Western Myth Corrupted, or the Trickster Masquerading as Town Marshal: Grotesquerie and Archetypal Criticism in Modern America.

The article examines the enduring influence and evolving application of the American Western myth in contemporary U.S. culture and politics, focusing on archetypal criticism as a rhetorical tool. Building on Janice Hocker Rushing’s foundational work, it contrasts Ronald Reagan’s portrayal as a Western hero with Donald Trump’s embodiment of the archetypal trickster masquerading as the town marshal—a grotesque figure who disrupts the traditional tension between individualism and community inherent in the myth. The authors argue that Trump’s celebrity status and trickster persona have misled his supporters into conflating him with the heroic Western marshal, thereby subverting democratic ideals and perpetuating a pseudo-synthesis that threatens civic culture. Recognizing Trump as a trickster rather than a hero, they suggest, could enable society to use this disruptive moment as an opportunity to restore balance and quality in American public life.