The Interpretation of Fairy Tales

Among the various types of mythological literature, fairy tales are the simplest and purest expressions of the collective unconscious, thus providing the clearest understanding of the fundamental patterns of the human psyche. Every people or nation has its own way of experiencing this psychological reality, and an examination of the fairy tales of the world yields a wealth of insights into the archetypal experiences of humanity.

Perhaps the most significant authority in the field of 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 analysis and illustrates them with a variety of European fairy tales, from "Beauty and the Beast" to "The Robber Bridegroom."

Dr. von Franz begins with a history of fairy tale research and the various interpretive approaches. To illustrate, she presents a detailed examination of a simple Brothers Grimm tale, "The Three Feathers," followed by a comprehensive discussion of motifs related to Jung's concepts of the shadow, anima, and animus. This revised edition has been corrected and updated by the author.