Feminine in Fairy Tales [Paperback]

Marie-Louise Von Franz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2001

In this engaging commentary, the distinguished analyst and author Marie-Louise von Franz shows how the Feminine reveals itself in fairy tales of German, Russian, Scandinavian, and Eskimo origin, including familiar stories such as "Sleeping Beauty," "Snow White and Rose Red," and "Rumpelstiltskin." Some tales, she points out, offer insights into the psychology of women, while others reflect the problems and characteristics of the anima, the inner femininity of men. Dr. von Franz discusses the archetypes and symbolic themes that appear in fairy tales as well as dreams and fantasies, draws practical advice from the tales, and demonstrates its application in case studies from her analytical practice.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Marie-Louise von Franz (1915–1998) was the foremost student of C. G. Jung, with whom she worked closely from 1934 until his death in 1961. A founder of the C. G. Jung Institute of Zurich, she published widely on subjects including alchemy, dreams, fairy tales, personality types, and psychotherapy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; Revised edition (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157062609X
• ISBN-13: 978-1570626098
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #401,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening Discernment Between the Feminine & Anima, January 23, 2001

By 

"kewoodworth" (everywhere) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Feminine in Fairy Tales (Paperback)

There are not very many fairy tales geared towards the real woman and the real woman's needs and life journey. Most fairy tales with female characters are based around the real man's inner woman - the anima. Von Franz accurately points out some of the fairy tales which point the way to healing for women, and delves into the meaning of their symbols. Even those who only have a rudimentary idea of Jungian concepts would learn a lot from The Feminine in Fairy Tales. I have read the book several times, learning more and more from each reading. I highly recommend it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars When does von Franz speak, and when does Jung?, May 2, 2011

By 

trailsinger "The way we imagine our lives is ... (Port Townsend, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Feminine in Fairy Tales (Paperback)

When I first encountered the writings of Marie-Louise von Franz, I found many rich insights. For a little while I was a fan and quoted her frequently. But the more I read, the more I felt uneasiness about von Franz's attitude towards women. Sometimes she is understanding and wise about women, but at other times another voice speaks that seems to see things from a male, not a female, viewpoint. Moreover, it seems this second voice does not like women. Could this be Carl Jung speaking through von Franz?

Von Franz believes that folk and fairy tales tell us what is going on in the "compensatory function" of the collective unconscious. If that is so, we should expect the repressed anima to feature largely in the hero-based folk tales, but not in the folk tales for and about women. By definition, women do not have a repressed anima. But von Franz avers that when men forget or repress the anima, women don't know who they are--that a woman's sense of self is entirely dependent upon how men regard her.

Von Franz seems to blame women themselves for this problem. Either they are "women who do not take the trouble to think," or it's the fault of their mothers--"the negative mother complex or perhaps the mother's animus." Women are wrong to blame society for their problems, because "the source of evil and of things going wrong in women's lives is often a failure to deal with and get over hurt feelings." Women who have been "properly attended to by their mothers" have enough self-esteem not to get hurt feelings. If a woman's mother has failed her in this regard, she runs the risk of being "overpowered by the animus," which is bad because men will find her annoying. Even loving feelings are okay only if women don't let them get out of hand:

"If their eros--which means genuine interest in the other person and in establishing relationship, being there for the other person--gets the least bit too dependent, clinging to and needing the other, it is already on the downwards grade into the devouring aspect of the female."

It's okay for women to be nurturing, but not to expect anything in return. Is this really von Franz's opinion?

There are several other instances where von Franz says something that validates women, and then the second voice interrupts. For example, she argues that girls should be allowed to develop a sense of self before being forced to deal with the attitudes of the patriarchy. But then she adds that this separation should not go on too long, because "an only feminine world lacks the breath of horizon" of the masculine and "everybody knows what happens if you have flocks of women together." (She doesn't say what.) In another lecture she says that men are right to be suspicious when women are knitting or weaving, like Penelope: "one can guess that the woman is making plots." But Penelope's plotting was good!

Von Franz also harps on hurt feelings in fairy tales where the men are missing altogether. In these stories the heroines must contend with jealous stepmothers and stepsisters. The stepmothers and stepsisters feel hurt and neglected by the father who loves his own daughter more. The father is always offstage in these stories, dead or lost at sea or on a long business trip. In his absence the other women do become vindictive, yet the heroine does not. But von Franz quotes Jung as saying "her greatest task is to overcome her resentful anger."

I suspect that Marie-Louise von Franz was so deeply in thrall to Carl Jung that she often transmitted what he said without questioning it even when she herself did not completely agree. As a result, in "The Feminine in Fairy Tales" she frequently speaks with two voices, one her own and one Jung's. When she is at her most judgmental, opinionated, and harsh towards other women, I think we can assume it is Jung who speaks. When she speaks for herself, she has much wisdom to share.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening Discernment Between the Feminine & Anima, January 18, 2004

By 

Katharina Woodworth "aquafemina" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Feminine in Fairy Tales (Paperback)

There are not very many fairy tales geared towards the real woman and the real woman's needs and life journey. Most fairy tales with female characters are based around the real man's inner woman - the anima. Von Franz accurately points out some of the fairy tales which point the way to healing for women, and delves into the meaning of their symbols. Even those who only have a rudimentary idea of Jungian concepts would learn a lot from The Feminine in Fairy Tales. I have read the book several times, learning more and more from each reading. I highly recommend it.