sigmund freud the interpretation of dreams book

He uses a self-analysis of his own dreams in order to prove the theory he puts forward about how dream psychology works. He goes so far as to classify the different types of dreams. In the works, Freud postulates that dreams are a way through which the mind tries to stay awake after the person The subject of relentless criticism, there is no denying the influence he had on much of the twentieth century. Although his theory on dreams, presented extensively in this work has been Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego, 1921Ĭonsidered the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud wrote the book The Interpretation of Dreams towards the end of the nineteenth century.Leonardo da Vinci, A Memory of His Childhood, 1910.Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious, 1905.Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, 1905.The Psychopathology of Everyday Life, 1901.Dreams are the “via regia,” or 'royal road' (398), to the unconscious, and Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams claims to hold some of the keys to understanding this phenomenon. This ultimately leads to greater self-awareness and personal growth, as well as relief from psychic afflictions that Freud believes result from excessive conflict between the unconscious and conscious minds. By analyzing and interpreting dreams, he conjectures, psychoanalysts can gain insight into the structure and workings of the unconscious, while individuals can gain insights into their personal unconscious desires and conflicts.

In the final chapter, Freud provides some detailed theory on the interaction of the different psychic modules of the conscious and unconscious in producing dreams.įreud believes that dreams are 'wish-fulfilments': dramatizations of our unconscious desires.

The first part provides a detailed analysis of the nature and function of dreams, while the second part offers practical guidance for interpreting dreams. The Interpretation of Dreams is divided into two main parts. He also develops his famous theory of the 'Oedipus complex,' which suggests that all individuals experience a desire for their opposite-sex parent and a corresponding fear of their same-sex parent. This includes the idea of the unconscious mind, the mechanisms of repression and displacement, and the significance of childhood experiences in shaping adult behavior. This guide uses AA Brill’s translation of the work, available online through TaleBooks.įreud introduces several concepts crucial to psychoanalysis and psychodynamic theory in this book.

Sigmund freud the interpretation of dreams book