Sigmund Freud, Trauer und Melancholie [Mourning and Melancholia]

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Context

“Mourning and Melancholia” is Sigmund Freud's most extensive theoretical discussion of depressive illness. After presenting the topic orally at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society in late 1914, Freud composed the first draft of the paper in the following February. It was originally written for inclusion alongside eleven other papers in a book on the theory of psychoanalysis, to be titled Preparatory Essays for Metapsychology. The book was never completed as such. For reasons which remain obscure, Freud deliberately destroyed seven of the twelve papers. The remaining five (“Instincts and Their Vicissitudes”, “A Metapsychological Supplement to the Theory of Dreams”, “Mourning and Melancholia”, “Repression” and “The Unconscious”) were published separately.

2377 words

Citation: Ray, Nicholas. "Trauer und Melancholie". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 15 March 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=16917, accessed 19 March 2024.]

16917 Trauer und Melancholie 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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