The Trauma of Birth (German: Das Trauma der Geburt) is a 1924 book by the psychoanalyst Otto Rank. It was first published in English translation in 1929. Especially with its focus on the connection between microcosm and macrocosm, it foreshadows Rank's most popular book, Art and Artist, published in 1932 and considered a masterpiece by scholars of art history. Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, reacted both favorably and critically to The Trauma of Birth, responding to Rank's ideas in his own work.
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Rank aims to apply psychoanalysis to "the comprehension of the whole development of mankind, even of the actual fact of becoming human."[1]. The chief purpose of the work, according to Rank, is elaboration of how the form of the womb expresses the protective forms of art, myth, religion, philosophy and culture.
Publication historyedit
The Trauma of Birth was first published in 1924.[2] The book was published in English by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co., Ltd. in 1929.[3] The book was republished, with a new introduction by E. James Lieberman, by Dover Publications in 1993.[3][4]
Receptionedit
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, read the manuscript, and initially welcomed the book, writing to Rank to tell him that he would accept its dedication to him. Freud's attitude to the book later changed, and he alternated between praising it and criticizing it. Several members of a committee secretly established in 1913 to protect Freud reacted to more harshly to The Trauma of Birth. The psychoanalysts Karl Abraham and Ernest Jones expressed opposition to the work, since they believed that it implicitly contradicted some of Freud's basic ideas. The author Richard Webster suggested that Abraham and Jones were correct in this belief.[5] Freud's Inhibitions, Symptoms, and Anxiety (1926) was a response to The Trauma of Birth.[6]
Lieberman described The Trauma of Birth as one of "the most remarkable books in the history of psychology", and wrote that it presents insights "set in solid historical, philosophical, anthropological, artistic and literary foundations." He suggested that the work was "feminist" in its criticism of an ideology that emphasized men's perspectives at the expense of those of women and its recognition of the importance of early mother–child relationships. In his view, clinical evidence supports "Rank's observation that the ending of treatment brought forth dreams and strong emotions replete with birth symbolism." He maintained that other writers distorted Rank's ideas, for example by attempting to connect them to the obstetrician Frédérick Leboyer's views about natural childbirth and the psychologist Arthur Janov's primal therapy, or by falsely claiming that Rank believed that all children should be born by Caesarean section to prevent birth traumas. He suggested that Rank was responsible for some of this confusion, by speaking of more and less severe birth traumas.[7]
Lieberman, E. James; Kramer, Robert (2012). "Willing, Feeling, Living 1926–1939". In Lieberman, E. James; Kramer, Robert (eds.). The Letters of Sigmund Freud & Otto Rank: Inside Psychoanalysis. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN978-1-4214-0354-0.
trauma, birth, german, trauma, geburt, 1924, book, psychoanalyst, otto, rank, first, published, english, translation, 1929, especially, with, focus, connection, between, microcosm, macrocosm, foreshadows, rank, most, popular, book, artist, published, 1932, con. The Trauma of Birth German Das Trauma der Geburt is a 1924 book by the psychoanalyst Otto Rank It was first published in English translation in 1929 Especially with its focus on the connection between microcosm and macrocosm it foreshadows Rank s most popular book Art and Artist published in 1932 and considered a masterpiece by scholars of art history Sigmund Freud the founder of psychoanalysis reacted both favorably and critically to The Trauma of Birth responding to Rank s ideas in his own work The Trauma of BirthCover of the first editionAuthorOtto RankOriginal titleDas Trauma der GeburtCountryGermanyLanguageGermanPublished1924 in German 1929 in English Media typePrint Hardcover and Paperback Pages224 Dover edition ISBN0 486 27974 X Dover edition Contents 1 Summary 2 Publication history 3 Reception 4 References 4 1 BibliographySummary editThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it March 2020 Rank aims to apply psychoanalysis to the comprehension of the whole development of mankind even of the actual fact of becoming human 1 The chief purpose of the work according to Rank is elaboration of how the form of the womb expresses the protective forms of art myth religion philosophy and culture Publication history editThe Trauma of Birth was first published in 1924 2 The book was published in English by Kegan Paul Trench Trubner and Co Ltd in 1929 3 The book was republished with a new introduction by E James Lieberman by Dover Publications in 1993 3 4 Reception editSigmund Freud the founder of psychoanalysis read the manuscript and initially welcomed the book writing to Rank to tell him that he would accept its dedication to him Freud s attitude to the book later changed and he alternated between praising it and criticizing it Several members of a committee secretly established in 1913 to protect Freud reacted to more harshly to The Trauma of Birth The psychoanalysts Karl Abraham and Ernest Jones expressed opposition to the work since they believed that it implicitly contradicted some of Freud s basic ideas The author Richard Webster suggested that Abraham and Jones were correct in this belief 5 Freud s Inhibitions Symptoms and Anxiety 1926 was a response to The Trauma of Birth 6 Lieberman described The Trauma of Birth as one of the most remarkable books in the history of psychology and wrote that it presents insights set in solid historical philosophical anthropological artistic and literary foundations He suggested that the work was feminist in its criticism of an ideology that emphasized men s perspectives at the expense of those of women and its recognition of the importance of early mother child relationships In his view clinical evidence supports Rank s observation that the ending of treatment brought forth dreams and strong emotions replete with birth symbolism He maintained that other writers distorted Rank s ideas for example by attempting to connect them to the obstetrician Frederick Leboyer s views about natural childbirth and the psychologist Arthur Janov s primal therapy or by falsely claiming that Rank believed that all children should be born by Caesarean section to prevent birth traumas He suggested that Rank was responsible for some of this confusion by speaking of more and less severe birth traumas 7 References edit Rank 1993 p xxi Lieberman 1993 p ix a b Rank 1993 p vi Lieberman 1993 pp ix xv Webster 2005 pp 390 393 Lieberman amp Kramer 2012 p 255 Lieberman 1993 pp ix xii Bibliography edit BooksGay Peter 1995 Freud A Life for Our Time London Papermac ISBN 0 333 48638 2 Lieberman E James 1993 Introduction to the Dover Edition The Trauma of Birth New York Dover Publications ISBN 0 486 27974 X Lieberman E James Kramer Robert 2012 Willing Feeling Living 1926 1939 In Lieberman E James Kramer Robert eds The Letters of Sigmund Freud amp Otto Rank Inside Psychoanalysis Baltimore The Johns Hopkins University Press ISBN 978 1 4214 0354 0 Rank Otto 1993 The Trauma of Birth New York Dover Publications ISBN 0 486 27974 X Webster Richard 2005 Why Freud Was Wrong Sin Science and Psychoanalysis Oxford The Orwell Press ISBN 0 9515922 5 4 nbsp This article about a psychology book is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Trauma of Birth amp oldid 1191763565, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
