Russia took the lead on hosting by putting together the biggest and most expensive show to date which featured thirty percent of the world’s LEDs staging lights. During rehearsals, the titular Ruler Vladimir Putin symbolically stopped by the Press Centre to meet with the crew and those covering the show. Bilan’s victory the year before was a source of great national pride that Russia wants to replicate.
However, all is not well in The Kingdom. With so much power at their fingertips, there’s the threat of it going to The Ruler’s head and of them using it to dominate. For every Gandhi or Aragorn, there’s a Vito and Michael Corleone, and it’s hard not to be critical of Russia given their history of human rights violations.
As stated previously, Russia has sent established performers such as Philipp Kirkorov, Alla Pugacheva, Mumiy Troll, and t.A.T.u, acts that had a built-in audience of voters to compete against relative unknowns. In 2008, they pulled all the stops and sent Dima Bilan, popular in his own right, along with Edvin Marton playing a Stradivarius and Olympic gold medalist Evgeni Plushenko on a small ice rink.
Even the grannies of Buranovskiye Babushki with a sweet act about baking for their family could be seen as being emotionally manipulative. Russia has demonstrated its resolve in winning the competition, but in doing so, shown they are not against displays of wealth or status.
The Sage
The Fans
What matters most to The Sage is knowledge and a drive to understand the big questions.
While a number of countries have shown their drive for understanding, it’s the fans themselves that take it all apart, put it back together, and disseminate that information to the world like a Eurovision Tinged Yoda. By being in the audience, in the press centre, voting, writing, and recording podcasts where they discuss every aspect of the show, they are as much a part of the action as the people on stage.
In the realm of the media, the line between fan and journalist is blurred and a community is created where people from various backgrounds, ages, and cultures offer their take on past events and future predictions. This process of analysis is based on evidence, the more the better, which they can use to distill patterns from the chaos and provide insight to casual fan and delegation alike. Sages are most at home in this kind of environment, surrounded by like-minded friends bouncing ideas off one another to come up with the best interpretation.
However, a community of Sages locked in a room together creates an echo chamber and loses touch with the world outside. The relentless pursuit of knowledge can lead to such an intense focus on details that they can be oblivious to what might seem obvious to a casual viewer. Sages respect other Sages as long as they agree, while people who aren’t at their same level are viewed as inexperienced and naive.
At the end of the day, though, it’s the masses who do the voting. A team of experts can single out a deserving winner, but if the tide doesn’t flow in their direction, it’s a lot of wasted effort and intense frustration. Being wrong is an incredible blow to their ego in the one place they feel most safe and accepted.
Remember, guys, it’s all in good fun.
Final Thoughts
Eurovision is one of the world’s biggest entertainment shows, and just like any primetime drama, audiences find themselves engrossed in the characters that they identify with on screen. Again, this doesn’t mean that the performers from these countries are these characters personally, but in the fabric of the larger tapestry, they each take on the unique roles that fit the narrative of their country.
As the years progress it will be interesting to see how these characters develop, change, and influence the growth of the Contest as a whole, but we must watch out for the dark side of each archetype, where their weaknesses become dominant and they begin to act selfishly.
There’s a balance between the good and the bad in the various roles, and that’s what makes the compelling ongoing story that is The Eurovision Song Contest.