Sorry if this sounds ignorant but what is the Professor doing to Ellen in that scene? I read he's doing an exorcism but it doesn't look like it and you made a parallel with Orlock
You are correct, Von Franz is not doing an exorcism, and I think thatās obvious in the scene even if one isnāt versed in the occult. The Professor is doing an incantation to compell Ellen to speak what she is seeing in her trance state (āI command you; hearken to my voice. [ā¦] impart your speech unto me.ā).
He conjures the protection of the angels Chamuel (āOne who seeks Godā, angel of peaceful relationships, and considered one of the seven Archangels), Haniel (āJoy of Godā, is the Archangel of joy who's known for taking Enoch to Heaven), and Zadkiel (āRighteousness of Godā, the angel of God's mercy), and the power of the Goetic demons Eligos (a āGreat Duke of Hellā, ruling 60 legions of demons. He reveals hidden things and knows the future of wars), Orabas (a āGreat Prince of Hellā, with 20 legions of demons under his control. He answers questions and gives one power and control over others), and Asmoday (the āKing of Demonsā, in the legends of Solomon and the constructing of Solomon's Temple).
This incantation is connected to Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa āDe occulta philosophiaā (1533), which provides instructions for invocation and communication with angelic and demonic forces, through sigils, amulets, magical alphabets, sound, perfumes, etc. The idea behind this conjuring is to infuse the lower angelic orders with the light they receive from God (a sort of binding of demons, similar to the Solomonic Magic system). The demons the Professor calls upon, however, come from the āArs Goetiaā from the anonymous 17th-century grimoire āLemegeton Clavicula Salomonisā (āThe Lesser Key of Solomonā), which will explain why the Professor is so interested in the what he calls the āSolomonari codex of secretsā and his knowledge of Solomonic magic (which we see him performing later on, when heās burning the Hardings).
The Professor uses his Abraxas stone ring (āthis ancient talismanā) the same way Count Orlok uses his signet ring to aid him in his incantations. This is an actual thing in witchcraft and rings/talismans are used for several purposes (protection, amplify intention, healing, etc.).
I understand why the scene might look like an exorcism; Ellen resists the incantation with might (as sheās trying to escape it) because not only sheās a powerful Seeress but she doesnāt want to reveal what sheās seeing, which is meant for her, alone. But this incantation probably also explains why Ellen is speaking out loud her communications with Orlok during the ādemonic sex sceneā. They are now āexposedā by these angelic and demonic forces, and she canāt hide them anymore.
