The Descent into the Unconscious: AN Analysis of the Grimm Fairy Tale “Frau Trude”
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I probably don't just speak for myself when I say that fairy tales had a special place in my childhood. They convey something warming and give us a certain comfort, even if the worlds they take us into are often obscure, bewitching, whimsical and dark. Even if these stories are no longer so present in our lives, the memories of them are still filled with warmth and vibrancy.
FAIRY TALES AND PSYCHOLOGY
Something in us resonates with these stories, their dynamics and characters. They captivate us and at the same time satisfy our need for wonder. Perhaps the nurturing nature of fairy tales lies in their origins. For like our consciousness, fairy tales spring from the unconscious. They are deeply rooted in these realms and carry the collective aspects of our psyche: dynamics, symbols and archetypes. Similar to dreams, they speak with spontaneity. Therefore, they can be seen as mirrors for our inner processes.
The Jungian analyst Marie-Louise von Franz devoted much of her life to the study of fairy tales. Within this essay I will quote her frequently. She writes: “... when we study a fairytale motif we do something like making a comparative anatomy of the human psyche.” (Redemption Motifs in Fairy Tales by Marie-Louise von Franz)
Fairy tales are not told by great philosophers, thinkers or rulers, as is the case with myths and legends. Instead, they come from the less educated classes of the population. Not much thought was given to what the story tells us before it was passed on. This leaves little censorship and more room for the creative nature of the unconscious to express itself. Perhaps this is why we don't find new fairy tales today that have a similar effect on us.
“Fairy tales are not told by great philosophers, thinkers or rulers, as is the case with myths and legends. Instead, they come from the less educated classes of the population. Not much thought was given to what the story tells us before it was passed on. This leaves little censorship and more room for the creative nature of the unconscious to express itself. Perhaps this is why we don't find new fairy tales today that have a similar effect on us.” (The Interpretation of Fairy Tales by Marie-Louise von Franz)
THE FAIRY TALE “FRAU TRUDE”
To illustrate the deep nature of these stories, I would like to focus on the fairy tale “Frau Trude”, a lesser known fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm. This fairy tale can be seen as a warning about the transformative but also dangerous nature of the descent into the unconscious. This story seems relevant to me today, as we find ourselves in a time when spiritual, psychedelic and mind-altering experiences are sought out not only for deep longings, but also for fashionable or superficial reasons.
Here is the fairy tale:
Once upon a time there was a small girl who was strong willed and forward, and whenever her parents said anything to her, she disobeyed them. How could anything go well with her?
One day she said to her parents: "I have heard so much about Frau Trude. Someday I want to go to her place. People say such amazing things are seen there, and such strange things happen there, that I have become very curious.”
Her parents strictly forbade her, saying: "Frau Trude is a wicked woman who commits godless acts. If you go there, you will no longer be our child.”
But the girl paid no attention to her parents and went to Frau Trude's place anyway.
When she arrived there, Frau Trude asked: "Why are you so pale?"
"Oh," she answered, trembling all over, "I saw something that frightened me."
"What did you see?"
"I saw a black man on your steps."
"That was a miner"
"Then I saw a green man."
"That was a huntsman."
"Then I saw a blood-red man."
"That was a butcher."
"Oh, Frau Trude, it frightened me when I looked through your window and could not see you, but instead saw the devil with a head of fire."
"Aha!" she said. "So you saw the witch properly outfitted. I have been waiting for you and wanting you for a long time. You shall shine for me!"
With that she turned the girl into a block of wood and threw it into the fire. When it was thoroughly aglow she sat down next to it, and warmed herself by it, saying: "It gives such a bright light!"
THE INITIAL CONDITION
The initial situation in fairy tales, just like in our nightly dreams, says a lot. We can often already tell from this situation in which area the story will unfold. It gives us clues as to which dynamics are involved and even which outcome a situation is likely to have. This is possible if we can recognize and interpret the archetypal patterns. So let's start with the basic situation that prepares the story:
Once upon a time there was a small girl who was strong willed and forward, and whenever her parents said anything to her, she disobeyed them. How could anything go well with her?We find ourselves in a contrasting situation. On the one hand, we have the rebellious nature of the girl. On the other, the world of the parents, who help the child to grow into the outside world, with its norms, values and culture. This indicates a certain tension. The girl's rebellious nature may be a natural attempt to break away from her parents and develop her own identity.
But if we take a closer look, we notice a one-sidedness:
“whenever her parents said anything to her, she disobeyed them.” It expresses a general and unrestricted regularity, without exceptions or conditions. The wording implies that the girl always ignores her parents' instructions, regardless of the specific situation or context. Such statements indicate a rigid attitude that does not allow for variations or deviations.
Therefore, we can interpret her behavior as one-sided - something that lacks balance. She is also a “little girl”, which suggests that dependence and belonging to the world of parents is probably an important basis for her well-being. But she strives against it. If there is a one-sidedness in the psyche, one can expect that the counterpart lives in the unconscious and tries to emerge in order to create a balance. This phenomenon is called enantiodromia. Enantiodromia is a principle in nature and can also be seen as a cycle in our psychology. It describes the tendency for things to turn into their opposite. At a certain point in a person's life, the hidden opposite may emerge from the unconscious, which can be described as the phenomenon of enantiodromia.
The awareness of the opposite could be triggered by a life experience. Someone who was an absolute rebel and rebelled against everything suddenly becomes cynical and dogmatic in their life.
One day she said to her parents:
"I have heard so much about Frau Trude. Someday I want to go to her place. People say such amazing things are seen there, and such strange things happen there, that I have become very curious.”THE CALL TO DESCENT
The girl becomes aware of Frau Trude and feels an attraction to her. It can be said that Frau. Trude is already a living element in her psyche; she is moved and directed by the lady. The Ideas that we have do the same. Although they do not yet exist in the material world, they are nevertheless filled with a power that enriches and inspires our life. A new gravitational point in the girl's life is thus created.
Her parents strictly forbade her, saying: "Frau Trude is a wicked woman who commits godless acts. If you go there, you will no longer be our child.”We receive an important piece of information about the woman. She “is a wicked woman who commits godless acts”. The aspects of Frau Trude is crystallized in three points:
1. she exerts an attraction to others.
2. she does whimsical and strange things that reflect something extraordinary.
3. it represents a danger from which one should protect oneself.
We also find this structure in the numinous. The word “numinos” was coined by the theologian Rudolf Otto in the first half of the twentieth century: “The experience of the holy is a mysterious and overwhelming encounter with the numinous.” (Rudolf Otto)
In depth psychology, based on Jungian theory, the sacred is also compared to the world of the unconscious.
The Swiss psychologist and founder of analytical psychology Carl Jung offers a wealth of explicit characteristics associated with the numinous. The concept describes an experience that lives outside our everyday lives. The numinous is a paradox, as it can have both positive and negative effects.
The positive qualities include fascination, excitement, astonishment, beauty and significance. These create the strong attraction to us humans - something you don't experience every day and which has the power to profoundly touch and transform us. The less positive qualities: Fear, terror, humility (in the sense of a distinct sense of unworthiness) and ego-destroying. The indescribable is another quality that comes with such an encounter. It is therefore best described not in the language of the conscious mind, but through the channels of the unconscious such as art, fairy tales and myths.
The components of the numinous are also referred to by the Latin phrase “mysterium tremendum et fascinans”:
Mysterium: Completely different, experienced with astonished amazement, stupefaction
Tremendum: fertility, terror, demonic fear, awe, absolute aloofness, overwhelming power, majesty, strength, feeling of one's own nothingness in contrast to this power; creature sensation, feeling of an objective presence, dependence; energy, urgency, will, vitality
Fascinans: powerful allure, attraction despite fear and terror
The powerful allure shows its effect with her decision to seek out Frau Trude, despite all warnings. This could also be seen as a hero's journey. A typical motif of this journey is to venture into unfamiliar territory. However, one of the big differences here is that no mentor appears for her who might accompany her into the unknown or whom she encounters there. She is completely on her own. Entering the unknown can be seen as the beginning of initiation for the hero. In Robert L. Moore's (another Jungian analyst) book “Archetypes of Initiation”, he talks about the urgency of guidance during such processes: “Truly liminal space, truly transformative space, truly sacred space in the sense that tribal peoples used it for personal transformations, always has ritual leaders.” (The Archetype of Initiation by Robert L. Moore).
During an initiation, the ego is not only exposed to a strong “supernatural” tension, but also momentarily loses its understanding of the world. In this space, there is no longer any stability, no point of orientation and you are completely at the mercy of the situation. The sometimes controlling ego structure is in a way broken down into individual parts, which are rearranged and enriched after the deep and generative experience. A deeper, more complex and stronger ego structure is created. The ritual guide prepares the initiate for this and also accompanies them after this experience in order to process what they have experienced.
It can be the initiation into something new, a new maturity and new constitution of consciousness. But not every initiation is successful, it can certainly fail. As Marie-Louise von Franz emphasizes in her interpretation of another fairy tale: “When she begins the journey inwards, she is immediately confronted with God and the devil. Drifting away from life can also be dangerous for a heroine, and it can happen that a woman cannot find her way back into the human world.” (Translated from the book: Das Weibliche im Märchen - Marie-Louise von Franz).
THE DESCENT INTO THE UNCONSCIOUS
But the girl paid no attention to her parents and went to Frau Trude's place anyway.When she arrived there, Frau Trude asked: "Why are you so pale?""Oh," she answered, trembling all over, "I saw something that frightened me.""What did you see?""I saw a black man on your steps.""That was a miner""Then I saw a green man.""That was a huntsman.""Then I saw a blood-red man.""That was a butcher."Here we see a change in affect. The mood of the story changes. Where previously curiosity and determination prevailed, fear and horror now dominate. The story becomes darker and we enter another world - the world of the unconscious. Within this realm, the girl meets four characters: the miner, the hunter, the butcher and Frau Trude. The number four often stands for completeness and closure. In many fairy tales, the protagonist has to complete four different tasks (as in “The Four Skillful Brothers”) or four characters come together with their skills to achieve a goal (as in “Town Musicians of Bremen”). As soon as the number four is reached, a cycle ends, similar to the four seasons in nature. Thus, four symbolizes completion. You could also say that three is incomplete. In the fairy tale “Snow White”, the evil queen tries to kill Snow White three times; the fourth time, one could say, would mean completion of the killing. In “Frau Trude” we achieve this completion. The number 3 enables the symbol of completeness, in this sense it is a preparation for what is to come and is therefore a necessity in the process.
The three men in the story can be seen as destructive, transformative forces that prepare the girl for her encounter with Frau Trude. The miner works in the mines, in dark places - a symbol of working in the unconscious, of confronting the dark side. He doesn't just dig up anything, but something of great value: coal, which can be used as a source of energy. The hunter symbolizes the search for something alive that is rooted in the depths of nature or in instincts. He is aware of instincts and nature and searches for the primal, which is not clouded by consciousness or the outside world. Finally, the butcher dissects the body. To do this, he must know the object well and be able to distinguish which parts belong where. It requires precision and differentiation. Psychologically, this could mean knowing the individual parts of the psyche and gaining insights into them. The butcher looks into the depths of the body, and so the girl looks deep into her own inner world, the source of her instincts and the spring of her energy.
THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE DEVOURING FORCE
"Oh, Frau Trude, it frightened me when I looked through your window and could not see you, but instead saw the devil with a head of fire.""Aha!" she said. "So you saw the witch properly outfitted. I have been waiting for you and wanting you for a long time. You shall shine for me!"With that she turned the girl into a block of wood and threw it into the fire. When it was thoroughly aglow she sat down next to it, and warmed herself by it, saying: "It gives such a bright light!"In the ending of the fairy tale, the girl encounters the true nature of Frau Trude, who appears “properly outfitted”. She is the embodiment of the dark side, the unconscious, the devouring that lives within herself. In a way, the witch has been expecting the girl and has even asked for her. This is shown by the fact that the girl felt a strong attraction to Frau Trude from the very beginning. Whether she knew it or not, she was already in contact with her. What had to happen, happened. The tragedy (if you look at it from a non-generative perspective) was already predetermined, perhaps by the girl's one-sided rebellious nature that had to come to an end or by the sheer attraction Frau Trude had for her from the beginning. The end is that she is devoured by fire.
The unconscious is seen by Erich Neumann as the Great Mother, which contains the uroboric quality. “Uroboric” refers to the symbol of the Uroboros, a serpent or dragon that devours its own tail, and stands for cyclical nature, unity of opposites and the infinite renewal or cycle of life. Erich Neumann was a German-Israeli psychologist and student of Carl Jung, known for his work on analytical psychology and in particular for his exploration of the archetype of the Great Mother and the development of consciousness. He wrote about the realm of the unconscious: “Thus the Great Mother is uroboric: terrible and devouring, beneficent and creative; a helper, but also alluring and destructive; a maddening enchantress, yet a bringer of wisdom;” (The Origins and History of Consciousness - Erich Neumann)
The unconscious has the potential to tempt us to let it swallow us up, to lead an unconscious life - not to think, not to take responsibility. The unconscious engulfs us every night: we fall asleep, cannot resist the temptation and immerse ourselves in the unconscious. The end of our lives is dominated by this devouring aspect - we are drawn into the infinity of the unconscious. But at the same time, this is also the place we come from. We rise from the unconscious, and in our early years we gradually become more and more conscious. So on the one hand, the unconscious is the end, but at the same time it is also the beginning. As I said, even in our daily lives we often find that we are engulfed or want to be engulfed by the unconscious - perhaps by using certain substances or by remaining in the realm of comfort, not knowing, not being aware of certain aspects or by doomscrolling on social media that engulfs our minds.
At the same time, the unconscious can be seen as a place we need to visit from time to time, not only to recuperate, but also to let go of our ego defenses, to let go of an old self and rise up again from this place with a new constellation of consciousness, with a new relationship to the deeper essence that is revealed to us in this process.
THE CALL FOR INITIATION
So we can understand the fairy tale in different ways. We could see it as a warning to move in such areas without a certain maturity, because the girl, as it says at the beginning, is small. Also, to be aware of the motivation for such a journey. Making such a journey out of ego desires, greed or a one-sided attitude can lead to terrible results.
But we could also see it as a fairy tale that tells us about the horrors of initiation and that the fire is only part of the generative transformation of the girl. After all, at the end of the fairy tale there is suddenly light. The unconscious, the shadow, is now brightly illuminated and thus filled with consciousness. If it had said “suddenly it was dark”, we could assume that a regression had taken place from which she no longer emerges. That the girl has been completely engulfed and that the absolute darkness thus excludes any glimmer of hope.
Or the story says both: It is a warning about the possible destructive powers of the unconscious, and at the same time it talks about the generative power of initiation into the unconscious: the old ego structure is broken down in order to create something new.
As this fairy tale shows, it is important to be aware of the motivation behind our search for the numinous. Is it a deep need for transformation and meaning, or does it stem from a one-sided attitude or a desire to gain recognition? Often, several conflicting motivations coexist at the same time. There may be a genuine desire for meaning, but it is accompanied by our own ideas and expectations. The fairy tale itself does not give a clear answer to this. But if we compare it with other stories of initiation and look at the archetypal patterns of initiation, we realize that for a successful initiation we need the guidance of a wiser person to lead us in and out of the process.