This study is to analyze the drama, Queen Seonduck in terms of C.G. Jung’s concept of individuation. According to Jung’s Analytical Psychology, individuation is the process of spiritual transformation to become an undivided and unified person in whom the conscious and the unconscious are harmonized and assimilated into the whole personality. It is achieved by allowing the ego, the center of the conscious to recognize and integrate the archetypes latent in the collective unconscious. Archetypes are the inherent and universal psychological complexes in the unconscious that serve as organizing principles on everything we do and feel. The major archetypes are the shadow, the anima/animus, the wise old man, and the Self. The ultimate goal of individuation is to realize the Self, the center and the totality of the entire psyche.
In the drama, Queen Seonduck, the process of individuation is symbolically represented in the adventures of Princess Duckman. The main archetypes that are seen in the drama are the animus, the wise old man, and the Self. Animus is a masculine inner personality in the unconscious of a woman. In Jung’s framework of psychology, animus plays a crucial role in individuation because as a psychological opposite to a woman’s conscious, animus can represent her whole unconscious. Therefore, animus being consciously recognized can facilitate the ego’s recognition of the Self, the center of the unconscious. In the drama, Queen Seonduck Duckman’s conscious recognition of her animus is symbolically illustrated by her masquerading as a man.
The next archetype Duckman relates to is the wise old man that leads the ego to the Self along with animus. In myths, the wise old man appears as a figure who gives advice and guidance to the hero throughout the hero’s journey to help him achieve what he has sought for. In the drama, Queen Seonduck the wise old man is represented by Misil who motivates Duckman to figure out answers to various problems in her way.
The final aspect of the individuation process is portrayed in Duckman’s dream. In Jungian psychology archetypes manifest themselves in dreams as dream symbols or figures. In Duckman’s dream the Self archetype appears as adult and mature Duckman who prepares young Duckman for the passage to self-realization. Young Duckman in this dream symbolizes the ego. The dream symbolically shows that the Self serving as the facilitator of individuation leads the ego to individuation. Duckman’s dream depicts the ultimate phase of selfrealization or individuation in which the ego is assimilated into the Self to form the whole personality.