Human roles

Role behaviour is used symbolically. Common roles represented include those of husband, wife, friend, lover, neighbour, colleague, superior, subordinate, countryman (compatriot) and peer or equal (by age or interest cohort membership. Less common roles imaged include the always helpful person, saint, hero or heroine, guardian, mediator, and warrior. Other images are of an anti-hero, sleeping beauty, witch, wizard, prophetess or prophet. The roles of a stranger, a wanderer or a pilgrim; or of an individual with a secret or personal mission, or with a public mission (e.g. crusader, evangelist, 'leader', etc) are also represented.

This class of symbols may be self-referring but also indicates the overriding orientation of the role. For example, the husband's role may be said to be, to husband, that is conserve, preserve or protect, so that it is the functions which may be intended by the role symbolism. The role noun becomes a role verb in order to read the reference: to wive, to befriend, to love and to act neighbourly or collegially, or as superior, inferior, equal, etc. Noun to verb symbols indicate that the anti-hero antagonizes, and the sleeping beauty sleeps and dreams in passive repose, for example. Those who have a nominal role and do not exercise its function are described by a number of symbols such as straw man, lame duck, front, figurehead, etc.