Sexual desires control everything that people do.

This was Sigmund Freud’s basis

to his research of the mind. Sigmund Freud was born on May 6, 1856 to Jacob and

Amalia Freud (Muckenhoupt 11). He was born in Austria-Hungary (Muckenhoupt 11).

Freud was the oldest child out of the many siblings he had (Muckenhoupt 12).

Sigmund Freud had many influences on his life to shape him into the person he

was. He originally studied biology (Muckenhoupt 21). Charles Darwin’s work on

evolution opened up the chance for humans to be studied and analyzed just like any other

organism (Thorton). Freud was very passionate about his work. He was hurrying to get

money so he could get married (Muckenhoupt 30). “Sigmund was disappointed in his

father, whom he perceived as weak.” (Muckenhoupt 13) This led him to find other roll

models. Wilhelm Fliess was a major influence on Freud. They worked on many

experiments with each other (Muckenhoupt 54). His father’s death motivated him to write

The Interpretation of Dreams and to start psychoanalysis of himself (Muckenhoupt 79).

Sigmund Freud was a very passionate and emotional man. When one of his

daughters almost died he threw a slipper against the wall breaking one of his favorite

marble statuettes (Muckenhoupt 68). This could partly be because his mother was a very

passionate woman. She was very proud of her looks (Muckenhoupt 12). Freud was so

into his work that he gave up his religion because it conflicted with his work

(Muckenhoupt 17). He not only studied his patients, he also tried to help them with their

problems (Muckenhoupt 61).

Sigmund Freud is credited for coming up with psychoanalysis, which is the study

of the human mind (Rollinger). He was also known for conducting studies on himself.

Freud even used cocaine on himself to study the effects (Muckenhoupt 30). Studying his
psyche was good and bad. It was good because who knows themselves better than

themselves. It was also controversial because he could possibly not see things clearly,

distort things in his mind. His ideas can be heard when someone has a “Freudian slip”.

“Freudian slips are mistakes that arise when an unconscious wish or intention

overwhelms a conscious one.” (Muckenhoupt 83)

Freud will certainly be remembered for his invention of psychoanalysis and for

his radical ideas. Sigmund was extremely passionate and would most likely suggest

anyone with a dream to follow it. “He was diagnosed with cancer.” (Muckenhoupt 129)

Things went downhill for Freud after that. “On September 23, 1939 Dr. Sigmund Freud,

the founder of psychoanalysis, was dead.” (Muckenhoupt 145)