# Quote — Marie-Louise von Franz, Archetypal Dimensions of the Psyche

> As the anima does with men, the animus also creates states of possession in women. In myths and fairy tales this condition is often represented by the devil or an "old man of the mountain," that is, a troll or ogre, holding the heroine prisoner and forcing her to kill all men who approach her or to deliver them into the hands of the demon; or else the father shuts up the heroine in a tower or a grave or sets her on a glass mountain, so that no one can get near her. In such cases, the heroine can often do nothing but wait patiently for a savior to deliver her from her plight. Through her suffering, the animus (for both the demon and the savior are two aspects of the same inner power) can be gradually transformed into a positive inner force.

- Author: [Marie-Louise von Franz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/marie-louise-von-franz.md)
- Book: [Archetypal Dimensions of the Psyche](https://www.leafyquotes.com/marie-louise-von-franz/archetypal-dimensions-of-the-psyche.md)
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Marie-Louise_von_Franz#The_Animus,_a_Woman's_Inner_Man) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/marie-louise-von-franz/archetypal-dimensions-of-the-psyche/as-the-anima

## More from this book

> The favorite themes that the animus of the woman dredges up within her sound like this: "I am seeking nothing but love, but 'he' doesn't love me." Or, "There are only two possibilities in this situation," both of which of course are unpleasant (the negative animus never believes in exceptions). One can seldom contradict the animus, for it/he is always right; the only problem is that his opinion is not based on the actual situation. For the most part he gives utterance to seemingly reasonable views, which, however, are slightly at a tangent to what is under discussion.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/marie-louise-von-franz/archetypal-dimensions-of-the-psyche/the-favorite-themes.md)

> When a person has inwardly struggled with his anima or with her animus for a sufficiently long time and has reached the point where he or she is no longer identified with it in an unconscious fashion, the unconscious once again takes on a new symbolic form in relating with the ego. It then appears in the form of the psychic core, that is, the Self. In the dreams of a woman, the Self, when it personifies itself, manifests as a superior female figure, for example, as a priestess, a sorceress, an earth mother, or a nature or love goddess. In the dreams of a man, it takes the form of some-one who confers initiations (an Indian guru), a wise old man, a nature spirit, a hero, and so forth. An Austrian fairy tale recounts the following:

p. 324 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/marie-louise-von-franz/archetypal-dimensions-of-the-psyche/when-a-person.md)

> The embodiment of the unconscious of a woman as a figure of the opposite sex, the animus, also has positive and negative features. The animus, however, does not express itself so often in women as an erotic fantasy or mood, but rather as "sacred" convictions. When these latter are expressed loudly and energetically in a masculine style, this masculine side of a woman is easily recognizable. However, it can also manifest in a woman who appears very feminine externally as a quiet but relentless power that is hard as iron. Suddenly one comes up against something in her that is cold, stubborn, and completely inaccessible.

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/marie-louise-von-franz/archetypal-dimensions-of-the-psyche/the-embodiment-of-the.md)