Chapter 4 Jung: Analytical Psychology 117also represents power and destruction, she is sometimes symbolized as a god-
mother, the Mother of God, Mother Nature, Mother Earth, a stepmother, or a witch.
One example of the opposing forces of fertility and destruction is the story of
Cinderella, whose fairy godmother is able to create for her a world of horses, car-
riages, fancy balls, and a charming prince. However, the powerful godmother could
also destroy that world at the stroke of midnight. Legends, myths, religious beliefs,
art, and literary stories are filled with other symbols of the great mother, a person
who is both nurturing and destructive.
Fertility and power combine to form the concept of rebirth, which may be
a separate archetype, but its relation to the great mother is obvious. Rebirth is
represented by such processes as reincarnation, baptism, resurrection, and indi-
viduation or self-realization. People throughout the world are moved by a desire
to be reborn: that is, to reach self-realization, nirvana, heaven, or perfection (Jung,
1952/1956, 1954/1959c).
Wise Old Man
The wise old man, archetype of wisdom and meaning, symbolizes humans’ pre-
existing knowledge of the mysteries of life. This archetypal meaning, however, is
unconscious and cannot be directly experienced by a single individual. Politicians
and others who speak authoritatively—but not authentically—often sound sensible
and wise to others who are all too willing to be misled by their own wise old man
archetypes. Similarly, the wizard in L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz was an impres-
sive and captivating speaker whose words, however, rang hollow. A man or woman
dominated by the wise old man archetype may gather a large following of disciples
by using verbiage that sounds profound but that really makes little sense because
the collective unconscious cannot directly impart its wisdom to an individual.
Political, religious, and social prophets who appeal to reason as well as emotion
(archetypes are always emotionally tinged) are guided by this unconscious arche-
type. The danger to society comes when people become swayed by the pseu-
doknowledge of a powerful prophet and mistake nonsense for real wisdom. Recall
that Jung saw the preachings of his own father (a pastor) as hollow pontifications,
not backed by any strong religious conviction.
The wise old man archetype is personified in dreams as father, grandfather,
teacher, philosopher, guru, doctor, or priest. He appears in fairy tales as the king, the
sage, or the magician who comes to the aid of the troubled protagonist and, through
superior wisdom, he helps the protagonist escape from myriad misadventures. The
wise old man is also symbolized by life itself. Literature is replete with stories of
young people leaving home, venturing out into the world, experiencing the trials and
sorrows of life, and in the end acquiring a measure of wisdom (Jung, 1954/1959a).
Hero
The hero archetype is represented in mythology and legends as a powerful person,
sometimes part god, who fights against great odds to conquer or vanquish evil in
the form of dragons, monsters, serpents, or demons. In the end, however, the hero
often is undone by some seemingly insignificant person or event (Jung, 1951/1959b).
For example, Achilles, the courageous hero of the Trojan War, was killed by an