Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.

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.

The book was sold in great condition. Barely any damage or writing in the book. Would order again through seller!!

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.

Freud was definitely a revolutionary in the field of psychology during a period where water therapy and shock treatments were routinely administered and talking to patients to resolve problems was thought to be absurd. However, one cannot ignore Freud's unmistakable misogyny.

I find it disturbing that Freud's conclusion about Dora and women in general was that women like to be sexually assaulted by men. He also asserts that Dora really wanted the sexual assault and even further that she should have submitted to it.

Freud also seems to assert some kind of empiricism of his method but it is almost as though he never realizes that the entire scenario that he has "derived" are wholly constructed and based on entirely questionable interpolations.

Given the history of Dora - her father was having an affair with a Frau K, the older [than Dora] husband Herr K comes on to her and sexually assaults her on several occasions, her father becomes distant to her and uses her as a pawn in his sexual exploits with Frau K, Frau K betrays her trust, her father believes Herr K when he denies that Dora was sexually assaulted by him, her mother does not really do anything to help her, she is Jewish and living in Germany during an obviously bad period, and she was subjected to water therapy and shock therapy prior to meeting with Freud. If this was not all bad enough, she was sent to Freud by her father who also added insult to injury by telling her that she wanted to kiss him too and asserted that all of the above things were her fault.

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.

It's Dora's Sapphic longings for Frau K the guileful force in this brief but brilliant tour-de-force. In 1900 Sigmund Freud writes in his puzzling 'Dora an Analysis of a Case of Hysteria' that a girl of eighteen appears in his consulting office in Vienna suffering from insomnia aphonia and a nagging cough. Soon the celebrated psychoanalyst sets out in a search that would pale Sherlock Holmes. A shady psychiatric personae soon unfold. The doctoral sleuth is suspicious Dora's sexual wanting of her father, a prosperous industrialist, is at the root of her chronic sore throat bewilderment compulsive cough and general listlessness. But on the couch a fascinating couple promptly enter en scene. It's Herr K (dramatic cast is known only in code) a satyr-cuckold making sexual passes at Dora. His wife Frau K is meanwhile carrying a surreptitious affair with Dora's father, thus, at first, to Freud, Dora's rival. After some painful analysis and the interpretation of two dreams Freud soon reveals, with the elan of a seasoned novelist, the elusive dark truth. Sigmund Freud has found another alarming psychiatric discovery. The clever naturalist can now triumphantly prick his pin through his butterfly. In Tennessee Willaims' 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' the disclosure of the protagonist's forbidden homosexual urges is the key in a hushed but healing ending. In Williams' morbid 'Suddenly Last Summer' it's the savage recollection of Sebastian's voracious pederasty that explode in a healing and stunning finale. At last bringing catharsis to the heroine's temporary madness. Through a glass darkly. But this moral transcendence is not allowed Dora since she flees her psychoanalysis before there can be any hope of cure. Her denouement only another greedy trance in Freud's vast mind. Dora exists forum prematurally but her analyst has discovered nevertheless that in her psychic androgyny it was the languid Frau K Dora truly desired. Please notice how I contrast 'An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria' with dark poetic cinema since I find in Dora moving thematic potential. As a visionary I've weighed this intoxicating Freudian allure for the screen. Though Freud closes with a vague explanation one never really knows what happened to Dora. I've picked up Freud not always successfully finding 'The Interpretation of Dreams' lengthly episodic and often inscrutable (my fault not Freud's) Though have enjoyed 'Totem and Taboo' 'The Future of an Illusion' etc. In luckily finding 'Dora' I knew I had discovered a literary masterpiece a rare blend of medical writing doubling as genial whodunit. If you like mysteries this is the text for you Sigmund Freud's unforgettable study on bisexuality. Poor Fraulein Dora, like Racine's Phaedre, coughing and moaning and gasping and sighing a slave to a lust in where there can't be a happy ending. It doesn't tale long to read this little book great for trains or seashore. A few unique pages filled with excitement. I often wonder whether Dora really existed or was a figment in Freud's fancy. Elementary! lets give Dora five stars.

This book is fascinating as an example of early psychoanalytic treatment, but I disagree with so much of what goes on that I can't give it a positive rating. The appalling power dynamic in the text shows just how much Dora herself matters in all of this. Again, if it's being read purely as a historical text (or as a guide for how NOT to analyze a situation or treat someone), then that's great. But as anything more than that it fails.

There is no doubt about how powerful a psychologist is , especially in terms of the power of voices. In Dora's hysterical case study, I have not only learned that a case such as Dora's traumatic childhood, a adulterous father, and her confused relation with her father's lover, Frau K. had caused her incredible pain in life, especially in a very young age. What makes Dora more powerless, and still paralized condition is, even after a short-time treatment with famous psychologist, Sigmud Freud, there is no doubt that Freud woudn't be the one who can act out for Dora's case, but just giving a ear , and hoped someday Dora would realize who she was, and what was around with her. Anxiety can be caused from various situations in Dora's life. For instance, when she was being kissed by Herr K., she felt a sense of disgust. To me, she was right. When a woman is not expected to be kissed, or felt a sense of shock, rather than happiness, her reaction might be digusting towarding that man, and pushed him way. In Freud's interpretation, he believed that girl was getting mature both physically, and mentally. But she just couldn't accept what was going on in her life, even a simple thing, such as a kiss. Maybe I am bias about how a man treats a woman, but this is very unfair for Dora to be pushed to be kissed even if she loves Herr K. unconditionally.