Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria (Collected Papers of Sigmund Freud) [Paperback]

Sigmund Freud (Author), Philip Rieff (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was an Austrian neurologist and psychologist who founded the psychoanalytic school of psychology. Although his theories remain controversial until this day, Freud made a lasting impact on Western culture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; First Edition edition (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684829460
• ISBN-13: 978-0684829463
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #265,064 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars watching the detectives May 19, 2000

By Walter Fekete

Format:Paperback

By now it's fairly common knowledge that the side of Freud's work concerned with actual practice is, to understate the case, problematic. He is a brilliant thinker, and a beautiful writer, but his need to find the "truth" of his patients is quixotic at best. However, this very quality makes the Dora case one of the first great modern novels. What is revealed is not so much Dora's truth, as the unravelling of the position of interpretive authority - in this case, the psychoanalyst. Freud imagines himself absent from his analysis, but we see him intrude more and more into the frame as he investigates the secrets of Dora's mind. In this way, the story reads like detective fiction, making evidence less anchored in a tangible structure as it becomes more intent and focused. It's a great, juicy read. Just don't take it to seriously.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars what can I say, it's Freud! July 11, 2003

By Reb

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

He's wordy, difficult to read at times, and seems to think of women as hysterical children, but when Freud's theories and analysis is more deeply studied, one is able to appreciate his brilliance and insight. His work is revolutionary and remains a cornerstone of modern therapy. "Dora" is a deeply affecting case study about a sad young woman who is caught between the needs of her father, her mother, her father's lover, and the older man who covets her. The study provides valuable insight into why teenagers living in tumultuous homes develop attachment problems and risky behavior. It's definitely worth reading.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful August 14, 2002

By Z. Liu

Format:Paperback

Whatever can be said about Freud's conclusions, his psychoanalytical method was one of the great turning points from the 19th century to the 20th. Although many of his conclusions may not be pertinent universally as he may have thought, especially the family romance--Oedipus complex, the way he tackles the neuroses of late 19th century Vienna is indeed masterful.

What matters here is the method, which has matured since the early cases in the Studies on Hysteria, which this makes a good companion for. The Dora case is unique in that Freud does not come to any sort of conclusion, the analysis is ended abruptly by the patient (or rather the patient's father). Whereas in Studies, the method is incomplete, here, the method is simply not carried to its conclusions. Both reveal much of how Freud's thought developed.

Freud says explicitly in the preface that the reader should be familiar with dream interpretation, and that he will not repeat what he had said in his Interpretation of Dreams. It should still be possible to appreciate the genius behind the work, even if some of the conclusions about the dreams may perhaps seem like jumps.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An analysis of Freud June 8, 2004

By foundpoem

Format:Paperback

Freud: brilliant and flawed, and without whom we'd have none of his detractors. We can see the ways Freud was a "poor" therapist. Some of his treatment styles would now be considered, at best, amoral; at worst, illegal. But he is essential to the foundation of psychotherapy. Without his theories (and opponents), we wouldn't have it at all. He is a fascinating, great scientist and innovator. His focus, also, is borne of its time, Victorian, and many of his theories predicated on from where *he* comes and what he saw in his patients - repression, for example.

Definitely read, if interested, Freud's description of his theories - his theories of both psychology and treatment.

But the case studies are imperative. You can read all about Oedipus or dreams or the Id, but you won't SEE what he did, the analyst he was, until you read a case study. Anna O., Dora, Emmy - any of them. It's nearly mandatory to see Fread-at-work in order to understand *his* implementation of his thoughts.

I don't suggest you put out of your mind, if you have them, negative thoughts of Freud, his life, or his treatment styles, but to place him in history. In my opinion he is the Daddy of them all. I am not a Freudian, but I am in love with Freud. I think he made egregious errors in his treatment of patients and, today, untried methods wouldn't be revered, or even implemented at all, this way. We also wouldn't know they are "errors" if not for books like this. But this is it, in its raw form, and from his point of view - the way of Freud. So, disagree, find him quixotic, a breaker of rules we take as a given (such as confidentiality), but read the case studies.

Without the case studies, you've got theory and description but not the action, the meat of his treatment.... Plus, it's great reading. It's not like plodding through a book you think you should read - it's short and it's "simple," yet not simplistic; it's full of what he did. Him in action. An analysis of Freud, as much as of Dora. Read more ›

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice introduction to Freud's thinking December 4, 2008

By Christopher R. Travers

Format:Paperback

I bought this work after reading Assaglioli's "Psychosynthesis." Yet I wasn't sure what to expect. Freud has a fairly distorted image among most people today. I found a brilliant and astute thinker who was able to understand hidden motives an articulate them in an uncanny way.

I think sometimes it is better to start with an example of how a person thinks and then read more about the theoretical frameworks that come from it. This is clearly the case here, and I would heartily recommend this work to anyone interested in how Freud actually approached psychotherapy.

A few notes on the case. "Dora" (the name given to the subject for the purpose of the work) was a troubled young adult who suffered from a number of problems. Freud unravels a number of the issues, and while he may be wrong on some counts, his insight is generally deep. I particularly found the sections regarding dream analysis to be of interest.