Editing Delusion and Dream in Jensen's Gradiva

{{Short description|Essay by Sigmund Freud}}
{{Infobox book | <!--See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
|name           = Delusion and Dream in Jensen's Gradiva
|title_orig     = Der Wahn und die Träume in W. Jensens "Gradiva"
|image          = File:Delusion and Dream in Jensen's Gradiva, German edition.jpg
|caption  = The German edition
|author         = [[Sigmund Freud]]
|translator     =
|illustrator    =
|cover_artist   =
|country        =
|language       = German
}}
'''''Delusion and Dream in Jensen's Gradiva''''' ({{langx|de|Der Wahn und die Träume in W. Jensens "Gradiva"}}) is an essay written in 1907 by [[Sigmund Freud]] that subjects the novel ''[[Gradiva (novel)|Gradiva: a Pompeian fantasy]]'' by [[Wilhelm Jensen]], and especially its [[protagonist]], to [[psychoanalysis]].

The novel is about a young archaeologist, Norbert Hanold, who comes to realize his love for a childhood friend through a long and complex process, mainly by associating her with an idealized woman he has seen in [[Gradiva#Description|a Roman bas-relief]].

Freud considered the novel as providing a prime example of 'something which might be called "cure by seduction" or "cure by love"', as well as evidence 'that the [[Oedipus complex]] is still active in normal adults, too'.<ref>Otto Fenichel, ''The Psychoanalytic Theory of Neurosis'' (London 1946) p. 548 and p. 108</ref>

==Analysis==
An isolated, unworldly individual, Hanold has 'repressed the memory of a girl, Zoë Bertgang, with whom he has grown up and to whom he had been affectionately attached'; but is unconsciously reminded of her by 'a bas-relief depicting a young, lovely woman with a distinctive gait. He calls her "Gradiva", which means "the woman who steps along"'.<ref>Peter Gay, ''Freud: A Life for Our Time'' (London 1989) p. 320-1</ref>

[[File:Gradiva Freud Museum London.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|left|"Gradiva": Cast of [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gradiva-p1030638.jpg a work in the Vatican museum], which inspired the fictional character. Freud Museum – London]]After a dream about "Gradiva" and the destruction of [[Pompeii]], Hanold 'leaves for Pompeii, where he meets a young woman, very much alive, whom he takes for Gradiva. In the course of the meetings that follow, he organizes his mania, stalking and interpreting signs (Gradiva appears at noon, the ghost hour, and the like). "Gradiva" seeks to cure him by gradually revealing her identity to him'.<ref>[http://www.enotes.com/psychoanalysis-encyclopedia/delusions-dreams-jensen-s-gradiva Roger Perron, "Delusions and Dreams in Jensen's 'Gradiva'"]</ref>

The woman is of course Hanold's childhood sweetheart, Zoë; and 'fortunately his "Gradiva" is as shrewd as she is beautiful. Zoë, the "source" of his malaise, also becomes the agent of its resolution; recognizing Hanold's delusions for what they are, she restores him to sanity, disentangling his [[Fantasy (psychology)|fantasies]] from reality'<ref name="Gay321">Gay, p. 321</ref> – it 'is only Zoë who can tell him that his archeological interest is sublimated desire for her'.<ref>Ranjana Khanna, ''Dark Continents'' (2003) p. 54</ref>

With respect to 'the final paragraph, in which Jensen has Hanold asking Zoë to walk ahead of him and she complies with a smile,' Freud put, "Erotic...[[Foot fetishism|foot interest]]"...By walking ahead of him in imitation of "Gradiva" on the plaque, she finds the key to his therapy'.<ref name="Gay321"/>

==Later criticism==

[[Post-Freudian]]s vary widely on whether Hanold suffers from [[neurosis]] or [[psychosis]], some emphasizing 'the way Freud offers [[psychoanalysts]] a model which shows "how to address the 'mad' part of our patients without neglecting the rest of their person"'.<ref>Jean-Michel Quinodoz, ''Reading Freud'' (2003) p. 77</ref>

===Poststructuralism===

[[Poststructuralist]] philosopher [[Jacques Derrida]] references Freud's use of Jensen's ''Gradiva'' in his own book-length essay ''[[Archive Fever]]: A Freudian Impression'' (1995).

[[Hélène Cixous]] emphasises the way 'Zoe is the one who brings to life Norbert's repressed love in a kind of feminine [[Transference|transfer]]'.<ref>V. A. Conley, ''Hélène Cixous'' (1991) p. 29</ref>

==Gradiva Awards==<!-- [[Gradiva Award]] links here -->
The "Gradiva Awards",<ref>{{Cite web
 |url         = http://naap.org/website//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=94&Itemid=155
 |title       = Behind the Founding of NAAP's Gradiva and Vision Awards
 |year        = 2009
 |access-date  = December 8, 2009
 |publisher   = National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20091125002438/http://www.naap.org/website/
 |archive-date = November 25, 2009
}}</ref> given by the [[National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis]], are named after Freud's essay. They go to the best works that advance psychoanalysis.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Gradiva® Awards |url=https://naap.org/portfolio/gradiva-award/ |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis (NAAP) |language=en}}</ref>

* In 1995, Judith E. Daykin and [[Moss Hart]] each received the award.<ref name=":0" />
* In 1997, the award was given to British psychotherapist [[Carol Jeffrey]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1998-12-10 |title=Obituary: Carol Jeffrey |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-carol-jeffrey-1190380.html |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>



== Influences on Art ==
Sigmund Freud’s essay ''Delusion and Dream in Jensen's Gradiva'' (German: ''Der Wahn und die Träume in W. Jensens "Gradiva"'') (1907) provides a psychoanalytic interpretation of [[Wilhelm Jensen]]’s novel ''[[Gradiva (novel)|Gradiva]],'' focusing on the protagonist Norbert Hanold and his experiences of psychosis. [[Sigmund Freud|Freud]]’s analysis has notably influenced contemporary artists who explore themes of [[psychosis]], [[memory]], and the revival of historical figures. This section examines the impact of Freud's theories on various artists:

=== Salvador Dalí ===
Salvador Dalí’s work reflects Freud’s exploration of the unconscious. His paintings such as ''Gradiva (''1931) and ''Gradiva Finds the Ruins of Antropomorphos'' (1931) engage with themes of desire and psychosis, echoing Freud’s interpretation of Jensen’s novel [https://www.dali-gallery.com/gradiva <nowiki>([Salvador Dalí, *Gradiva* (1931)])</nowiki>].

=== André Masson ===
[[André Masson]]’s painting ''Gradiva'' (1939) engages with the sexual and symbolic aspects of the character Gradiva. Masson’s work illustrates the influence of Freudian theory on [[surrealism]] and its representation of unconscious desires [https://www.andremasson.com/ ([André Masson, ''Gradiva''<nowiki> (1939)])</nowiki>].

=== Hélène Cixous ===
[[Hélène Cixous]]’s feminist writings, particularly in [[The Laugh of the Medusa]] (1976), analyze feminine figures as embodiments of repressed desires, aligning with Freud’s theories on the resurgence of unconscious material [https://www.jstor.org/stable/467654 ([Hélène Cixous, ''The Laugh of the Medusa''<nowiki> (1976)])</nowiki>].

=== Jacques Derrida ===
[[Jacques Derrida]]’s ''[[Archive Fever]]: A Freudian Impression'' (1995) discusses Freud’s use of Jensen’s ''Gradiva'' and its impact on [[Post-structuralism|poststructuralist]] thought. Derrida’s exploration underscores the influence of Freudian concepts on contemporary philosophy and art [https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780226149606 ([Jacques Derrida, ''Archive Fever: A Freudian Impression''<nowiki> (1995)])</nowiki>].

=== Oliver Aoun ===
[https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Oliver-Aoun/F20665308B9D492C Oliver Aoun]’s 2012 project ''[https://phmuseum.com/projects/project-lisa-rediviva-2012-accompanied-by-a-text-written-by-the-photographer-oliver-aoun-2012 Lisa Rediviva]'' engages with Freud’s analysis of Jensen’s ''[[Gradiva (novel)|Gradiva]]'', reinterpreting historical and symbolic figures through contemporary art practices. The title ''[https://phmuseum.com/projects/project-lisa-rediviva-2012-accompanied-by-a-text-written-by-the-photographer-oliver-aoun-2012 Lisa Rediviva]'' references the notion of revival and repressed memory, drawing a parallel with Freud’s concept of the resurgence of unconscious imagery [https://phmuseum.com/projects/project-lisa-rediviva-2012-accompanied-by-a-text-written-by-the-photographer-oliver-aoun-2012 ([Oliver Aoun, ''Lisa Rediviva''<nowiki> (2012)]).</nowiki>]

=== Max Ernst ===
[[Max Ernst]]’s surrealist works, such as [[The Elephant Celebes]] (1921), utilize fragmented and dream-like imagery to explore themes of the unconscious, reflecting Freud’s influence on the depiction of psychosis and repressed desires [https://www.max-ernst.com/ ([Max Ernst, ''The Elephant Celebes''<nowiki> (1921)]).</nowiki>]

=== Georges Bataille ===
[[Georges Bataille]]’s exploration of taboo and the unconscious, particularly in ''The Story of the Eye'' (1928), aligns with Freudian theories on repressed desires and irrational aspects of the psyche [https://www.georgesbataille.com/ ([Georges Bataille,  ''The Story of the Eye''<nowiki>  (1928)]).</nowiki>]

=== Luis Buñuel ===
[[Luis Buñuel]]’s surrealist film ''[[Un Chien Andalou]]''(1929) uses dream-like sequences to explore themes of the unconscious and desire, reflecting Freud’s impact on cinematic representations of psychosis [https://www.luisbunuel.com/un-chien-andalou <nowiki>([Luis Buñuel, Un Chien Andalou (1929)])</nowiki>]

=== Jean-Paul Sartre ===
[[Jean-Paul Sartre]]’s existentialist work, particularly *[https://unisapressjournals.co.za/index.php/NV/article/view/15679 Nausea]* (1938), engages with themes of absurdity and unconscious distress, resonating with Freud’s exploration of existential angst and psychological conflict [https://www.sartre.org/nausea <nowiki>([Jean-Paul Sartre, *Nausea* (1938)])</nowiki>]

== References ==

* Dalí, Salvador. *Gradiva* (1931). Retrieved from [https://www.dali-gallery.com/gradiva Salvador Dalí Gallery]
* Masson, André. *Gradiva* (1939). Retrieved from [https://www.andremasson.com/ André Masson]
* Cixous, Hélène. *The Laugh of the Medusa* (1976). Retrieved from [https://www.jstor.org/stable/467654 JSTOR]
* Derrida, Jacques. *Archive Fever: A Freudian Impression* (1995). Retrieved from [https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780226149606 Harvard University Press]
* Aoun, Oliver. *Lisa Rediviva* (2012). Retrieved from [https://phmuseum.com/projects/project-lisa-rediviva-2012-accompanied-by-a-text-written-by-the-photographer-oliver-aoun-2012 PHmuseum]
* Ernst, Max. *The Elephant Celebes* (1921). Retrieved from [https://www.max-ernst.com/ Max Ernst]
* Bataille, Georges. *The Story of the Eye* (1928). Retrieved from [https://www.georgesbataille.com/ Georges Bataille]
* Buñuel, Luis. *Un Chien Andalou* (1929). Retrieved from [https://www.luisbunuel.com/un-chien-andalou Luis Buñuel]
* Sartre, Jean-Paul. *Nausea* (1938). Retrieved from [https://www.sartre.org/nausea Jean-Paul Sartre]

==See also==
*[[Psychoanalytic literary criticism]]

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=40em}}

{{Sigmund Freud}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Delusion And Dream in Jensen's Gradiva}}
[[Category:1907 books]]
[[Category:1907 essays]]
[[Category:Essays by Sigmund Freud]]
[[Category:Works about novels]]
[[Category:Pompeii in popular culture]]