Film Studies Students visit Freud Museum

 

In December 2021, students who were studying English and Film for A Level visited theFreud Museum in Hampstead, London. The former home of controversial psychologist Sigmund Freud during the 1930s, the building's exterior was washed in a light brown colour, with many wide windows; it was almost as if the house itself was watching us.

 

Although Freud had only lived here for one year, and his daughter for several decades,

their work was still very much alive within the house. As we entered, we could immediately see that Freud's work, findings, and interests had been perfectly

preserved. Everything from books on psychoanalysis to archaeological findings could be found around his house. Apart from psychology, he evidently had a great interest in cultures from around the world.

 

We were welcomed by Stefan, a man who not only gave educational talks on Freud, butwas also a Freudian practitioner himself. He gave us a talk about Freud and his life, andgave a lecture in which he took us through the Freudian concept of dreams. In essence,the lecture outlined how Freudian practitioners found the true meaning of the dreams oftheir patients, such as something as random as an owl flying through a Lego door. Fromthere, the patient would recount a childhood experience. Strangely, certain words in the patient's experience would link to the dream itself. For example, if the patient said that their father "was as wise as an owl", this would link to the owl flying in the dream.  However, if they said that their father could not "let go" of his anger, this phrase sounds very much like the word "Lego". Freud used this exact theory upon some of his subjects, such as the "Wolf Man", a Russian aristocrat who had a terrifying dream of five threatening wolves sitting in a tree!

 

Overall, I found this to be an insightful visit on Freudian psychology and dream theory. A huge thanks to Stefan, Dr. Zanganeh, Mr. Gregory, and Mr. Roy for organising this

amazing trip.