Old Man

The archetypal image of a wise old man represents the spiritual principle (or, less commonly, the collective unconscious itself), a personification of meaning. He can appear in dreams “as a magician, doctor, priest, teacher, professor, grandfather, or anyone possessing authority.” (CW 9i, par. 398.) He “represents knowledge, reflection, insight, wisdom, cunning, and intuition on one hand, and on the other, moral qualities like goodwill and readiness to help…” (CW 9i, par. 406.) The wise old man often poses questions in tales and dreams that provoke reflection and challenge one’s morals. He sometimes has a godlike quality and is, as such, connected to the Self.

“The spiritual principle,” in the form of a wise old man, dwarf-like figure, or helpful animal, “appears in a situation where insight, understanding, advice, determination, planning, etc., are required but cannot be mustered with one’s own resources.” (CW 9i, 398.)

He sometimes appears with a boy (who by himself can also symbolize the spiritual principle), or even as a boy. The wisdom of the old man includes “childlike” qualities such as curiosity and playfulness. The old man and the child belong together and form a symbol for Mercury in alchemy. In a modern adaptation, the image of Frodo (the little man, the child) in The Lord of the Rings, accompanied by the wise old man Gandalf is an inspiring scene for contemporary generations; a similar image appears in the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars (1977).

This guiding and inspiring principle may also, though less often, take the form of dwarf-like figures or talking animals.

Jung points out that the wise old man appears in dreams when the dreamer is somewhat of a fool. (2014, p. 40.) The same applies to women's dreams about encounters with a wise old woman. Jung elaborates in Visions, p. 562: “One sees that in dreams; if the conscious attitude is too infantile, too immature, an old woman appears as a compensating figure. And the old wise man always appears when one is too foolish.”

Rigid Old Man

The old man can also appear as rigid, perhaps dying, perhaps domineering—as a negative paternal figure whose weakness is compensated by a lust for power. This image is connected to lead in alchemy and is referred to as Saturn/Cronos; it has lost contact with eros and symbolizes prima materia. From a Jungian perspective, the old, dying tyrant can be a symbol of the currently prevailing but now obsolete attitude in need of renewal. Just as a child is a symbol of the future, the old man is a symbol of the past.  (See also Father and King.)

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