Freud's Jewish identity, circumcision, and the theory of castration anxiety: problem or pride?

Abstract

In this work the author reflects on the Jewish identity of Sigmund Freud. It is acknowledged that Freud, even though he seemed ambivalent towards Jewishness and even though anti-Semitism was omnipresent, not necessarily perceived his Jewish identity as problematic. Rather, it seems as if Freud had a positive Jewish identity, which was connected to profound knowledge in Jewish religion and tradition, even though he declared himself as a Godless Jew. Both his Jewish identity and his knowledge in Judaism seemed to have contributed to some of his insights into the human psyche. The impact of the traditional Jewish circumcision and the insights connected to the theory of castration anxiety are specifically discussed. The author suggests that Freud's positive Jewish identity, and the significance of circumcision, contributed to his insights into the prerequisites of human development and how we as individuals are shaped both by our interpersonal relationships and by the cultural context.

Keywords:

• Freud
• Jewish identity
• circumcision
• castration anxiety
• anti-Semitism

Acknowledgements

The author is indebted to Per Magnus Johansson, Sara Lejderman, and Yonah Lavery-Yisraeli for their invaluable support, assistance, and feedback in the preparation of this manuscript.