Unless you're studying to become an analyst, C.G . Jung's philosophy is best absorbed in small doses. The information can be sprawling, tangential, and so steeped in mythological reference that it's overwhelming. This concise little book, by his wife and psychoanalytic partner, singles out an important aspect of his work--the Anima and Animus elements--and presents an in-depth and uncluttered investigation, without the customary overload.
Emma Jung's writing style is direct and clear, and there is a certain personal warmth to her approach, especially in the Animus essay, where her findings are often based on her own experiences. Since this essay was written in 1931 there are, of course, certain dated stereotypes functioning, but I didn't find this too problematic. In traveling the nebulous realms of the mind, one has to start with a few concrete suppositions; they may turn out to be false support, but they can also provide a springboard for the evolution of more complex and innovative thoughts. For instance, I was a little offended by this statement: "It is well known that a really creative faculty of mind is a rare thing in a woman." What?!? Eighty years later, this has been proven untrue--it was only that the opportunity to develop and display that creativity was still quite limited. But then she goes on to say that a woman's creativity finds expression in the development of relationships, and that interaction with others is the real field of her creative power. Eighty years later, this is still true--it's certainly not the only field of our creative endeavor, but it is where our strengths are still most needed, and our deepest satisfactions often most realized.
The Anima essay, written in 1955, presents fewer personal views, and relies more on myth, legend, and fairy tale to substantiate the psychic reality of the Anima archetype. Emma Jung, astutely self-educated, here displays a wide knowledge of, and understanding of, the feminine force in literature.
Why read work that is so dated? Because the question of the union of opposite forces in the personality is still of concern. Recognizing the archetypes that are at work is part of the move toward integration and Emma Jung's observations remain valid and illuminating. Plus, there is a rich curiosity, a diligent mind, and a sincere energy in evidence on every page. That's enough for me.