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On Murder, Mourning and Melancholia
These works were written against a background of war and racism. Freud sought the sources of conflict in the deepest memories of humankind, finding clear continuities between our 'primitive' past and 'civilized' modernity. In Totem and Taboo he explores institutions of tribal life, tracing analogies between the rites of hunter-gatherers and the obsessions of urban-dwellers, while Mourning and Melancholia sees a similarly self-destructive savagery underlying individual life in the modern age, which issues at times in self-harm and suicide. And Freud's extraordinary letter to Einstein, Why War? - rejecting what he saw as the physicist's naïve pacifism - sums up his unsparing view of history in a few profoundly pessimistic, yet grimly persuasive pages.
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2005
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About the author
Sigmund Freud
4,367 books8,497 followersDr. Sigismund Freud (later changed to Sigmund) was a neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, who created an entirely new approach to the understanding of the human personality. He is regarded as one of the most influential—and controversial—minds of the 20th century.
In 1873, Freud began to study medicine at the University of Vienna. After graduating, he worked at the Vienna General Hospital. He collaborated with Josef Breuer in treating hysteria by the recall of painful experiences under hypnosis. In 1885, Freud went to Paris as a student of the neurologist Jean Charcot. On his return to Vienna the following year, Freud set up in private practice, specialising in nervous and brain disorders. The same year he married Martha Bernays, with whom he had six children.
Freud developed the theory that humans have an unconscious in which sexual and aggressive impulses are in perpetual conflict for supremacy with the defences against them. In 1897, he began an intensive analysis of himself. In 1900, his major work 'The Interpretation of Dreams' was published in which Freud analysed dreams in terms of unconscious desires and experiences.
In 1902, Freud was appointed Professor of Neuropathology at the University of Vienna, a post he held until 1938. Although the medical establishment disagreed with many of his theories, a group of pupils and followers began to gather around Freud. In 1910, the International Psychoanalytic Association was founded with Carl Jung, a close associate of Freud's, as the president. Jung later broke with Freud and developed his own theories.
After World War One, Freud spent less time in clinical observation and concentrated on the application of his theories to history, art, literature and anthropology. In 1923, he published 'The Ego and the Id', which suggested a new structural model of the mind, divided into the 'id, the 'ego' and the 'superego'.
In 1933, the Nazis publicly burnt a number of Freud's books. In 1938, shortly after the Nazis annexed Austria, Freud left Vienna for London with his wife and daughter Anna.
Freud had been diagnosed with cancer of the jaw in 1923, and underwent more than 30 operations. He died of cancer on 23 September 1939.
In 1873, Freud began to study medicine at the University of Vienna. After graduating, he worked at the Vienna General Hospital. He collaborated with Josef Breuer in treating hysteria by the recall of painful experiences under hypnosis. In 1885, Freud went to Paris as a student of the neurologist Jean Charcot. On his return to Vienna the following year, Freud set up in private practice, specialising in nervous and brain disorders. The same year he married Martha Bernays, with whom he had six children.
Freud developed the theory that humans have an unconscious in which sexual and aggressive impulses are in perpetual conflict for supremacy with the defences against them. In 1897, he began an intensive analysis of himself. In 1900, his major work 'The Interpretation of Dreams' was published in which Freud analysed dreams in terms of unconscious desires and experiences.
In 1902, Freud was appointed Professor of Neuropathology at the University of Vienna, a post he held until 1938. Although the medical establishment disagreed with many of his theories, a group of pupils and followers began to gather around Freud. In 1910, the International Psychoanalytic Association was founded with Carl Jung, a close associate of Freud's, as the president. Jung later broke with Freud and developed his own theories.
After World War One, Freud spent less time in clinical observation and concentrated on the application of his theories to history, art, literature and anthropology. In 1923, he published 'The Ego and the Id', which suggested a new structural model of the mind, divided into the 'id, the 'ego' and the 'superego'.
In 1933, the Nazis publicly burnt a number of Freud's books. In 1938, shortly after the Nazis annexed Austria, Freud left Vienna for London with his wife and daughter Anna.
Freud had been diagnosed with cancer of the jaw in 1923, and underwent more than 30 operations. He died of cancer on 23 September 1939.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 27, 2018
Freud is a creepy person who tells you things about you and your thoughts that you both hesitantly admit to yourself and at the same time pretend to either disagree or give it a benefit of doubt... depending on how good/interesting it makes you feel about yourself. :P
This book is actually "totem and taboo" plus 'mourning and melancholia". A fascinating study drawing parallels between savages and neurotics. The book starts with interesting observations on the psychology of taboo illustrated through the case of incest. The question of much intrigue being, what made primitive societies take great care to avoid incest and what does that imply about modern society's attitude on incest given the advancements in terms of sexual liberation?
The nature of taboo is further examined along with the topic of emotional ambivalence. Freud talks about how taboo is seen as something with horrible consequences and yet often no one is able to tell why it's so horrible. The second chapter talks in great detail about the psychological ingredients that make and propagate a taboo. The third chapter is essentially about the making of a religion. Probably the most controversial proposition being religion as a form of repressed incest. Hmm!
"Mourning and melancholia" is a study of two possible reactions to loss, in which Freud observes that melancholia unlike mourning, is a reaction to loss in which the process of separation from the object of attachment remains incomplete.
Overall, I found Freud's observations and ideas absolutely fascinating despite their outrageousness at times. Pretty ground breaking for me. Freud is totalllllly a man of great courage and curiosity! :P
This book is actually "totem and taboo" plus 'mourning and melancholia". A fascinating study drawing parallels between savages and neurotics. The book starts with interesting observations on the psychology of taboo illustrated through the case of incest. The question of much intrigue being, what made primitive societies take great care to avoid incest and what does that imply about modern society's attitude on incest given the advancements in terms of sexual liberation?
The nature of taboo is further examined along with the topic of emotional ambivalence. Freud talks about how taboo is seen as something with horrible consequences and yet often no one is able to tell why it's so horrible. The second chapter talks in great detail about the psychological ingredients that make and propagate a taboo. The third chapter is essentially about the making of a religion. Probably the most controversial proposition being religion as a form of repressed incest. Hmm!
"Mourning and melancholia" is a study of two possible reactions to loss, in which Freud observes that melancholia unlike mourning, is a reaction to loss in which the process of separation from the object of attachment remains incomplete.
Overall, I found Freud's observations and ideas absolutely fascinating despite their outrageousness at times. Pretty ground breaking for me. Freud is totalllllly a man of great courage and curiosity! :P
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May 25, 2023didn't read the whole book, but the essay 'mourning and melancholia' therapized me after a months-long period of feeling like i'd gone crazy
December 15, 2024
For as provocative, striking, and frankly creative as Freud’s ideas on the origins of taboo are (and by extension the entire social apparatus of morality, religion, law…), his speculations upon anthropological histories through the framework of psychoanalysis are predicated off a boatload of rather tenuous assumptions - which, as always, he candidly admits (with characteristic wit and fluency).
What I can very much grant him authority on, however, is neurosis, which is seriously fleshed out here in fascinating ways. I feel significantly more comfortable with the concept now, as Freud understands it, and for all its audacity, at least the analogies between neurosis and primitive totemism serve to reveal much about the former with welcome clarity — a great irony to be sure, since his intention was evidently to use it primarily to elucidate and inform his observations of the latter instead.
The anthropological conclusions are incredibly compelling and some of the parrallels drawn throughout are stunningly weaved together, but i found myself resonating far more with what they tell us about psychoanalysis than what they told us about some hypothesised original condition.
All in all, a fun, thought-provoking read, and whilst i don’t intend to go off telling everyone that, actually, civilisation was borne from out of the primal father’s murder, the idea will certainly leave its mark. On first blush, I at least don’t find myself desperate to condemn it as some outrageous hogwash, which may well just be a symptom of my chronic “not-being-an-anthropologist”-itis more than anything else.
What I can very much grant him authority on, however, is neurosis, which is seriously fleshed out here in fascinating ways. I feel significantly more comfortable with the concept now, as Freud understands it, and for all its audacity, at least the analogies between neurosis and primitive totemism serve to reveal much about the former with welcome clarity — a great irony to be sure, since his intention was evidently to use it primarily to elucidate and inform his observations of the latter instead.
The anthropological conclusions are incredibly compelling and some of the parrallels drawn throughout are stunningly weaved together, but i found myself resonating far more with what they tell us about psychoanalysis than what they told us about some hypothesised original condition.
All in all, a fun, thought-provoking read, and whilst i don’t intend to go off telling everyone that, actually, civilisation was borne from out of the primal father’s murder, the idea will certainly leave its mark. On first blush, I at least don’t find myself desperate to condemn it as some outrageous hogwash, which may well just be a symptom of my chronic “not-being-an-anthropologist”-itis more than anything else.
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May 7, 2023I read this for one of my college classes and it was interesting
March 16, 2023
did you know that if you are in a room alone with your sibling then you will probably be unable to restrain yourself from f***ing them
November 20, 2011
I know it's weird to like Fred and to like readings with the word "Murder" in it 9And "mourning and Melancholia" for that matter) but I found this a really interesting theory to consider. Regardless of accepting his thoughts or not, I find the idea very profound and definitely worth looking at in attempt to broaden your pea-sized mind. It also really helped me examine my own mourning at a time when I was mourning many losses, none of which were associated with actual death so I liked it's ability to translate to a broader spectrum of the intention. Absolutely interesting read.
January 11, 2022
The vast majority of this book is dedicated to 1913's Totem and Taboo, where Freud seeks to apply psychoanalysis (Mostly just the Oedipal triangle) to solve the universality of early Totem religion and the taboo against incest. I unfortunately read Moses and Monotheism before Totem and Taboo, so much of this was review for me, but essentially Freud invents a just-so story about the Primal Horde and the murder of the Primal Father by the sons, their ambivalence toward the act, and the necessity for them to invent the Totem and the taboo against incest to attempt to resolve their feelings toward their father. It's a little brilliant, a little racist, and probably rests on some shaky evolutionary anthropology.
Mourning and Melancholia is more acceptable from our modern perspective, and has many interesting insights about Melancholia, especially the analysis of the hidden direction of the inwardly focused comments of someone depressed - that they may directed externally and might be more violent than they first appear.
This does not seem to me to be essential Freud, however Totem and Taboo might be essential just for the reason that it makes Moses and Monotheism more intelligible. Moses is to me Freud at his most fun and interesting. I'm saying this is possibly only for aspiring Freud experts.
Mourning and Melancholia is more acceptable from our modern perspective, and has many interesting insights about Melancholia, especially the analysis of the hidden direction of the inwardly focused comments of someone depressed - that they may directed externally and might be more violent than they first appear.
This does not seem to me to be essential Freud, however Totem and Taboo might be essential just for the reason that it makes Moses and Monotheism more intelligible. Moses is to me Freud at his most fun and interesting. I'm saying this is possibly only for aspiring Freud experts.
April 8, 2025
Started out good: Maud Ellman giving Freud the business, saying his entire psychology was manocentric and patriarchal. That's fair. Keep it in your pants, Siggy.
I had previously read Brill's translation of Totem and Taboo, and I was curious as to how this translation by Shaun Whiteside would differ. Short version, I'll stick with Brill. Lack of organization and tedious word choice are my charges against Whiteside. Freud doesn't have to be dull, but you can certainly make him tedious as all hell by way of translation.
Anyway, Totem and Taboo you can pass on if you've already read it elsewhere, nothing substantial reflected here, certainly no fresh perspectives or anything. However, the last five essays included are phenomenal (1. Timely Reflections on War and Death; 2. Transience; 3. Mourning and Melancholia; 4. Why War?; 5. Letter to Romain Rolland (A Disturbance of Memory on the Acropolis)). Particularly items 3 and 4. The cast changes, but the play stays the same. Nihil novi sub sole.
I had previously read Brill's translation of Totem and Taboo, and I was curious as to how this translation by Shaun Whiteside would differ. Short version, I'll stick with Brill. Lack of organization and tedious word choice are my charges against Whiteside. Freud doesn't have to be dull, but you can certainly make him tedious as all hell by way of translation.
Anyway, Totem and Taboo you can pass on if you've already read it elsewhere, nothing substantial reflected here, certainly no fresh perspectives or anything. However, the last five essays included are phenomenal (1. Timely Reflections on War and Death; 2. Transience; 3. Mourning and Melancholia; 4. Why War?; 5. Letter to Romain Rolland (A Disturbance of Memory on the Acropolis)). Particularly items 3 and 4. The cast changes, but the play stays the same. Nihil novi sub sole.
May 7, 2022
When I started studying psychology, he was sceptical of the discipline. Now, I love psychology. Freud is the follower of modern psychology, reading answers a lot of questions about life.
January 31, 2024
The short essay Mourning and Melancholia included in this volume is the only one worth reading, in my opinion. Everything else is rooted in profound and frankly hard-to-read racist bulshit.
January 29, 2025
a really interesting take on melancholia. as a melancholic girl i appreciated thinking about this topic.
April 11, 2023
Rating for the essay “Mourning and Melancholia.”
August 5, 2008
my new favorite state is melancholia. I argue that it is productive, even preferred to mourning. I say take your "process" and let it fester some.
March 26, 2025
The dots were all there. Freud just connected them.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews