The case history Little Hans

Table of Contents

Introduction
Main Body
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The case history Little Hans illustrates very clearly some of Freuds most basic theories, such as infantile sexuality, the role of transference, and the way in which the phobia is part of the cure.

This case study is an account of the very first psychoanalytical treatment of a child. It was the little boys father, Max Graf, who conducted the treatment of Little Hans (Herbert Graf), a quite common practice at the time. The analysis lasted from January to May 1908 and was supervised by Freud on the basis of the observations the boys father noted down and communicated to Freud. Freud himself took an active part on only one occasion a discussion with both father and son which was to prove decisive. The case history narrates the analysis of phobia in a five year old boy which is represented by horses, giraffes, plumbers, lumf and widdlers.(Quinodoz, 2005pg.79). This case represents and confirms Freuds theory of psychosexual development and Freuds theory of personality. The case of Little Hans provided Freud with proof which he needed to support his hypothesis concerning existence of sexuality in children in general. This case study supported Freuds theories concerning infantile sexuality, existence of Oedipus and castration complexes. Freud was also able to establish the ability to cure the case of phobia, as an illustration of how therapeutic potential of psychoanalysis could be used not only with adults but also with children.

Main Body

The participant of the clinical study Little Hans is five year old, and interestingly his mother had been a patient of Freuds and his father was a keen Freudian. The symptoms which attract attention and are attentively observed and recorded by the father are anxiety, jealousy, fear of being separated from mother, fear of being bitten by horses and oedipal complexes. Little Hans was not formally psychoanalyzed; rather he was questioned by his father who interpreted his responses in consultation with Freud. This did not hinder the observational aspect as psychoanalysis is not an impartial scientific investigation, but a therapeutic measure. Freuds account is divided into two parts: the first is short introduction which brings together the observations made by the father of Little Hans when boy was aged between 3 and 5, the period immediately before the outbreak of phobia; the second is a narrative of how the treatment progresses and is followed by Freuds own comments. Accurately written down by his father, Little Hans thoughts on sexual matters clearly showed that the young boy was very preoccupied with the enigma of sexuality in all of its forms.

The findings and the interpretations confirmed that Little Hans was neurotic, he was preoccupied with his penis, urinating and defection; jealous of his new baby sister, had fear of bath and was scared he would drown for wanting his little sister to drown. The observations made in this little boy could be applied more generally to all children however young they were, since there was nothing pathological about the case. The observations reported by Hanss father lent support to the hypothesis Freud had put forward in Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality as regards the existence of infantile sexuality. These hypotheses had for the most part been deduced from memories which adult patients had communicated in the course of their analysis. This was phenomenal.

Freud also concluded and was surprised to discover that children very often had misperceptions on the matter which concerned penis for boys and vagina for girls. In case of Little Hans the assertion of the fact that little girls do not have widdlers; this is where the feeling of castration anxiety begins. Hanss father notes suggest that when Hans was 31/2 years old he had his hand on his penis and was in the habit of frequent masturbation. On one occasion his mother threatened him with these words If you do that I shall send for Dr. A to cut off your widdler. And then what will you widdle with?(Quinodoz, 2005,pg.79). Hans response was with my bottom.(Quinodoz, 2005,pg.79). This was the turning point in the acquiring of castration complex which plays such a decisive role in the emergence of neurosis.

This was followed by the birth of his sister Hana around the same time and his curious questions regarding pregnancy, childbirth and baby did not find satisfactory answers from his father and mother which led to fantasy which became an overwhelming part of his personality. Birth of his sister Hanna was the great event of his life. Hans felt a strong aversion to the newborn baby that sobbed him of a part of his parents love. Interestingly, though this dislike did not altogether disappear it was partly overcompensated by an exaggerated affection. He had already several times expressed a wish that the stork should bring no more babies and that it should be paid money not to bring any more babies out of the big box. His understanding is that Hanna had been in there and that she had come out like lumf(the word he invented for faeces). There can be seen in the months that followed the birth of his sister increased jealousy, sometimes to the extent that he wished that she must die or drown while she was being bathed.

In the case of Little Hans Freud was delighted to see that the case study of Hans confirmed in the most concrete and uncompromising manner what he had written in his book The Interpretations of Dreams and in Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality. Hans was a little Oedipus who wanted his father out of his way to get rid of him so that he might be alone with his beautiful mother and sleep with her(Quinodox, 2005).

This wish to sleep with his mother and coax with her had originated during the summer holidays, when his father was often away, the little boy got chance to sleep with his mother in her bed. Little Hans wanted his father to be away forever and dead. In the interpretation of Freud, this death wish aimed at father is a feature of all little boys and is part of the normal Oedipal situation, however when it becomes exacerbated it may lie at the origin of various symptoms as was the case with Little Hans. In this way the conflict of love and hate become a central focus of the Oedipal situation. In this case father could also be said to have played the role of transference of his emotional energy. This resulted in the recurrent fantasy which is revealed in his case with symbolism. It is the same father whom he thinks as his rival as well as whom he had always loved and considers his model and his first playmate. The father who took upon himself the role of the psychoanalyst has been transferred with rivalry which is the root of the phobia. This resurfaces in the form of fantasy which is represented by Giraffes, horses, etc.

The symbolism of Giraffes and Horses in his fantasy holds the chord which can lead to the origin of his fear. There is connection between his fear of losing his mother and the warning from his mother regarding playing with his widdler. Freud analyses this as a symptom in which Hans liked to get in bed with his mother, this urge had been long repressed came out in the form libido on her.

In one of his fantasy Hans saw two Giraffes, which represented his parents. The event takes place in the morning in the parents bedroom. Freud believes that the Giraffes reveal his castration complex and explores further description of the fantasy. Hans expresses shocked arrival of a big Giraffe which came into his room with another crumpled Giraffe. Hans took the crumpled one away from the big Giraffe and the big Giraffe called out. After some time the big Giraffe stopped calling and Hans sat on the top of the crumpled Giraffe.(Freud,1909).

The fear of the Horse is another example of his Oedipus complex, he fantasizes being bitten by the horse, and he recognizes the black on the horses mouth and the blinkers they wore. Freud interprets it as jealousy towards father from which this fear emerges. Hans is hostile in his manner towards his father and is frightened of his father because he is big. He likes to play the game of biting his father. Freud has keen perception regarding the fear of the horses and connects that the black which Hans had described in his fantasy around the horses mouth with the blinkers in reality as representation of characteristics in Hans father like his moustache and the glasses. This further affirmed by desire to believe that the bus horse which he witnessed on the road as dead. He narrated this scene to his father and Hanss father pointed out that the horse represented his father and his wish was that his father would be dead. Hans did not deny the interpretation made by his father and continued to play with him.

Hans suffered from lumf complex, which was expressed in his disgust of excrements. His father investigated the symbolism and came to the conclusion that in his fantasy the heavily laden cart represented body loaded with faeces. And in Hans mind he associated lumf with his sister whom he loathed.

Hans had another fantasy which was related to plumber who came in the bathroom, unscrew the bath and trapped Hans with a big borer in Hans stomach. This has been represented with the fantasy of procreation. This is a typical fantasy in which the bath of water represents the mothers womb and the borer is symbolic of the fathers penis. This fantasy can be reworded as with your big penis you bored me in my mothers womb(Freud.1909). This resulted in Hans having the fear of taking bath was partly associated with this as well with the guilt which he harbored regarding his sister drowning. The new fantasy of the plumber coming with pair of pincers; and cutting off his behind; and widdler and replacing them with larger ones.(Freud,1909). This has been interpreted by his father as sign of overcoming of castration anxiety. This was an indication that finally Hans wants to be like his father. This was affirmed by Freud that this final fantasy indicated that Hans would overcome his fear of castration.

The final fantasy hold the cur to the phobia, in which Hans was playing with his imaginary children and came to the conclusion that Hans would marry his mother, and she would have their children. His father would marry his own mother and so there was no need to be killed. Hans thus completed his identification with his father and was cured of his phobia. According to Freuds interpretation this fantasy demonstrated that he was happy to have his father around as now he did not fear him or was jealous of him. He identified his father as his grandmothers husband and had no threat from him. This led to the cure of his phobia.

Conclusion

This is an extraordinary case in which the infantile sexuality of an innocent five year old manifests in the form of strong emotion of jealousy and hatred and possessiveness. It leads to many psychological symptoms which are ultimately cured by right understanding and interpretation of the fantasy which gives the clue to the disease as well to the cure of the phobia. Many of Freuds theoretical concepts found a live proof in this case study of Little Hans who finally succeeded in overcoming his phobia and becoming a successful director of opera and renowned figure. It is interesting to note regarding this case study that even though the treatment is conducted by the father Little Hans the major theories concerning the case have been intriguing to many psychoanalysts. The case touched the core of many of the theories propounded by Freud. It is interesting to note that Freuds theory of infantile sexuality, the role of transference has been beautifully blended with the overcoming of phobia in which fantasy and analysis of the fantasy plays a very strong role in the cure of the phobia. The case stands out as unique in involvement of the father to treat the neurosis of the child in consultation with none other than Freud. The analysis has been a three way communication, which has had remarkable results.