Klein

by Hanna Segal

Melanie Klein (1882-1960) was a pioneer of child analysis whose work with children enabled her to gain insight on the deepest states of the mind and thus to make a fundamental contribution to psychoanalytic theory. A pupil and follower of Freud, she investigated what he called "the dim and shadowy era" of early childhood, developing theories and techniques which, although they remain controversial, have had a profound influence not only on clinical psychoanalysis but also on fields outside it. Her understanding of the paranoid-schizoid mechanisms and of the role of envy extended the range of patients who can be psychoanalyzed, to include those suffering from borderline states between neurosis and psychosis. And her work shed light on the psychological basis of ethics, on theories of thinking, on group relations, and on aesthetics. The author worked with Melanie Klein and is now one of Britain's leading psychoanalysts. She traces the development of Klein's ideas within a biographical framework, describing the importance of her work and portraying her as a woman of great warmth and exceptional insight.

Genres: Psychoanalysis, Psychology

190 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 1979

About the author

Hanna Segal (born Hanna Poznańska; 20 August 1918 – 5 July 2011) was a British psychoanalyst of Polish descent and a follower of Melanie Klein. She was president of the British Psychoanalytical Society, vice-president of the International Psychoanalytical Association, and was appointed to the Freud Memorial Chair at University College, London (UCL) in 1987.

Reviews

[Tuna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good to start Melaine Klein.

[Alejandro Teruel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very interesting introduction to the work of the Melanie Klein with biographical references that anchor it the psychoanalitical milieu she lived in. It links her work to such key figures as Ferensci, Karl Abraham, Sigmund Freud, and Ernest Jones, her collaborators, disciples or followers such as the author Hanna Segal, Joan Riviere, Susan Isaacs, Paula Heimann, Donald Winnicott, W. R. Bion and, to a lesser degree, her rivals such as Anna Freud.

Not all the chapters are equally accessible to laymen and some non-trivial knowledge of psycho-analysis is required to fully grasp at least a third of them. I found the introduction (chapter 1), and the chapters on the early years (2), the play techniques (3), psychoanalysis of children (4), the wartime controversial discussions (8), envy and gratitude - and the distinction between jealousy, envy, and greed - (11), the last years (12) and the wrap-up in chapter 13 most engaging. Malanie Klein pioneered infantile and child analysis and developed important concepts such as objects and splitting, introjection and projection to mention just four, restructured and developed key aspects of oral, anal, pre-genital and genital stages as well as the psychological pre-school development of both girls and boys.

I must admit that a number of chapters were beyond me and these include material on key topics such as her paranoid-schizoid position, her structural theory of the mind and the relationship between anxiety and guilt.

[Jael]

A fascinating book. Well worth reading.