Thoughts for the Times on War and Death
by Sigmund Freud · Zeitgemäßes über Krieg und Tod
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- 1915
- Form
- Psychology
- Language
- German
- Length
- Short · 30 ppunder 120 pages
- Difficulty
- Moderate2 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendThe Freud Reader, translated by James StracheyW. W. Norton, 1995Peter Gay's anthology reprints the essay in the Standard Edition translation.
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Two essays written six months into the First World War. The first, on the disillusionment of the war, argues that the barbarity of civilised nations should not surprise us, since culture only overlays primitive impulses that are never destroyed. The second, on our attitude toward death, observes that we behave as if we were immortal and that war forces the reality of death back into view. It ends by urging readers to make room for death in life.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns Thoughts for the Times on War and Death are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
