Elsa's MBTI
MBTI is one of the useful indicators for assessing a person’s personality. Even if it’s not perfectly accurate, it can still serve as a great tool to understand someone’s character, tendencies, and temperament. So, what about the MBTI of Frozen’s main characters—especially Elsa? The purpose of this article is to examine Elsa’s MBTI.
Method
MBTI consists of 16 different combinations, each made up of two opposing traits per category. Instead of just speculating which categories fit Elsa, let’s assume she is actually taking an MBTI test. By referring to scenes from the movies and novels, we’ll choose the most appropriate answers to the provided questions. Then, based on those answers, we’ll determine Elsa’s MBTI. The test questions will be taken from the widely used 16personalities. Rather than answering all the questions, we will focus on those that distinguish different personality types.
Question List
Elsa does not particularly enjoy socializing with people. That doesn’t mean she prefers complete solitude, but rather, she enjoys spending time with a small, close-knit group of people—mainly her family. Since she has to handle the kingdom’s affairs, she frequently interacts with others, but she doesn’t seem to enjoy it.
A positive response to this seems appropriate. Elsa is portrayed as highly intelligent, often deeply contemplative, and enjoys exploring and solving complex problems. Not only is she bright, but she also designs and creates her own clothes and is heavily involved in the engineering of Arendelle’s waterways. This suggests she enjoys deep thought and problem-solving.
For instance, in a storybook depiction, when an unexpected rain begins to fall, while others worry about finding shelter, Elsa quickly creates an ice gazebo. Instead of simply making an umbrella or a wall to block the rain, she incorporates artistic design into the structure, showcasing her inclination for innovative problem-solving.
Elsa’s mother, Iduna, is also depicted as having an inventor’s mindset, which suggests Elsa may have inherited this trait.
This one is debatable, but compared to other characters like Anna, Olaf, and the townspeople, Elsa tends to prioritize facts when solving problems. She frequently counters Anna’s whimsical statements or unrealistic claims with factual corrections.
[Anna] Right. So, it was a dark, not stormy winter night. I woke up Elsa because earlier that day, mother had said that it would be a good night to see the Lights. And, that the Lights were the spirits of old mares, dancing in the sky, waving at those below them.
[Elsa] Old maids, not mares.
[Anna] Maids! (chuckles) That’s what I said, because, horses can’t wave, though I wish they could… Right! Anyway, we crept out of the room and down the hall—down the stairs, across the hall, ups and steps, across another hall, maybe, I’m gonna say two more flights of stairs…
[Elsa] It’s a big castle, Anna. Maybe we should skip to the bell tower.
[Anna] Until we finally reached, the chapel bell tower, where we thought we could get the best view. And there was only one door, between us, and the gorgeous, dancing mares.
[Elsa] Maids.
— Northern Lights, Frozen Stories Google assistant
This dialogue is from a Frozen story featured in Google Assistant, where Elsa corrects Anna’s misremembered details and unnecessary embellishments. While it could be interpreted as sibling banter, it also highlights Elsa’s tendency to value factual accuracy.
Elsa frequently experiences significant emotional turmoil throughout the films. Rather than expressing her emotions outwardly, she tends to suppress them, causing them to build up over time. She also has a strong tendency to handle difficulties alone, making it harder for her to maintain composure under stress.
In most cases, it’s Anna who helps Elsa regain her emotional balance. It would be interesting to see how Elsa reacts in situations where Anna is absent.
6:00 a.m. Wake up and prepare for the day.
7:00 a.m. Scheduled time for breakfast with Anna.
7:15 a.m. Wake Anna up.
…
8:00 p.m. Finish reviewing paperwork.
9:00 p.m. Family game night.
10:00 p.m. Bedtime.— Elsa’s schedule, Unlocking Arendelle
According to official materials, Elsa follows a pre-planned structured schedule when handling royal duties. In a Frozen storybook, Anna is even amazed at how Elsa manages to handle such a packed schedule. This suggests that Elsa prefers meticulous planning and adhering to a well-organized structure.
Elsa has a strong tendency to blame herself when problems arise. Particularly when issues related to her magic or the kingdom occur, she deeply questions her magical abilities and whether she is truly fit to rule Arendelle, as depicted in multiple novels.
Elsa generally prefers solitude. She feels a great deal of pressure and anxiety from having to engage in conversations with new people daily due to her royal duties. This is illustrated in a scene from the Frozen 2 novel, which takes place after she finishes meeting with guests at the palace.
Elsa passed small boats and magnificent ships tied to the docks. She stayed calm as she went as far down the side of the fjord as she could, until there were no people or boats around. This was where she went when she had to release extra energy.
— Ch2, F2 junior novelization
This suggests that Elsa does not naturally enjoy frequent social interactions and that the life of a queen—constantly meeting and conversing with many people—does not suit her well.
Strictly speaking, Elsa doesn’t worry about her “reputation” in the sense of what others think of her. Rather, she is more concerned about not burdening others with her worries. As a result, she hides most of her concerns, even from Anna, and tends to struggle with them alone.
Since Frozen is based on fairy tales, Elsa is never explicitly shown caring about her public image. However, storybooks do depict her worrying about how other kingdoms perceive her magic.
“I wonder what it will be like in Liljeby.” Elsa fussed with the ties of her cape. “I know word of my powers has spread, and the stories have sometimes grown in the telling…”
“That ridiculous diplomat from the Southern Isles thought you were made of ice, remember?” Anna chuckled.
— Cold Secrets Deep Down, All is Found
While this exchange is lighthearted, Elsa’s personality suggests that she was likely genuinely concerned.
According to the making-of documentary for Frozen 2, Elsa keeps a diary of her daily experiences. One excerpt comes from the day after Arendelle’s first snowfall of the year.
It was the first snow of the season. As soon as night fell, I made an excuse to go to bed early and slipped out into the fjords. Nature’s snow is more beautiful than mine could ever be.
— Elsa’s Diary, Frozen 2 Making Film
While this is just a reference from the making-of materials, given Elsa’s introspective nature, it wouldn’t be surprising if she actually kept a diary like this. This suggests that writing down her thoughts and emotions feels natural to her. So, it’s hard to say that Elsa dislikes writing.
This one is a bit ambiguous. Now, Elsa may be less likely to waver on her decisions, but in the past—when she was still struggling with her magic and her identity—she frequently second-guessed her choices.
Similar to the previous question, Elsa harbors a great deal of doubt about her decisions. In various novels, she is often depicted thinking, “What if I fail? What if I’m wrong?” Of course, these concerns usually arise when it comes to important matters involving Anna or the kingdom. Unlike Anna, who tends to be optimistic and believe that everything will work out, Elsa is far more cautious.
INFJ
Based on the responses and reasoning above, Elsa’s MBTI test results indicate that she is an INFJ. The details of each section is as follows:
Elsa’s personality strongly aligns with Introverted (I), which is evident. For Intuitive (N) vs. Observant (S), Elsa enjoys originality and solving complex problems, but because she also has to consider the stability of the kingdom and her family, she doesn’t lean too far in either direction. If she took the MBTI test after Frozen 2, when she had fully embraced her freedom, her Intuitive (N) score might be even higher.
Additionally, her Feeling (F) and Judging (J) traits are well-reflected. Considering how easily she is influenced by her surroundings and stress, it also makes sense that her identity leans towards Turbulent (T).
Summary
Based on depictions from the movies, storybooks, and novels, Elsa’s MBTI is most likely INFJ.
