The Psychological Meaning of Redemption Motifs in Fairy Tales

Why are we often at odds with ourselves?  What lies behind our conflicts and relationship problems?  Have they any purpose?

This book, originally a series of lectures at the C.G. Jung Institute in Zürich, explores these issues and many others. It is unique in its demonstration of the significance of fairy tales for an understanding of the process of psychological growth, especially in terms of integrating animal nature with human nature.

Readers familiar with Dr. von Franz’ earthy appreciation of psychic reality will find here another gem.  Her symbolic, nonlinear approach to the meaning of typical fairy tale motifs that also appear in dreams – bathing, beating, dismemberment, animals, clothes, etc. – and her clear descriptions of complexes, projection, active imagination and archetypes, combine to make this a modern classic.