The book is a psychoanalytic study of Wilhelm Jensen's novel Gradiva, a Pompeiian Fantasy. It explores the themes of delusion and dream in relation to the unconscious mind. The protagonist, Norbert Hanold, an archaeologist, becomes obsessed with a woman he sees in a relief, Gradiva, and travels to Pompeii to find her. Through his journey, Freud analyzes Hanold's dreams, fantasies, and delusions, revealing the repressed desires and unconscious motivations underlying his actions.
By Sigmund Freud · First published 1907 · Genre: Psychological Fiction, Literary Criticism, Fantasy · 4 chapters