THE CROWN PRINCE AS A MYTHOPOETIC ARCHETYPE: LIMINALITY, SACRED KINGSHIP, AND HEROIC TRANSFORMATION IN WORLD LITERATURE

Abstract

The image of the crown prince occupies a central position in world mythology and literary imagination, transcending its merely political and dynastic function. This article examines the crown prince as a mythopoetic archetype shaped by liminality, sacred kingship, and heroic transformation. Drawing upon the theoretical frameworks of Carl Jung, Mircea Eliade, and archetypal criticism, the study argues that the crown prince represents an intermediate ontological figure situated between ordinary humanity and sacral sovereignty. Through comparative analysis of mythological and literary traditions, the article demonstrates that the crown prince archetype consistently embodies collective expectations concerning cosmic order, legitimacy, sacrifice, and renewal. The study analyzes how the heir apparent functions within mythological structures as a liminal subject undergoing trials, symbolic death, moral testing, and spiritual transformation before attaining legitimate authority. Particular attention is devoted to Egyptian, Greek, and Indian mythological traditions, where the crown prince emerges as a symbolic mediator between divine order and historical continuity. The article further explores how heroic succession myths transform political inheritance into a metaphysical and ethical process. Ultimately, the research proposes that the crown prince is not simply a future ruler but a mythopoetic construct expressing humanity’s enduring aspiration for lawful, sacred, and morally legitimate power.