The Interpretation of Fairy Tales
Sign in to keep track of books you’ve read and want to read.
Of the various types of mythological literature, fairy tales are the simplest and purest expressions of the collective unconscious and thus offer the clearest understanding of the basic patterns of the human psyche. Every people or nation has its own way of experiencing this psychic reality, and so a study of the world's fairy tales yields a wealth of insights into the archetypal experiences of humankind.
Read more
Perhaps the foremost authority on the psychological interpretation of fairy tales is Marie-Louise von Franz. In this book—originally published as An Introduction to the Interpretation of Fairy Tales —she describes the steps involved in analyzing and illustrates them with a variety of European tales, from "Beauty and the Beast" to "The Robber Bridegroom."
Dr. von Franz begins with a history of the study of fairy tales and the various theories of interpretation. By way of illustration she presents a detailed examination of a simple Grimm's tale, "The Three Feathers," followed by a comprehensive discussion of motifs related to Jung's concept of the shadow, the anima, and the animus. This revised edition has been corrected and updated by the author.
Liked The Interpretation of Fairy Tales? Here’s where I’d start.
These suit anyone who liked The Interpretation of Fairy Tales. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.
-
Off with their heads!: fairy tales and the culture of childhood Shares fairy tale, nonfiction, folklore -
The Witch Must Die: The Hidden Meaning of Fairy Tales Shares fairy tale, nonfiction, psychology -
Spinning Straw into Gold: What Fairy Tales Reveal About the Transformations in a Woman's Life Shares fairy tale, nonfiction, psychology -
Breaking the Magic Spell: Radical Theories of Folk and Fairy Tales Shares fairy tale, nonfiction, folklore
“People who read The Interpretation of Fairy Tales tend to reach for these next.”
-
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Women Writers Explore Their Favorite Fairy Tales
-
From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and Their Tellers
-
At the Bottom of the Garden: A Dark History of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Nymphs, and Other Troublesome Things
-
Forbidden Journeys: Fairy Tales and Fantasies by Victorian Women Writers
