Rapunzel - An Alchemical Woman's Tale
An analysis as to whether folk-lore and fairytales contain hidden alchemical codes
Illustration by Evanira
By now, we may all be familiar with the genre of “the hero’s journey” in myths and movies alike. Over a decade ago, the way I perceived fairytales would be altered forever, after reading Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés (a must read for every woman!). According to Jungian psychology, every character that appears in a story is essentially an aspect of one’s psyche and the journey is the means by which the soul solve et coagula. Ultimately, in analysing a story, one often finds the reoccurring theme of individuation, which mirrors a shamanic initiatory process that every “hero” undertakes in discovering who they are and their purpose.
However, more recently my perception of fairytales and folklore has evolved once again. This time, I am in my preliminary stages of hypothesising that some of these tales have another layer hidden within them, that point to feminine alchemical codes. I must confess that the first time I heard the term “feminine alchemy” was recently through the Polish researcher and speaker, Ola Wolny, in several YouTube interviews. Previously, I had understood alchemy within the context of hermeticism - the artform of chemistry trying to replicate and perfect natural elements (Nature) into purified noble metals. Ola considers this form of alchemy as the masculine approach, in an attempt to actually mimic the innately occuring feminine alchemy. Ola draws upon the Wise Woman traditions to concretise this mysterious form of alchemy. The feminine alchemy takes place within the vessel of the woman’s body and from my limited understanding, this alchemy occurs through the bio-chemical and hormonal processes within the woman; producing certain SECRETionS. These include but are not limited to the bleeding cycle, saliva, sweat, urine, pheromones, vaginal discharge, lactation and the secretions of the lacrimal glands.
This brings me to theorise that the Old Wives’ tales, folklores and fairytales were originally part of an oral tradition, in passing down sub rosa wisdom through the matrilineage that was probably derived from the primordial traditions of the Mother Goddess. In my reading of the archeological history of the Goddess mythology, which pre-dates any patriarchal/ masculine creator god(s), we can draw comparisons in the cycles of the woman and the cycles of the birth-death-rebirth of the Goddess, with particular reference to the planet of Venus (more on Venus in a future essay).
Cerchia di Ludovico Brea, Lisbon of Santa Barbara, circa 1500, property of the Museu de Arte Antiga
The following is my attempt to detangle this fairytale into its' alchemical motifs, examining the chain reactions that not only set Rapunzel free but transform her by the end of the tale into a fully fledged alchemical woman.
Before I begin, I must draw attention to the fact that I will be going between the three main versions that exist of this fairytale. The oldest written recording of this tale is attributed to the Italian, Giambattista Basile in his 1634 “Petrosinella” (Little Parsley). Six decades later, the French version appears as written by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force (1698) entitled “Persinette” (Little Parsley). It would not be until a few centuries later, in 1812, when the most popularised version of the story was retold by the German Brothers Grimm, known as “Rapunzel” (Rampion/Corn salad). Consequently, my approach is to extract a few of the key elements among the three versions that hint at a symbolic alchemical code.
It is at this point, you’re asking yourself, why does she think there are alchemical codes in this fairytale? Well, by 1144, the first book published in Europe about alchemy is the Liber de Compositione Alchemiae (Book of Alchemical Composition). Alchemy would then steadily gain momentum through the Middle Ages and reach its pinnacle by the 16th and 17th Centuries, that I have no doubt (call it women’s intuition) that by the time Basile records the first written account of the tale of a maiden in a tower (Petrosinella), that alchemical symbolism would have percolated into the storytelling and art of those times.
Botanical illustration of Parsley, New York Public Library
WHAT’S IN A NAME - “LITTLE PARSLEY”
In two of the three versions, the protagonist is named after a bitter herb, Parsley. I’ve always been of the belief that names are always intentional and therefore there is power and purpose concealed in a name.
So let’s examine the symbolism attached to the humble parsley.
In the ancient world, parsley was regarded as sacred to the dead and both the Greeks and Romans decorated their tombs with wreaths of parsley. This superstition could probably be traced to the Greek legend of Archemorus (which means Forerunner of Death), as it was claimed that parsley sprouted from his blood. The Greeks also dedicated this herb to Persephone, the Goddess of the Underworld and it formed part of the funeral rites in ancient times. In Hazlitt’s Dictionary of Faiths and Folk-Lore it says “to be in need of parsley, means to be at death’s door”.
In Medieval Times, Parsley began to grow an association with the Devil, due to how slow the seeds take to germinate (21-28 days) that a saying arose that parsley “had to travel to hell and back seven times before it will sprout. How synchronistic that the length of time parsley seeds take to germinate is 28 days which corresponds with a woman’s menstrual cycle. According to old herbalists, brewed as a tea, parsley stimulates and regulates the menstrual flow. It would seem there are no coincidences in a name after all! Parsley is one such alchemical symbolism for a woman’s bleeding cycle, which mirrors a sort of death and regeneration, for the very act itself is the process of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) shedding, much like a snake sheds its skin. The menstrual blood was held as a very powerful medicine long ago and now we know through science, that it literally holds the blueprint for lif,e as every bleed contains precious stem cells and when impregnated, it is the endometrium that fuses to form the placenta.
Photo by Katriena Emmanuel (2017) commemorating my own miscarriage and bleeding for weeks after.
It is also amazing to see how modern research has caught up to the old superstitious sayings of “babies found in parsley beds” and “to sow parsley will sow babies”, linking it back then to fertility, as much as it was associated with death rites. Parsley and its seeds have been discovered to stimulate the sexual glands, induce estrogen production and increase blood flow to the sexual organs, thereby contributing to healthy ovulation and fertility. This humble herb seems to effortlessly weave together the themes of fertility, birth and death, which is reminiscent of the archetype of the primordial Mother Goddess.
Hades and Persephone, with Persephone holding a branch of parsley and Hades, wheat.
THE TOWER - PRISON OR PORTAL?
In this tale, the Maiden is hermetically sealed within the confines of a tower, awaiting her dissolution and purification. Whether it’s a stone or silver tower, it remains emblematic of an apparatus conducive of the transformation that takes place at the end of all the versions of this tale. One could say the Tower is at the crux of the story.
The 16th Card of the Major Arcana, from the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck (1909)
In the Major Arcana of the Tarot system, the 16th card is the Tower card, perhaps an indication to the pubescent age of the virgin maiden locked away. The Tower in the Tarot is emblematic of sudden and great change that is often thrust upon one, bringing with it liberation and enlightenment. As each brick comes tumbling down, we are demolishing the illusion, letting go of the stories we tell ourselves, the conditioning that has limited our self belief and full creative potential. I’ve always imagined the tower falling as the equivalent to the veil dropping and revealing the Wizard of Oz. The tower acts like an agitator, the irritating grit that has entered the oyster, in showing us what needs to be dissolved or transmuted in our life.
The tower could also be reminiscent of being in a womb or some other kind of portal, isolating the maiden from the rest of the outside world. Whilst in the tower, the maiden is like the hermit, developing her gifts, her soul expression. In the modern retelling, it is often imagined that the maiden in her loneliness sings to the birds and wild animals to pass the time. One could even say Rapunzel finds her literal voice in the tower and it is in fact, through this creative expression that the Prince hears her song and discovers her hidden in the tower. It is the Prince (the animus) who holds the key to not only her heart but her freedom. This is a pivotal point in the maiden’s story, as the Prince unlocks a whole new world within her that she did not know existed. She discovers not only her sexual maturation but the universal solvent - LOVE!
Carrying over this metaphor of the tower as a birth canal, we see within it, she is transforming from child into womb-hood through both her bleeding cycle and sexual relationship with the Prince. In alchemy, we would call this meeting with the Prince, the conjunction. This is the Holy Matrimony or Chemical Marriage, of the union between the soul and the spirit. Later in the story it is revealed that the maiden was actually impregnated and in both the French and German versions, she gives birth to twins.
Upon discovering the maiden’s betrayal to her captor, the sorceress cuts her hair off and casts her out into the wilderness and proceeds to trick the Prince, who then falls out of the tower and is blinded by thorn bushes. This also displays the pubescent tension that often exists between daughter and mother, as the maiden/ daughter tries to separate her identity from that of the mother and forge her own in the world. This also correlates nicely with the three phases of the Goddess Mythology:-
VIRGIN/MAIDEN MOTHER/CREATORIX CRONE/ WITCH
All three phases are not only to be found represented in the female characters that we encounter in the fairytale, but also mirrored in the transformation of the protagonist as we see her evolution from maiden to mother and by the end, she triumphantly emerges as a witch, in full control of her intuition, creativity and alchemical wisdom. More on this “witch” phase at the end of the essay.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Barbara; Wilhelm Ziegler (German (active Augsburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and Fribourg, Switzerland), born c. 1480, active 1502–1537). These two paintings were originally the folding wings of an altarpiece (dismantled in 1836) made for a church in Ependes (canton of Fribourg), Switzerland. Catherine depicted with the sword and Barbara with the tower.
The sword severs, the tower distills.
A VERY HAIRY TALE
Illustration by Toshiaki Kato
There are numerous threads one can pull, in detangling the interpretation of the symbolism of the very long, braided golden hair that is described in all three versions of this tale. Hair in mythology is often rooted in some kind of power or magical force. Very long hair in particular, is often tied into spirituality, in particular Goddess iconography:- Inanna, Isis, Aphrodite, Lakshmi, Sif, Dali, Saraswati, Athena….. I can go on and on listing the numerous deities with long hair and that’s not including the many masculine counterparts with long hair. Fertility, virility, wealth, beauty and wisdom are just some of the virtues woven into long hair iconography.
According to author, M. Isidora Forrest of Isiopolis.com:-
"The long hair of the Goddess is associated with the knotting, tying, wrapping, weaving, knitting and general assembling necessary to bring about the great Mystery of Rebirth"
Isis and her sister, Nephthys, are called the Two Long Haired Ones and "hair-like threads of magic are woven about the deceased who has returned to the womb of the Great Mother".In Native American culture, long hair is indicative of the strength of one’s spirit, that to cut one’s hair was only ever undertaken for mourning. Hair is representative of life force, for it’s regenerative qualities.
In continuing my metaphor of the tower as the birth canal, then the hair would be the equivalent of the umbilical cord, which must be severed between the worlds.
Illustration by Lorna Freytag
Bones, teeth and hair all contain the Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that does not degrade after death and is therefore often used in modern day forensic testing. The matrilineage is literally contained in each strand of hair, linking us to our ancestors to at least five generations. The mitochondria is solar driven and produces more than 90% of the total cellular energy in our body, as well as playing an essential role in regulating and biosynthesising lipids, aminos acids and steroid hormones. Only the mother transmits this genetic code that is slightly different to the universal genetic code found in the nucleus of the eukaryotic cells. The mtDNA can be traced as far back as 200,000 years and without this tiny powerhouse, we could not survive. This microscopic Mitochondrial DNA (Greek “mitos” meaning “thread” and “chondros” meaning “granule”) can link us to what is termed the “Mitochondrial Eve”, perhaps even linking us back to the primordial Mother Goddess herself. However, that’s still up for debate!
Venus of Willendorf, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria
Braids - loosening the bonds
Braiding hair is seen as a spiritual act, with the three strands representing the body, mind and spirit. The tradition of braiding goes back to ancient times and the oldest archeological evidence we have of it, is in the Venus of Willendorf figurine found in Austria. One of the iconic features of this limestone carving, dating back at least 29,500 years ago, is the finely detailed rows upon rows of what looks like braids wrapped around the head.
According to the Egyptian Pyramid Texts, the resurrected dead are instructed to “loosen their bonds” in reference to the tresses of Nephthys. The magical hair of the goddess was thought to be the bonding agent needed for resurrection. When Rapunzel’s hair is cut, this marked her death-rebirth, much like nowadays, when we cut or change our hair, it is symbolic of letting go of a past self and birthing a new persona.
Sainte Marie l'Egyptienne, Horae ad usum romanum, 1475-1600, BNF ms Latin 1171, 88v. This Book of Hours, printed on vellum, containing as its main texts the Offices of the Virgin Mary and of the Dead, is illustrated by 28 full-page wood or metal cuts, all of which have been illuminated. Horae: ad usum Romanum (Rome)
The mystery of the origin of the maiden in the tower is still up for much speculation and debate. The two most popular theories is that Giambattista Basile possibly heard this folktale from the Persian epic The Shahnameh from the year 1000 CE, contained in it was a story about a very beautiful woman with long, black hair, named Rúdábeh, who would run up a tower and drop her hair and await her lover. The second alternative was that he was influenced by the legend of Saint Barbara, who is locked up in a tower and tortured to martyrdom.
However, I’d like to offer another option to this tale’s roots……
HAIL MARY OR HAIRY MARY?
In my research for “very long haired women”, I came across multiple medieval paintings of a very “Hairy Mary”, looking like a Wild Woman or Neanderthal. There are many contrasting opinions as to the identity of this Mary. Many of the medieval artists claim it to be depictions of the recluse Mary Magdalene, whilst some scholars argue it is a case of mistaken identity and it is actually a 4th Century prostitute turned desert hermit, referred to as “Mary of Egypt”. Once again, it seems Mary Magdalene is always at the center of mistaken identities.
Tilman Riemenschneider, Altarpiece of the Magdalen, 1490-92, Münnerstadt, Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich, Germany. Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Assumption of Mary Magdalene, ca. 1460, Museo del Pollaiolo, Staggia Senese, Italy. Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
At this point, you are probably wondering where am I going, in connecting these very hairy Marys with the tale of Rapunzel, if the only identifying trait is the long hair. Well, I can offer you two more parallels: the tower and alchemy.
Maria Magdalene is Greek for Mary of Magdala. “Magdala” in Aramaic or “Migdal” in Hebrew simply meant “Tower”. So could these Hairy Mary’s of Magdala (Tower) have had any influence or relation to the fairytale of the maiden in the tower?
This then brings me to how the maiden in the tower is but a whisper of a much deeper alchemical meaning.
Some have proposed that the name “Mary” is not actually a name, but more like a title bestowed upon a woman who holds the wisdom of the mysteries of life and death. This could also offer an alternative interpretation to the biblical story of Jesus Christ, in which at least several different Marys’ are identified during his teachings. Is this just a case that “Mary” was a very popular and trending name in those times, or is there more to that name?
Coincidentally or not, the oldest historical alchemist recorded was a woman who lived in Alexandria, known as “Maria the Jewess”, also known as “Mary the Prophetess”, and is credited for inventing several alchemical apparatuses including the Bain-Marie. Strangely, the Bain-Marie bares some resemblance to a cylindrical tower-like apparatus or maybe I’m just clutching at straws at this point.
In art, the most common motifs in portrayals of Mary Magdalene, is the skull and an ointment jar, which in my opinion, carry over the Goddess symbolism of death-resurrection. Perhaps I’m still grasping to link the ancient resurrection rituals with the feminine alchemical codes that we seem to have forgotten over time.
The Alchemical Transmutation - The Witch/ The Crone
Towards the end of the tale, that’s where all the magic seems to come together.
A common motif in fairytales’ is a woods, forest or some other place denoting wilderness. We see Rapunzel cast out of the tower, having lost her hair and left to fend for herself in the woods, which I translate as code for “IN WOODS” as “INWARDS”. Our heroine is in the final stages of her soul retrieval quest, where she will bring together all the remaining pieces of her essence into being.
V.I.T.R.I.O.L. - "Visita Interiora Terræ Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem", an alchemic motto roughly translated as "Visit the interior of the earth and [by] purifying [yourself] you will find the hidden stone".
In the Italian version, Petrosinella locates the 3 magical acorns/ gallnuts which she uses to defeat the ogress, whilst in both the French and German retelling, we encounter the alchemy of the tears. The three magical acorns turn into a dog, a lion and a wolf, I interpret this phenomena as a woman taming the beasts, inferring that she is in control of all aspects of herself and stands in her power.
The 8th card, the Strength card of the Major Arcana, Rider-Wait-Smith Tarot Deck
As both the Prince and the Maiden search for one another in the wilderness, they are once again brought together through the sound of her singing. Her voice, her creative expression rejoins them. At their reunion, Persinette/ Rapunzel cries out of joy and love and those tears spill into his eyes and instantly heal his blindness.
Tears are another repetitive element in fairytales and myths, often having healing powers of some kind, from the Princess who cried pearls, to the tears of a unicorn, we can even recount the tale of Lazarus, when “Jesus wept”, he was resurrected. We see this pattern of crying very often in the miraculous stories in the Bible, often when one or more Marys are present and especially at the resurrection of Jesus Christ himself, who Mary Magdalene happens to be the first to discover. Could this be pointing to a very ancient tradition where women acted as psychopomp to the Underworld, linking back to the primordial Mother Goddess of Birth, Death and Rebirth?
According to Archeologist and Anthropologist, Marija Gimbutas, who attributed tears as being divine, like the primal waters of the amniotic fluids, she says this:-
“the eyes of the goddess are the sources of life sustaining water”
A painting of the miraculous icon of the Mother of Mercy, venerated in the chapel above the Gate of Dawn (Aušros Vartai) in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. In Poland it is known as the ‘Matki Boskiej Ostrobramskiej’, or Our Lady of Ostra Brama. The Russian Orthodox Church also acknowledges the image as miraculous.
And what is the alchemy of the tears? Is it the emotion behind the tears, or is there some chemical elixir contained in them, that give them their power?
I recently watched the movie FURIOUSA - A MAD MAX SAGA and there is a very traumatising scene at the beginning, where we see Furiosa as a child, witnessing her mother - Mary Jabassa (Oops! What are the odds of another Mary) being tortured and crucified and her tears are welling up in her eyes. As her tears fall, Dr Dementus asks the History Man what they are and he responds:-
“Tears… The secretions of the lacrimal gland containing oils, salts, proteins and stress hormones. The tears of joy and those of sorrow, have different chemical compositions”
Tears are the ultimate release and purification.
Is this the moment of coagulation in the story of Rapunzel?
The tears cleanse, purify, heal and unite the Prince and Rapunzel.
Is the woman the Holy Grail, within which the Philosopher’s Stone is hidden?
Is the Earth not like a Woman? We refer to Nature, as our Mother, don’t we?
I’ll end this with a Native American saying:-
“A Woman leads a Man to his Soul”
If you’ve gotten this far, thank you for your time in reading my thoughts and theories.
I was looking for some inspiration regarding a Rapunzel retelling. Your points gave me greater insight into my concept, and I thank you for that. The way you articulated your ideas provided an exciting and fun read. I love a good deep dive!
very thoughtful.