Heroes of fairy tales often become victims of an evil spell that hides their true nature and forces positive characters to show traits that are unusual for them, acting to the detriment of themselves and others.
Carl Gustav Jung’s student Maria-Louise von Franz suggested that these episodes could serve as a metaphor for the behavior of people who are in the grip of neurosis, and that the ways in which fairy-tale characters free themselves from witchcraft are in many ways similar to the methods practiced by psychotherapy. Exploring the parallels between fairy tales and the experience of modern psychotherapy, von Franz offers to take a fresh look at familiar plots and see the chance for a successful outcome even in the most difficult situation.
Class, 128 pp.