Martyr

This archetype represents one who has been (or who believes she-or-he has been) an innocent victim of some irresistible force or unavoidable circumstance. The Martyr is typically rife with negative emotions: shock, rage, despair… all coming from a foundational feeling of utter powerlessness. If the one invoking the Martyr believes she-or-he has chosen to do so, perhaps in the service of some greater good, this often neutralizes the powerless feeling and the person may feel elevated by the experience. However, if one invokes the Martyr because she-or-he has been forced to, as is often the case, the archetype can cause a host of problems.

All of us are victims at one point or another and it is important to allow the emotions that come in the wake of abuse to run their course. We are victims of given traumatic events, but until we recover we hang onto the terror of those events and become victims also to ourselves, torturing our own minds with regret, shame, resentment, fury, and vengeance. If the Martyr is allowed to linger, the one invoking it will have nothing to give the rest of the world except bitterness, depression, despondency, or perhaps even violence.

Of course, there are Martyrs who are in less dire situations. If you find that you are the first to reluctantly make compromises and you do what you can to make sure everyone knows it then you’re a Martyr of a different variety. Perhaps you feel like people are constantly walking all over you, but since you are an exceptional person you bear the burden willingly if not quietly. If you are a person like this, then you likely often find yourself feeling resentful and misunderstood, wishing someone else would step up and be selfless for a change.

If you are dissatisfied with the dominance of this archetype in your life, it may be necessary to seek professional help in negotiating more distance between you and the traumas you have endured. If the traumas persist in your present life, you should definitely seek assistance in neutralizing the caustic elements that terrorize you. If your Martyrdom is of the less desperate variety, try being more assertive regarding what you want and don’t fall for the false notion that giving in helps others somehow. You have something valuable to contribute, and if you withhold that in the name of so-called selflessness you are cheating everyone else out of experiencing your unique talents and perspective.