Elsa’s real battle is never against villains outside her, it’s the battle within: the fear and shame over her magical powers, the terror of hurting others, the loneliness of believing she must hide who she really is. Her process illustrates a deep confrontation with herself, and her individuation journey is about accepting that she can be powerful, emotional, connected, and whole, without destroying herself or others.
—Annette Wernblad
A Journey Through Shadow and Light
Thank you to my premium members for a wonderful April online class in the Virtual Café Exclusive Membership.
This year, our monthly classes will be inspired by classic philosophies which we will use to look at books, movies, archetypes, and how they are reflected in our own lives.
In the April class, we explore Elsa’s odyssey in Frozen as a modern fairy tale illustrating Carl Jung’s individuation process. Elsa’s isolation, shame, fear, and ultimate embrace of all her emotions mirror the journey of integrating and balancing all sides of herself toward true Selfhood.
Works Referenced:
Frozen (Dir. Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee, Disney, 2013)
Frozen II (Dir. Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee, Disney, 2019)
Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy (c. 1320)
Hans Christian Andersen, The Snow Queen (1844)
