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D'Œdipe à Moïse: Freud et la conscience juive
English, French (translation)
- GenresNonfiction
216 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
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August 23, 2024
A FASCINATING STUDY OF THE "JEWISHNESS" OF FREUD
Marthe Robert (1914-1996) was a French essayist and translator. She wrote in the first chapter of this 1972 book, "Freud's coolness to the specific content of Judaism had more secret roots. Because of it, Freud never really tried to define his exact place in contemporary Jewry; nor did he ever explain how it came about that psychoanalysis, through profoundly marked by its Jewish origins, has something essential to say about mankind in general... These two questions---which are among others the subject of the present book---deserve to be taken seriously..." (Pg. 7)
She observes that "Not only does Freud speak of a 'Jewish nature,' specially equipped to take its place in the forefront of intellectual struggle; he also draws the radical conclusion that psychoanalysis could be invented only by a Jew and that this explains why despite its urgency this investigation of the human psyche was so long delayed. Why, he asked Pastor Pfister in the course of a friendly argument, didn't one of those pious men create psychoanalysis? Why did it have to wait for an absolutely irreligious Jew?" (Pg. 5) She says, "It is certain in any case that up to the publication of The Interpretation of Dreams and even for some time afterward Freud's intimate circle consisted almost entirely of Jews; the only Gentiles he came into contact with were professors, fellow students, colleagues, and patients, and he did not make friends with any of them." (Pg. 33)
She argues, "He would never become an official standard bearer of Zionism, although there is reason to believe that he was more or less favorable to political Zionism... to an Italian author, who sent him ... a short essay of the Zionist question, he wrote with mingled sadness and enthusiasm: '...your brief pamphlet on the Zionist question I was able to read without any mixed feelings, with unreserved approval... Although I have been alienated from the religion of my forebears for a long time, I have never lost the feeling of solidarity with my people...'" (Pg. 40-41)
She records, "in 1914 it was only under the cover of anonymity that he could bring himself to publish his essay 'The Moses of Michelangelo'; and twenty years later he released ['Moses And Monotheism'] bit by bit, reluctantly, accompanying each installment with embarrassed explanations that show how uncomfortable he must have felt." (Pg. 141) Of Freud's argument in this book that Moses was an Egyptian, she said, "Obviously Freud took no pleasure in telling the Jews that the greatest of their sons was not of their blood. Why then did he do so? Because, so he tells us, he had no right to conceal the truth, not even in order to spare his sorely tried people." (Pg. 151-152)
She concludes on the note, "Freud declared ... that he was no more a Jew than Moses had been, although the Jewish people had been born of this foreign leader and guide. But just as Moses had broken with his native Egypt and its rulers... so Freud severed all inner ties with ... everything within him that was still German. So that when it came time for him to leave the stage ... he could say that he was neither a Jew, nor a German, nor anything that still bore a name; for he wished to be the son not of any man or country, but like the murdered prophet only of his life work." (Pg. 167)
This is a very insightful glimpse into Freud, that will be of considerable interest to anyone studying Freud's life and ideas.
Marthe Robert (1914-1996) was a French essayist and translator. She wrote in the first chapter of this 1972 book, "Freud's coolness to the specific content of Judaism had more secret roots. Because of it, Freud never really tried to define his exact place in contemporary Jewry; nor did he ever explain how it came about that psychoanalysis, through profoundly marked by its Jewish origins, has something essential to say about mankind in general... These two questions---which are among others the subject of the present book---deserve to be taken seriously..." (Pg. 7)
She observes that "Not only does Freud speak of a 'Jewish nature,' specially equipped to take its place in the forefront of intellectual struggle; he also draws the radical conclusion that psychoanalysis could be invented only by a Jew and that this explains why despite its urgency this investigation of the human psyche was so long delayed. Why, he asked Pastor Pfister in the course of a friendly argument, didn't one of those pious men create psychoanalysis? Why did it have to wait for an absolutely irreligious Jew?" (Pg. 5) She says, "It is certain in any case that up to the publication of The Interpretation of Dreams and even for some time afterward Freud's intimate circle consisted almost entirely of Jews; the only Gentiles he came into contact with were professors, fellow students, colleagues, and patients, and he did not make friends with any of them." (Pg. 33)
She argues, "He would never become an official standard bearer of Zionism, although there is reason to believe that he was more or less favorable to political Zionism... to an Italian author, who sent him ... a short essay of the Zionist question, he wrote with mingled sadness and enthusiasm: '...your brief pamphlet on the Zionist question I was able to read without any mixed feelings, with unreserved approval... Although I have been alienated from the religion of my forebears for a long time, I have never lost the feeling of solidarity with my people...'" (Pg. 40-41)
She records, "in 1914 it was only under the cover of anonymity that he could bring himself to publish his essay 'The Moses of Michelangelo'; and twenty years later he released ['Moses And Monotheism'] bit by bit, reluctantly, accompanying each installment with embarrassed explanations that show how uncomfortable he must have felt." (Pg. 141) Of Freud's argument in this book that Moses was an Egyptian, she said, "Obviously Freud took no pleasure in telling the Jews that the greatest of their sons was not of their blood. Why then did he do so? Because, so he tells us, he had no right to conceal the truth, not even in order to spare his sorely tried people." (Pg. 151-152)
She concludes on the note, "Freud declared ... that he was no more a Jew than Moses had been, although the Jewish people had been born of this foreign leader and guide. But just as Moses had broken with his native Egypt and its rulers... so Freud severed all inner ties with ... everything within him that was still German. So that when it came time for him to leave the stage ... he could say that he was neither a Jew, nor a German, nor anything that still bore a name; for he wished to be the son not of any man or country, but like the murdered prophet only of his life work." (Pg. 167)
This is a very insightful glimpse into Freud, that will be of considerable interest to anyone studying Freud's life and ideas.
Displaying 1 of 1 review