fei75766_ch04_107-148.indd 118  02/19/20 09:00 AM
Part II    Psychodynamic Theories118
projections oftheanima, menmust overcome intellectual barriers, delve intothefar
recesses oftheirunconscious, andrealize thefeminine sideoftheirpersonality.
Aswereported intheopening vignette ofthischapter, Jungfirstencountered 
hisownanima during hisjourney through hisunconscious psyche soon afterhis
break withFreud. Theprocess ofgaining acquaintance withhisanima wasJung’s sec-
ond test of courage. Likeallmen, Jungcould recognize hisanima onlyafterlearning to
feelcomfortable withhisshadow (Jung, 1954/1959a, 1954/1959b).
InMemories, Dreams, Reflections, Jungvividly described thisexperience. 
Intrigued bythis“woman from within,” Jung(1961) concluded that
shemust bethe“soul,” intheprimitive sense, andIbegan tospeculate onthereasons 
whythename “anima” wasgiven tothesoul.Whywasitthought ofasfeminine? 
Later Icame toseethatthisinner feminine figure plays atypical, orarchetypal, role
intheunconscious ofaman, andIcalled herthe“anima.” Thecorresponding figure 
intheunconscious ofwoman Icalled the“animus.” (p.186)
Jungbelieved thattheanima originated from early men’s experiences with
women—mothers, sisters, andlovers—that combined toform ageneralized picture 
ofwoman. Intime, thisglobal concept became embedded inthecollective uncon -
scious ofallmenastheanima archetype. Since prehistoric days, every manhascome 
intotheworld withapredetermined concept ofwoman thatshapes andmolds all
hisrelationships withindividual women. Amanisespecially inclined toproject his
anima ontohiswifeorlover andtoseehernotasshereally isbutashispersonal and
collective unconscious havedetermined her.Thisanima canbethesource ofmuch 
misunderstanding inmale–female relationships, butitmayalsoberesponsible forthe
alluring mystique woman hasinthepsyche ofmen(Hayman, 2001; Hillman, 1985).
Amanmaydream about awoman withnodefinite image andnoparticular 
identity. Thewoman represents noonefrom hispersonal experience, butenters his
dream from thedepths ofhiscollective unconscious. Theanima need notappear in
dreams asawoman, butcanberepresented byafeeling ormood (Jung, 1945/1953). 
Thus, theanima influences thefeeling sideinmanandistheexplanation forcertain 
irrational moods andfeelings. During these moods amanalmost never admits that
hisfeminine sideiscasting herspell; instead, heeither ignores theirrationality ofthe
feelings ortriestoexplain them inaveryrational masculine manner. Ineither event 
hedenies thatanautonomous archetype, theanima, isresponsible forhismood.
Animus
Themasculine archetype inwomen iscalled theanimus. Whereas theanima repre -
sents irrational moods andfeelings, theanimus issymbolic ofthinking andreasoning. 
Itiscapable ofinfluencing thethinking ofawoman, yetitdoesnotactually belong 
toher.Itbelongs tothecollective unconscious andoriginates from theencounters 
ofprehistoric women withmen. Inevery female–male relationship, thewoman runs
ariskofprojecting herdistant ancestors’ experiences withfathers, brothers, lovers, 
andsonsontotheunsuspecting man. Inaddition, ofcourse, herpersonal experiences 
withmen, buried inherpersonal unconscious, enter intoherrelationships withmen. 
Couple these experiences withprojections from theman’s anima andwithimages 
from hispersonal unconscious, andyouhavethebasic ingredients ofanyfemale–
male relationship.Final PDF to printer