Carl Jung: The Eternal Feminine, Faust, Sapientia Dei, Sophia
Letters of C. G. Jung: Volume I, 1906-1950 (Vol 1)
To Albert Jung:
Dear Colleague 20 May 1947
The interpretation of the figure of Sophia, in the context in which I mentioned it, can only be done with the material handed down from antiquity, and there the interpretation is very simple.
She is the Sapientia Dei, as she appears in the wisdom of Solomon.
To this Sophia is dedicated the Hagia Sophia of Byzantium.
From the proper name Sophia are derived the names of saints, among them the so-called ”Wicked Sophie.”
The Hagia Sophia or Sancta Sapientia has of course nothing to do with witches, but Wicked Sophie can probably be connected with the witch-hunts, for the inclemency of the weather was frequently attributed to witches.
Sophia cannot be brought together with Eve, since Eve has nothing to do with magic, but she probably can with Adam ‘s first wife, Lilith.
The “Eternal Feminine” in Faust is the Sapientia Dei, who is this same Sophia.
It cannot be doubted that since such figures always have a shadow, Sophia has one too.
This shadow would be a perversion of the divine into the dark and magical.
Naturally this is the witch, or the arch-sorceress Hecate, who, three-headed and three-bodied, represents the lower equivalent of the Trinity (psychologically, the lower function
triad ).
You will find a description of these curious Trinitarian over-lappings in my Eranos lecture, “Die Psychologie des Geistes” (Eranos-Jahrbuch 1945).
Permit me a perhaps indiscreet question concerning your name: are you related to Dr. A. Jung, the gynaecologist in St. Gallen?
He was a student friend of mine.
With collegial regards,
Yours sincerely,
C.G. Jung [Letters Volume 1; Page 462.]