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reluctance that remained throughout their long and in many ways successful marriage. On this issue, Roazen writes:
In 1938 Martha and Freud were still carrying on a long-standing humorous (and yet serious) argument over the issue of lighting candles on Friday evening; Martha joked at Freud’s monstrous stubbornness which prevented her from performing the ritual, while he firmly maintained that the practice was foolish and superstitious.18 Jones makes it clear that over Jewish practices there was some real conflict between Freud and Martha’s family.19 In going against such practices, Freud was taking risks with respect to his relationship with Martha and her mother, Emmeline: He was jeopardizing his marriage plans, for Martha was a seriously practicing Jew. It is important for the reader to keep several points in mind as we examine these letters. They were, of course, Freud’s love letters to his fiancée. But they were far more than simple expressions of affection. They were interesting, disturbing, often moving expressions of Freud’s character and philosophy of life. In these letters, he was implicitly introducing himself to his future wife, letting her know what kind of man he was, telling her about his emotions, his values, his aspirations. At times we find hints that he was trying to look unrealistically good, but, considering the tendency for all lovers to misrepresent themselves in this way, Freud’s letters were models of frankness; they were (and are), in addition, impressive examples of literary expression. We may begin by noting a general—and striking—religious quality to the correspondence. All told, there are 94 published letters from Freud to Martha (some 1500 love letters were written and saved; only this group of 94 has been published),20 and one is struck by the surprising number of references to God or to the Bible that are scattered throughout. For a “natural atheist,” Freud certainly referred to what he did not believe in rather often. Here are a number of examples21: May God punish him for it. (Letter 4) …as I have always expected Christian Fürchtegott [fear of God] Gellert to look. (Letter 6) …as if…they…lived in fear of God. (Letter 6) …fear of God…love of God…love of God…Joy of God… (Letter 7) [and also other references to God, all in an explicitly positive Jewish context] the Almighty. (Letter 8) the Bible. (Letter 16) …he is a miserable devil living by the grace of God’s patience. (Letter 31) [in this statement, “he” and “a miserable devil” referred to Freud.] They are, thank God… (Letter 40) May we never have another like it. Amen. (Letter 50) …the privilege of the Almighty that to Him… (Letter 52, to Minna Bernays, Martha’s sister) |