Martyr

Archetype

“And I want to thank you for putting me under the added pressure of being the sole breadwinner, now.”

—Carolyn Burnham

American Beauty (1999)

Martyr Characters

The martyr archetype manifests in characters who over-identify with occupations of service and with the people they support. They exhaust their resources and themselves in their never-ending labors. They feel compelled to prove their worth by making sacrifices for the ostensible benefit of others.

Martyrs tend to be emotionally manipulative, even abusive. They play on people’s guilt and sympathy to get their way. They often come to resent the people they serve. At the very least, martyrs expect more effusive appreciation for their many sacrifices.

Martyrs are usually seen in the domestic sphere as parents or spouses. They might also be nurses, PTA organizers, or political activists. In the workplace, martyrs believe that their respective organizations would collapse without their dutiful efforts.

Prominent Examples

Marie Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005)
Carolyn Burnham in American Beauty (1999)
Livia Soprano in The Sopranos (1999–2007)
LaVona Golden in I, Tonya (2017)

Definition

The martyr archetype is rooted in a self-righteous orientation toward social obligations and the care and protection of others. It reflects a desire to be celebrated and appreciated for serving others. On a deeper level, it reflects an impulse to combat low self-esteem with acts of charity and self-sacrifice.

Dramatic Dimensions

Archetypes are fluid orientations, not rigid types. These are common tendencies and associations—they may or may not apply in any particular case.

Narrative Roles

Antagonist to independent main character
Emotionally insecure ally
Symbol of self-righteousness

Motivations

Love and compassion
Desire to feel important through serving others
Emotional insecurity and self-doubt

Virtues

Compassion
Emotional sensitivity
Generosity
Mercy
Loyalty
Devotion
Selflessness

Vices

Emotional oversensitivity
Self-doubt or self-loathing
Self-denial
Self-righteousness
Narcissism and self-importance
Savior complex
Parochialism
Favoritism and nepotism
Enabling bad behavior in beneficiaries

Perceptual Frames

Care vs harm
Selflessness vs selfishness
Duty & responsibility vs laziness or imprudence
Us vs them

Growth Opportunities

Allowing dependents to change and leave
Confronting emotional insecurity
Forgiving self for past mistakes
Letting go of the need for validation from others
Exploring personal interests

Taxonomy

Mother Variants

The martyr archetype is a variant of the broader mother archetype.

Other variants of the mother archetype:

Pairing

Child: Martyrs often focus their manipulative sympathies on archetypal child figures.
Father: Archetypal fathers can see martyrs as admirably selfless or contemptibly self-righteous.
Hero: Archetypal heroes can make good foils for martyrs.
Maiden: Martyrs often find sympathy from archetypal maidens but fail to recognize the limits of that sympathy.

See the whole taxonomy on the archetypes overview page.