Priestess: Three Faces of an Archetype

The aim of this thesis is to analyse the archetype of the priestess-healer in Léonora Miano's Red in blue trilogie (2015), through three distinct characters - Ofiri, Maresha, and Indigo Mesanedi. The study examines their characteristics, functions, and the transformation of their roles depending on the historical and social contexts in which they are placed. The analysis is based on the close reading method and draws on secondary literature concerning Sub-Saharan spirituality and postcolonial theory, particularly Frantz Fanon's Peau noire, masques blancs (1952) and Albert Memmi's Portrait du colonisé suivi du portrait du colonisateur (1957). Each character represents a different form of the archetype: Ofiri in Révélation abuses her authoritative position in response to her infertility and envy; Maresha in Sacrifices embodies the protection and care essential for a community of escaped slaves; Indigo Mesanedi in Tombeau opens a dialogue on collective identity and reconciliation with a painful past. By comparing these three representations of the priestess-healer, the thesis seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of her significance in Miano's dramatic work and to explore her role as both a bearer of spiritual authority and an agent of social transformation.