I've written about big penises, Turkey, Muses, and International Woman's Day. I figure now is a good time to get back on my subject of Archetypes and how they are used in literature.
When I think of the Herald, I think of the character Mountjoy in Henry V. Mountjoy is the carrier of news and challenges. His appearance means things are about to change, that a new energy is going to shake up the Hero's life. This archetype is so important that the God Mercury (Hermes in Greek mythology) was the Deity of messengers.
(I obviously have a weakness for the Herald archetype ;).
The Herald announces the need for change (also known as The Call to Adventure) and provides motivation. This role is not always filled by a person, but can be a wonderful character when it is, especially if the Herald is mixed in with another archetype. Often, the Herald is filled by inanimate objects; hurricanes and storms, a telegram, phone call, or television broadcast, perhaps a letter. Sometimes a Herald is negative, a message from the antagonist. The Herald can be also be positive or neutral.
