Mirror, mirror on the wall

Encounters and disagreements reflected in fairy tales and myths.

For psychotherapist Hans Jellouschek, couples portrayed in fairy tales and other traditional narratives serve as archetypes and mirrors for men and women in relationships today, allowing us to recognize and even resolve our emotional crises and difficulties. To illustrate his theory, the author discusses the following tales and myths:

- Hansel and Gretel, whose characters represent the couple who act in a childish manner;

- Beauty and the Beast, reflecting the man who, out of love for a woman, improves himself and transforms himself into a "prince";

- King Thrushbeard, in which the spoiled woman surrenders to the unwavering love of a man;

- The undine of the lake, representing the desire and fear that the masculine feels for the feminine;

- Orpheus and Eurydice, in which the talented man loses everything;

- Othello and Desdemoa, in which jealousy blinds and destroys the relationship;

- The fisherman and his wife, who represents the eternally dissatisfied woman and the man who does everything to please her;

- Merlin and Viviane, where the large age difference can be a point in favor of marital happiness;

- Philemon and Baucis, which deals with the mature couple whose love does not fade.

Considered a masterpiece of couples therapy, Mirror, Mirror on the Wall conveys wisdom passed down from generation to generation.