vii

TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION

WHEN one reviews the history of psycho-
analysis ¹⁾ one finds that it had its inception in
the study of morbid mental states. Beginning
with the observation of hysteria and the other neu-
roses ²⁾ Professor Freud gradually extended his
investigations to normal psychology and evolved
new concepts and new methods of study. The
neurotic symptoms were no longer imaginary
troubles the nature of which one could not grasp,
but were conceived as mental and emotional mal-
adjustments to one’s environment. The stamp
of degeneracy impressed upon neurotics by other
schools of medicine was altogether eradicated.
Deeper investigation showed conclusively that a
person might become neurotic if subjected to cer-
tain environments, and that there was no definite
dividing line between normal and abnormal.
The hysterical symptoms, obsessions, doubts,
phobias, as well as hallucinations of the insane,
show the same mechanisms as those similar psy-
 

¹⁾“The History of the Psychoanalytic Movement,” translated
by A. A. Brill. Nervous and Mental Disease Monograph Series.

²⁾“Selected Papers on Hysteria and Other Psychoneuroses,”
translated by A. A. Brill. Monograph Series.

viii

TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION

chic structures which one constantly encounters
in normal persons in the form of mistakes in talk-
ing, reading, writing, forgetting,³⁾ dreams and
wit. The dream, always highly valued by the
populace, and as much despised by the edu-
cated classes, has a definite structure and mean-
ing when subjected to analysis. Professor
Freud’s monumental work, The Interpretation
of Dreams,⁴⁾ marked a new epoch in the history
of mental science. One might use the same
words in reference to his profound analysis of
wit.⁵⁾

Faulty psychic actions, dreams and wit are
products of the unconscious mental activity, and
like neurotic or psychotic manifestations repre-
sent efforts at adjustment to one’s environment.
The slip of the tongue shows that on account of
unconscious inhibitions the individual con-
cerned is unable to express his true thoughts; the dream
is a distorted or plain expression of those wishes
which are prohibited in the waking states, and the
witticism, owing to its veiled or indirect way of
expression, enables the individual to obtain
pleasure from forbidden sources. But whereas

³⁾“The Psychopathology of Everyday Life,” translated by A.
A. Brill. T. Fisher Unwin, London, and the Macmillan Co.,
N. Y.

⁴⁾Translated by A. A. Brill, George Allen, and Unwin, London,
and the Macmillan Co., N. Y.

⁵⁾“Wit and Its Relations to the Unconscious,” translated by
A. A. Brill. Moffat, Yard and Co., N. Y.

ix

TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION

dreams, witticisms, and faulty actions give evi-
dences of inner conflicts which the individual
overcomes, the neurotic or psychotic symptom is
the result of a failure and represents a morbid
adjustment.

The aforementioned psychic formations are
therefore nothing but manifestations of the
struggle with reality, the constant effort to ad-
just one’s primitive feelings to the demands of
civilization. In spite of all later development the
individual retains all his infantile psychic struc-
tures. Nothing is lost; the infantile wishes and
primitive impulses can always be demonstrated
in the grown up and on occasion can be brought
back to the surface. In his dreams the normal
person is constantly reviving his childhood, and
the neurotic or psychotic individual merges back
into a sort of psychic infantilism through his mor-
bid productions. The unconscious mental activ-
ity which is made up of repressed infantile mate-
rial forever strives to express itself. Whenever
the individual finds it impossible to dominate the
difficulties of the world of reality there is a re-
gression to the infantile, and psychic disturbances
ensue which are conceived as peculiar thoughts
and acts. Thus the civilized adult is the result
of his childhood or the sum total of his early im-
pressions; psychoanalysis thus confirms the old
saying: The child is father to the man.

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TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION

It is at this point in the develop-
ment of psycho-
analysis that the paths gradually broadened until
they finally culminated in this work. There
were many indications that the childhood of the
individual showed a marked resemblance to the
primitive history or the childhood of races. The
knowledge gained from dream analysis and
phantasies,⁶ when applied to the productions of
racial phantasies, like myths and fairy tales,
seemed to indicate that the first impulse to form
myths was due to the same emotional strivings
which produced dreams, fancies and symptoms.⁷
Further study in this direction has thrown
much light on our great cultural institutions,
such as religion, morality, law and philosophy,
all of which Professor Freud has modestly
formulated in this volume and thus initiated a
new epoch in the study of racial psychology.

I take great pleasure in acknowledging my
indebtedness to Mr. Alfred B. Kuttner for the
invaluable assistance he rendered in the transla-
tion of this work.

A. A. Brill.

⁶Freud: “Leonardo Da Vinci,” translated by A. A. Brill.
Moffat, Yard and Co., N. Y.

⁷Cf. the works of Abraham, Spielrein, Jung, and Rank.