Part of the bestselling Capstone Classics Series edited by Tom
Butler-Bowdon, this collectible, hard-back edition of The
Interpretation of Dreams provides an accessible and insightful edition
of this important work of psychology
Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams introduced his
ground-breaking theory of the unconscious and explored how interpreting
dreams can reveal the true nature of humanity. Regarded as Freud's most
significant work, this classic text helped establish the discipline of
psychology and is the foundational work in the field of psychoanalysis.
Highly readable and engaging, the book both provides a
semi-autobiographical look into Freud's personal life - his holidays in
the Alps, spending time with his children, interacting with friends and
colleagues - and delves into descriptions and analyses of the dreams
themselves.
Freud begins with a review of literature on dreams written by a broad
range of ancient and contemporary figures - concluding that science has
learned little of the nature of dreams in the past several thousand
years. Although the prevailing view was that dreams were merely
responses to 'sensory excitation, ' Freud felt that the multifaceted
dimensions of dreams could not be attributed solely to physical causes.
By the time Freud began writing the book he had interpreted over a
thousand dreams of people with psychoses and recognised the connection
between the content of dreams and a person's mental health. Among his
conclusions were that a person's dreams:
- Prefer using recent impressions, yet also have access to early
childhood memories
- Unify different people, places, events and sensations into one story
- Usually focus on small or unnoticed things rather than major events
- Are almost always 'wish fulfilments' which are about the self
- Have many layers of meaning which are often condensed into a single
image
The Interpretation of Dreams: The Psychology Classic is as riveting
today as it was over a century ago. Anyone with interest in the workings
of the unconscious mind will find this book an invaluable source of
original insights and foundational scientific concepts. This edition
includes an insightful Introduction by Sarah Tomley, a psychology writer
and practicing psychotherapist. Tomley considers paints a picture of
Freud's life and times, reveals the place of The Interpretation of
Dreams in the context of Freud's other writings, and draws out the key
points of the work.
