Download or read book Totem and Taboo: and other writings on Myths, Folklore and Narrative Symbolism written by Sigmund Freud and published by Continental Press. This book was released on 2024-05-09 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A modern rendering of Sigmund Freud’s groundbreaking 1912 work Totem and Taboo (Totem und Tabu), along with several related essays on symbolic interpretation, cultural myth-making, and the psychological roots of ritual and belief. Totem und Tabu (Totem and Taboo), published in 1912-1913, represents Freud's ambitious and controversial attempt to trace the origins of human civilization, religion, and morality to a primordial event - the killing of the primal father by his sons. Subtitled "Some Points of Agreement between the Mental Lives of Savages and Neurotics," the work weaves together anthropology, mythology, and psychoanalysis to construct a grand narrative of human cultural evolution. Drawing heavily on James Frazer's The Golden Bough and contemporary anthropological studies, Freud proposed that the Oedipus complex was not merely an individual psychological phenomenon but the foundation of human society itself. The book stands as perhaps Freud's most mythological work, where psychoanalytic theory transforms into a kind of origin story for human civilization. Its four essays progress from anthropological observation to sweeping metaphysical speculation, culminating in a psychoanalytic creation myth that rivals religious cosmogonies in its scope and ambition. While heavily criticized by anthropologists for its speculative nature and questionable use of ethnographic data, the work has had a profound influence on religious studies, cultural theory, and philosophical anthropology. The additional writings in this volume expand on Freud’s theories, exploring the symbolic dimensions of myths, folklore, and artistic expression. The Motif of Coffin Selection (1913) examines the psychological significance of choice and fate in mythological narratives, while A Relationship Between a Symbol and a Symptom (1916) investigates the parallels between symbolic representations in art and the symptoms of neurosis. Mythological Parallel to a Visual Obsession (1916) explores the recurrence of mythological motifs in obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and A Devil’s Neurosis in the Seventeenth Century (1923) analyzes a historical case of demonic possession through the lens of psychoanalytic theory. This fresh, modern translation from the original German manuscript breathes new life into these historically significant works. Freud’s extensive writings have often been inaccessible to the general reader, and this edition seeks to bridge that gap by providing direct access to his original ideas. The Reader’s Edition introduces Freud’s work in context, with an illuminating Afterword that explains his philosophical project, situates it within the Modernist milieu, and explores its enduring impact on contemporary thought. The Afterword also examines the relationship and intellectual conflict between Freud and Carl Jung, particularly their differing views on the interpretation of myths and symbols. Accompanied by a timeline of Freud’s life and works, an index of philosophical terminology, and a short biography, this edition is an indispensable resource for students, scholars, and anyone interested in the origins of psychoanalysis and its application to the study of culture and mythology. This volume contains: 1912-13: Totem und Tabu / Totem and Taboo 1913: Das Motiv der Kästchenwahl / The Motif of Coffin Selection 1916: Eine Beziehung zwischen einem Symbol und einem Symptom / A Relationship Between a Symbol and a Symptom 1916: Mythologische Parallele zu einer plastischen Zwangsvorstellung / Mythological Parallel to a Visual Obsession 1923: Eine Teufelsneurose im siebzehnten Jahrhundert / A Devil’s Neurosis in the Seventeenth Century