LORD OF THE RINGS: JUNGIAN PSYCHOANALYSIS NOTES
SIMPLY PSYCHOLOGY AND ARCHETYPES AND THE COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/carl­jung.html
https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=Yc5PlU9MyDwC&lpg=PP1&pg=PR11#v=onepage&q&f=fal
se
Jungian Theory:
The psyche is made up of a number of separate but interacting systems:
­ Ego: the conscious mind, comprising of the thoughts, memories and emotions a person
is aware of, responsible for feelings of identity and continuity
­ Personal unconscious: contains temporarily forgotten information, repressed memories,
and complexes (collection of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and memories that focus on a
single concept). ​The more elements attached to the complex, the greater its influence on
the individual
­ Collective unconscious: a level of unconscious shared with other members of the human
species comprising latent memories from our ancestral and evolutionary past. The
human mind has innate characteristics “imprinted” on it as a result of evolution. These
universal predispositions stem from our ancestral past
Archetypes:
Archetypes are images and thoughts which have universal meanings across cultures which may
show up in dreams, literature, art or religion.
Jung believed symbols from different cultures are often very similar because they have emerged
from archetypes shared by the whole human race. For Jung, our primitive past becomes the
basis of the human psyche, directing and influencing present behavior. An Archetype is an inner
guide, which presents us with the deep structure for our experience, motivation and meaning.
These Archetypes aid us on our own unique life's journey or pilgrimage. They help us to
discover our personal motivations and what gives our lives, brands and business their unique
meaning. We encounter Archetypes in a variety of ways, some of the most common through
advertising, art, literature, television and the cinema. They invoke a variety of responses that
decide how we think and act.
The four main archetypes are:
­ The “persona” (or mask) is the outward face we present to the world. It conceals our real
self and Jung describes it as the “conformity” archetype. This is the public face or role a
person presents to others as someone different to who we really are (like an actor)
­ The “anima/animus” is the mirror image of our biological sex: the unconscious feminine
side in males and the masculine tendencies in women. Each sex manifests attitudes and
behavior of the other by virtue of centuries of living together. Men can project the anima
onto women he is attracted to, and vice versa. Because the anima is an archetype, she
has characteristics that continue to appear throughout the ages. She has a quality of
eternity. Often she looks young, although she has the feeling that she already has years
of experience. She is wise but not overpowering. She often has the feeling of being
special, or having a secret knowledge. She is often connected to the earth or water and
can have great power. She has both a light and a dark aspect. She can be the pure,
good, noble figure, almost a goddess, but she can also be a prostitute, a seductress or a
witch. ​The anima is one of the most significant autonomous comple​xes of all. It
manifests itself by appearing as figures in dreams as well as by influencing a
man’s interactions with women and his attitudes toward them, and vice versa for
females and the animus. In essence the anima is a guide to the psychological
development of a man. Each time when man’s logical mind is not able to
recognize or understand unconscious contents, his anima will help him to dig
them out. His anima helps him to tune himself to the correct inner values and
thereby helping him to open the door to his inner world. Thus the anima takes the
role of guide and mediator in his inner world.
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The “shadow” ​is the animal side of our personality (like the id in Freud) ­ the “dark side”
of the ego. It is the source of both our creative and destructive energies. It derives from
our prehuman, animal past, when our concerns were limited to survival and
reproduction, and when we weren't self­conscious
The ​self is the ultimate unity of the personality. For Jung the ultimate aim of every
individual is to achieve a state of selfhood (similar to self­actualisation), but he felt that
perfection of the personality is only truly achieved in death. The Self is realized as the
product of individuation, which is defined as the process of integrating one’s personality.
For Jung, the self is symbolized by the circle (especially when divided into four
quadrants), the square, or the mandala. What distinguishes Jungian psychology from
previous iterations is the idea that there are two centers of the personality. The ego is
the center of conscious identity, whereas the Self is the center of the total
personality–including consciousness, the unconscious, and the ego.
Other Archetypes:
­ The Wise Old Man: Through his age and frailty, the Wise Old Man represents the power
of peaceful contemplation in the absence of physical prowess. The wise old man,
through quiet thought, foresees the future and offers guidance in turbulent times. The
wise old man is a prophetic archetype and can often be seen in stories as a wizard (such
as Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien's T
​ he Lord of the Rings)
­ The Great Mother archetype embodies the idealised qualities of the mother figure. She is
caring, compassionate, dependable and loving and, like the Wise Old Man, she may
offer guidance when asked. The stock character of the 'fairy godmother' often embodies
the Great Mother in literature
­ The Hero embodies our ego (an expression of our personal and collective unconscious)
and is a person who struggles, fights and wins against adversity. He is guided by the
wise old man and is often trying to rescue the maiden. We experience the Journey
through the eyes of the Hero in literature
Individuation and Transcendence:
Individuation is an inherent process in which we become the full expression of who we were
born to be by integrating all of our aspects, especially those aspects of self which are the most
polarized and unconscious. In transcending our dualities and split aspects of our personality we
recreate a unified self and achieve good mental health. An individuation process is marked by
different stages of psychological development towards an individual personality. Furthermore,
each stage is indicated by the appearance of an archetypical figure, of which the most
prominent ones are the shadow, the wise old man/spirit, the anima or animus and the self.
The first step of integration is individuation of all aspects of the personality, which is called the
individuation process. There is a second phase that Jung called the transcendental function.
This function has the capacity to unify the opposite tendencies of the personality. The goal of
transcendence is the realization of all aspects of the personality as they were originally
concealed in the one’s center, and the development of the potential unity. The transcendence is
the means to realize the unity of the archetype of the Self.
Possible essay paragraphs:
­ Frodo’s individuation and journey
­ Aragorn’s individuation and journey
­ The archetype and the overcoming of shadows (Frodo and Gollum, Gandalf and
Saruman, Galadriel and Shelob, Ringwraiths vs Fellowship, Self/unity vs Ring/Sauron as
ultimate Shadow)
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clear opinion
quotations (from the text and from critics)
limitations of applying the lens (suggest another one with reasons?)
give an overview/show awareness ‘critical history’ of the text
connecting to the wider world, making it relevant
bibliography (primary source ­ text, secondary sources ­ other information)
WHERE THE SHADOWS LIE:
https://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=en&lr=&id=uRocJoQ4Jr8C&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=skogema
nn+lord+of+the+rings&ots=WWhXIY3EDe&sig=LkMdkE3­dd2scf7UbEgKa5AVTgU#v=onepage
&q&f=false
­ Aragorn, with the aid of Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli, ascends to the throne and
becomes the center of a great, unified kingdom­­a symbol of the collective Self.
­ Orcs symbolise negative and aggressive impulses
­ The shire represents consciousness and is the uppermost layer of the psyche: the
boundaries of the Shire constitute the borders of consciousness, which is ignorant of the
world beyond. The Shire is isolated and self­sufficient, representing a naive state of
consciousness, threatened by impulses from the unconscious.
­ The four hobbits represent the ego
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The rest of Middle­Earth represents the unconscious
Frodo had been dreaming for years to leave the Shire, but when the Black Riders started
pursuing him he had no choice (the inner necessity of undergoing an individuation
process typically arises from a situation in life that is considered threatening)
Bombadil’s kingdom is a frontier between consciousness and the unconscious
It becomes apparent that, like the Shire, the other countries of Middle­Earth have
become isolated, there is no communication between them
During the individuation process, the archetype of the Self is constellated, forming a
stronger and clearer centre, to which the ego then creates a new relationship
All 4 hobbits return home in a transformed state and are now able to carry out what is
necessary to renew the Shire
Galadriel = anima figure, Arwen = Aragorn’s anima partner
Gandalf = wise old man, Saruman is his shadow partner
Frodo’s shadow partner is Gollum
The Fellowship of the Ring can be viewed as a symbol of the Anthropos archetype, the
dynamic principle of the collective individuation process of mankind. My idea: despite the
Fellowship splitting up, they all undergo maturation and individuation separately and in
doing so bring together the whole of Middle­Earth and cause the individuation of
Middle­Earth as a whole
LOTR is a story that represents the male psyche, however contains many feminine
aspects: Galadriel rules at the centre of Middle­Earth and represents the anima
archetype, Eowyn is a strong heroine figure etc
Limitations/my ideas:
­ Discusses the individuation process of the four hobbits and Middle­Earth as a whole, I
want to focus more on the characters of Frodo and Aragorn
­ Aragorn brings the peoples of Middle­Earth together as an army to battle the “Shadow”
­ Aragorn and the dead army: claiming his role as King, completing his individuation
process
­ The 9 Ringwraiths represent the shadow of the 9 members of the Fellowship
B ANDERSEN THESIS:
http://dias.kb.dk/downloads/dias:112?locale=da
The trilogy has its starting point in the shire. It is from here that we become aware of the
existence of the rest of Middle­earth and everything in it, thus it is logical to view the shire as a
symbol of consciousness. The shire itself is similar to the English countryside and consequently
the landscape acts as a component in establishing a sense of familiarity and security, which are
vital components of our conscious mind.
In the shire we encounter the Hobbits, a race with whom the reader can quickly feel at home.
They resemble the reader in regards to culture, language and biology and are good­natured,
sensible and peaceful – all qualities most of us are happy to identify ourselves with.
Furthermore, since the first volume of the trilogy is experienced through the eyes of Frodo, it is
logical to view him as the main aspect of the ego­self32.
As the story unravels and the fellowship splits, the ego­self is shared between all four hobbits ­
Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry who can be understood to represent different aspects of our ego,
each epitomizing a different degree of adulthood and awakening. We find that all four hobbits
undergo an individuation process, often sparked by the interaction with different characters of
Middle­earth. Merry and Pippin mature from their child­like consciousness to young adulthood
through their imprisonment at the hands of the Uruk­hai and their meeting with Tree­beard.
Sam's meeting with the elves initiates his individuation process, which is further reinforced when
he fights against Shelob, the shadow archetype of anima. His transformation from an
adolescent to a responsible and mature hobbit culminates when Sam, believing Frodo to be
dead, takes upon himself the responsibility of completing the quest alone.
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Frodo’s individuation process starts with the adherence of the One Ring
Gandalf = wise old man
Aragorn = hero
Tom Bombadil = trickster
Galadriel = anima
Furthermore, we find that the nine members of the fellowship are matched by their collective
shadow consisting of the nine Ring Wraiths, whose faceless figures represent their loss of self.
Whereas each of the members in the fellowship have distinct personalities, the nine Ring
Wraiths are lost to themselves and are in complete servitude to Sauron.
Shadows:
Frodo ­ Gollum
Galadriel ­ Shelob (Galadriel’s gift helps to defeat Shelob)
Aragorn ­ King of the Dead
Gandalf ­ Saruman
Due to the strong allusion to Jesus in the characters of Frodo and Aragorn (who both risk their
lives for the good of the greater whole), it could be argued that they both are representatives of
the positive aspect of self. However, it is also possible to interpret Gandalf the White as a
representation of the integrated self, in particular in view of his resurrection and role as a guide.
https://is.muni.cz/th/175163/ff_m/thesis_final_jedlinska.pdf
There are really only two ̳heroes‘ in The Lord of the Rings: Frodo the Ringbearer and Aragorn
the King, and their two quests. One brings the Third Age to its end by destroying the Ring and
the other lays the foundation of the Fourth Age by re­ establishing the Númenorean kingship.
https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=GEWXQbASXZUC&pg=PA172&lpg=PA172&dq=galadriel
+anima&source=bl&ots=EQ9E2UVDc4&sig=lRrulh_SiPBbJ­bkDj­35b6cxmY&hl=en&sa=X&ved
=0ahUKEwiL_KKa0fbNAhVDj5QKHXV6DNUQ6AEIODAE#v=onepage&q=galadriel%20anima&f
=false
Frodo, Aragorn = hero
Galadriel, Arwen = anima
Gollum = shadow
Gandalf = wise old man
Fellowship opposed by ringwraiths
Christian influence: love, heroism, Frodo/Aragorn represent Christ
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3173460?seq=3#page_scan_tab_contents
https://www.jstor.org/stable/537409?seq=9#page_scan_tab_contents