Finding the Divine in a Fairy Tale with Joanna Gardner, PhD

Finding the Divine in a Fairy Tale: Marie-Louise von Franz and Vasalisa the Beautiful with Joanna Gardner, PhD

In-person & Online event!

In 1972, when women in the United States could not yet apply for credit cards in their own names, Marie-Louise von Franz published her book The Feminine in Fairy Tales. In this and other groundbreaking works, von Franz analyzed dozens of tales. Building on her years of close collaboration with C.G. Jung, von Franz laid the foundation for all subsequent Jungian fairytale analysis, most notably Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés’s 1992 bestseller Women Who Run with the Wolves. Both these books include brilliant interpretations of a remarkable Russian tale called “Vasalisa the Beautiful.”

This presentation revisits “Vasalisa the Beautiful” as a tale about connecting with creative goddess energies, including the fearsome, thrilling character of Baba Yaga. We will cover von Franz’s foundational analysis and examine the tale from three additional perspectives: mythological gender equality, a gender-neutral view of creativity, and real-time writing reflections so you can experience your own responses to this fascinating story.

Knowing her analysis of Vasilisa was incomplete (as ours will be as well), von Franz nonetheless delighted in fairy tale interpretation because, as she writes, “it has a vivifying effect and … brings one into peace with one’s unconscious instinctive substratum” (The Interpretation of Fairy Tales 45). This presentation seeks to honor von Franz by carrying her ideas forward so we can participate in the same enlivening effect she pointed out over fifty years ago.

Make sure to bring your favorite pens and paper for the writing reflections!

Tickets: $12 (in person & online)

Please email events@prs.org or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.

Please Note: Recordings of the class/event will be sent a few days after the event date and will be available for 2 weeks.

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Through Mirrors, Webs, & Woods: A Month of Folk & Fairy Tales at PRS

This September, PRS celebrates the many wonders of fairytales and folk stories through a series of illustrated presentations, film screenings, and workshops!