Speaking of Jung: Interviews with Jungian Analysts Episode 152: Goethe's Faust
Dec 11, 2025
Join Paul Bishop, a Jungian scholar and author, as he delves into the profound connections between Goethe's Faust and Carl Jung's theories. Discover how Faust shaped Jung's understanding of transformation and the psyche. Bishop shares personal anecdotes of Jung's early encounters with the text and explains its significance in modern psychology. He explores themes of moral ambiguity, the nature of the self, and Faust as an alchemical journey, revealing why Jung considered Goethe a prophetic figure. A captivating exploration of literature's impact on psychology!
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Goethe As Jung's Intellectual Kin
- Jung regarded Goethe as the single most important thinker shaping analytical psychology.
- Understanding Goethe helps unlock Jung, and Jung illuminates Goethe's difficult breadth.
Mother's Gift Ignited Jung's Faust Obsession
- Jung's mother introduced him to Goethe's Faust when he was about 15 or 16, sparking a lifelong engagement.
- Bishop argues that encounter shaped Jung's emotional and intellectual life deeply.
Faust As Epistemological Crisis
- Faust dramatizes an epistemological crisis: a scholar seeks direct experience beyond books.
- Jung saw Faust's journey through love, hate, and passion as richer training than textbooks.