Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Shirin Mirshahvalad ¹
• Gholam Ali FallFallah Ghahroudiah ²

¹ PhD Student of Persian Language and Literature, Kharazmi University

² Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Kharazmi University

Abstract

Carl Gustav Jung, the Swiss psychologist, is the founder of “analytical psychology.” He, unlike Freud, does not limit personality development to childhood, but believes that it occurs throughout man’s life span although the goals in the second phase of life differ from the ones in its first phase. From the goals in the second phase of life, obtaining individuality can be mentioned. In the present paper, using Jung’s analytical psychology, we perform an interdisciplinary reading of Chehel Salegy written by Nahid Tabatabaei in order to demonstrate that the protagonist achieves spiritual development and perfection and individuation in the course of the novel. She embarks on a journey to achieve individuation during which she moves from unconsciousness to consciousness and self-knowledge. Under the guidance of the Wise Old Man, she solves all her inner conflicts, while accepting all her hidden “shadows,” and being united with her animus, she finally ends the journey successfully. In this way, she achieves the complete knowledge of her own self, while also passing midlife crisis.

Keywords

• Literary criticism
• Psychology
• Jung
• Archetype
• Individualism
• Chehel Salegi
• Animus