Vol. 5 No. 03 (2025), Health Studies
Vol. 5 No. 03 (2025)

THE PSYCHIC FUNCTION OF MYTHS AND FAIRY TALES IN PSYCHOANALYSIS: AN ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE UNCONSCIOUS, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Health Studies
Published 2025-07-10
Rawy Chagas Ramos
Master in Political Philosophy from the Federal University of Rondônia – UNIR (2025). Master in Canon Law from the Higher Institute of Canon Law of Rio de Janeiro (2018). Postgraduate degrees: specialist in Counseling and Pastoral Psychology from Faculdade Serra Geral – FSG (2023); in Teaching in Theology from Faculdade Dom Alberto – FAVENI (2023); in Higher Education Teaching from the University Center of the United Metropolitan Colleges – FMU (2023); and in Teaching and Management of Distance Education from Faculdade Focus (2023); in Clinical Psychoanalysis from Faculdade Metropolitana do Estado de São Paulo – FAMEESP (2024). Graduated in Theology from the Theological School of the Benedictine Congregation of Brazil (1998) and Bachelor in Theology from Faculdade Dehoniana (2016). Training in Clinical Psychoanalysis from the Institute of Studies and Human Development SUPERAH and CETEP (Center for Studies in Therapy and Psychoanalysis). Holistic Therapist from the Brazilian Institute of Holistic Therapy (IBRATH) and Parapsychologist from the Latin American Center for Parapsychology (CLAP). Member of the International Council of Psychoanalysis and Integrative Therapies (CONIPT). Chaplain of the Federal Hospital of Bonsucesso, Poet, Musician.
PDF
PDF (Portuguese)
HTML

Keywords

Psychoanalysis; Mythology; Fairy tales; Unconscious; Symbolization.

How to Cite

Chagas Ramos, R. . (2025). THE PSYCHIC FUNCTION OF MYTHS AND FAIRY TALES IN PSYCHOANALYSIS: AN ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE UNCONSCIOUS, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE. Health and Society, 5(03), 287-311. https://doi.org/10.51249/hs.v5i03.2573
ACM ACS APA ABNT Chicago Harvard IEEE MLA Turabian Vancouver AMA

Download Citation

Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS) BibTeX

Abstract

This article proposes an articulation between psychoanalysis and mythology, emphasizing the symbolic function of myths and fairy tales in the psychic constitution process. Based on the contributions of Freud, Jung, Lacan, Bruno Bettelheim, and Marie-Louise von Franz, it investigates how mythical and fable narratives operate as clinical and cultural tools for the elaboration of the unconscious. The text discusses myth as the language of the unconscious, analyzes fairy tales as symbolic scripts of subjectivity, and examines their relevance in psychoanalytic clinical practice, especially with children. Concepts such as shadow, desire, sublimation, identification, and projection are also addressed, highlighting the therapeutic potential of myths and tales in the construction of the self. Finally, it shows how these narrative structures promote the symbolization of psychic conflicts and contribute to individuation and subjective transformation processes.

PDF
PDF (Portuguese)
HTML

References

ANZINI, Tatiane. (Aunt Tati’s Gang). Psychoanalysis of fairy tales. Digital workbook. Available at: http://www.turmadatiatati.com.br. Accessed on: 2 jul. 2025.

ÁVILA, Lazslo Antonio. Psychoanalysis and Greek mythology. Pulsional – Journal of Psychoanalysis, v. XIV/XV, n. 152/153, p. 718, 2005.

AZEVEDO, Ana Vicentini de. Myth and psychoanalysis. Rio de Janeiro: Jorge Zahar Ed., 2004.

AZEVEDO, José Antonio de. Myth, language and the unconscious: a psychoanalytic reading. Porto Alegre: Círculo Psicanalítica do Rio Grande do Sul, 2004a.

BADINTER, Elisabeth. A conquered love: the myth of maternal love. Translated by Waltensir Dutra. Rio de Janeiro: Nova Fronteira, 1985.

BETTELHEIM, Bruno. The psychoanalysis of fairy tales. 2. ed. São Paulo: Paz e Terra, 2004.

BRANDÃO, Junito de Souza. Greek mythology: volume 1. Petrópolis: Vozes, 1986.

BULFINCH, Thomas. The Golden Book of Mythology: Stories of Gods and Heroes. Translated by David Jardim. Rio de Janeiro: Ediouro, 2006.

CAMPBELL, Joseph. The hero with a thousand faces. 2. ed. São Paulo: Cultrix, 1995.

CAMUS, Albert. The myth of Sisyphus. Translated by Ari Roitman and Paulina Watch. Rio de Janeiro: Record, 2005.

DANIELS, Mark. The history of mythology for those in a hurry: from the Eye of Horus to the Minotaur in just 200 pages!element. Translated by Heloísa Leal. Rio de Janeiro: Valentina, 2015.

FARJANI, Antonio Carlos. The language of the gods: an initiation to holistic mythology. 1. ed. São Paulo: Apostila do Curso de Psicanálise (Psychoanalysis Course Workbook), 1991.

FRANCHINI, A. S.; SEGANFREDO, Carmen. The 100 best stories in mythology: gods, heroes, monsters and wars of the Greco-Roman tradition. 9. ed. Porto Alegre: L&PM, 2007.

FRANZ, Marie-Louise von. The interpretation of fairy tales. Translated by Maria Elci Spaccaquerche Barbosa. São Paulo: Paulus, 1990. (Love and Psyche Collection)

FRANZ, Marie-Louise von. The shadow and evil in fairy tales. Translated by Maria Christina Penteado Kujawski. São Paulo: Paulus, 1985.

FREUD, Sigmund. The interpretation of dreams. In: FREUD, Sigmund. Complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud. v. 5. Rio de Janeiro: Imago, 1996. (Original work published in 1900).

FREUD, Sigmund. Introduction to narcissism. In: FREUD, Sigmund. Brazilian standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud. v. 14. Rio de Janeiro: Imago, 1996b. (Original work published in 1914).

FREUD, Sigmund. Totem is taboo. In: FREUD, Sigmund. Complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud. v. 13. Rio de Janeiro: Imago, 1996a. (Original work published in 1913).

HILLMAN, James. The myth of analysis: three essays on archetypal psychology. Translated by Norma Abreu Telles. Rio de Janeiro: Paz e Terra, 1984.

JUNG, Carl Gustav. The psychology of the unconscious. Petrópolis: Vozes, 2000. (Original work published in 1917).

LACAN, Jacques. The four fundamental concepts of psychoanalysis. (1964) Rio de Janeiro: Zahar, 1998. (Seminar originally given in 1964).

LÉVI-STRAUSS, Claude. Myth and meaning. Translated by Antônio Marques Bessa. São Paulo: EPU, 1985.

LÉVI-STRAUSS, Claude. Mythological 1: The raw and the cooked. Translated by Beatriz Perrone-Moisés. São Paulo: Cosac Naify, 2004.

LÉVI-STRAUSS, Claude. Mythological 2: From honey to ashes. Translated by Carlos Eugênio Marcondes de Moura. São Paulo: Cosac Naify, 2005.

LÉVI-STRAUSS, Claude. Mythological 3: Origin of table manners. Translated by Beatriz Perrone-Moisés. São Paulo: Cosac Naify, 2006.

SALIS, Viktor D. Living mythology: learning from the gods the art of living and loving. 2nd ed. São Paulo: Nova Alexandria, 2011.

SKINNER, B. F. The myth of freedom. Translated by Leonardo Goulart and Maria Lúcia F. Goulart. 2. ed. Rio de Janeiro: Bloch Editores, 1973.

SOPHOCLES. The Theban trilogy: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone. Translation and introduction by Mário da Gama Kury. Rio de Janeiro: Jorge Zahar Editor, 2004. (Work composed around 429 BC).

SOUZA, Ana Amália Torres; ROCHA, Zeferino Jesus Barbosa. In the beginning it was the mythos: articulations between myth, psychoanalysis and language. Estudos de Psicologia, Natal, v. 14, n. 3, p. 199–206, set./dez. 2009. Available at: https://www.scielo.br/j/epsic. Accessed on: 2 jul. 2025.

TAVARES, João Milton Walter. From Greek mythology to psychoanalysis: the role of the hero. 2016. Dissertation (Master’s Degree in Psychology) – State University of Maringá, Maringá, 2016.

VIANNA, Ana Cristina de Araújo. The myth of Narcissus and psychoanalysis. Porto Alegre: Círculo Psicanalítica do Rio Grande do Sul, 2014.

WINOGRAD, Monah; MENDES, Larissa da Costa. Myths and origins in Freudian psychoanalysis. Cadernos de Psicanálise – CPRJ, Rio de Janeiro, v. 34, n. 27, p. 225–243, jul./dez. 2012.

WOLF, Naomi. The Beauty Myth: How Beauty Images Are Used Against Women. Translated by Waldéa Barcellos. Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, 1992.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright (c) 2025 Rawy Chagas Ramos