A most lucid and comprehensive introduction to Kleinian theories from one of the leading contemporary Kleinian analysts, including new chapters on her early work and on technique. This is a reprint of a revised and enlarged edition, where the author has added important new chapters on Melanie Klein's early work and on technique, as well as a complete chronological list of her publications.

Melanie Klein (1882-1960) was a pioneer of child analysis whose work with children enabled her to gain insight on the deepest states of the mind and thus to make a fundamental contribution to psychoanalytic theory. A pupil and follower of Freud, she investigated what he called "the dim and shadowy era" of early childhood, developing theories and techniques which, although they remain controversial, have had a profound influence not only on clinical psychoanalysis but also on fields outside it. Her understanding of the paranoid-schizoid mechanisms and of the role of envy extended the range of patients who can be psychoanalyzed, to include those suffering from borderline states between neurosis and psychosis. And her work shed light on the psychological basis of ethics, on theories of thinking, on group relations, and on aesthetics. The author worked with Melanie Klein and is now one of Britain's leading psychoanalysts. She traces the development of Klein's ideas within a biographical framework, describing the importance of her work and portraying her as a woman of great warmth and exceptional insight.

A most lucid and comprehensive introduction to Kleinian theories from one of the leading contemporary Kleinian analysts, including new chapters on her early work and on technique. This is a reprint of a revised and enlarged edition, where the author has added important new chapters on Melanie Klein's early work and on technique, as well as a complete chronological list of her publications.

Melanie Klein: The Basics provides an accessible and concise introduction to the life and work of Melanie Klein, whose discoveries advanced those of Freud and other analysts, deepening our insight into the unconscious domain of psychology in human beings. Klein began her work by developing a method of psychoanalysis for children, who suffer from anxiety and other, often unrecognised, conflicts, which enabled understanding of those crucial early steps in the development of human mind and identity. Although she initiated one strand of clinical and theoretical developments, many of her discoveries are well-regarded by other schools of psychoanalysis. The book contains four parts, as well as further reading suggestions and a helpful glossary of key terms. Part I introduces Melanie Klein in the context of her life, her early interest in psychoanalysis and her first discoveries; Part II takes up the development of her technique of child analysis and discusses the ways in which her insights and conclusions in this area influenced the technique of adult analysis and the more general understanding of the human mind; Part III focuses on further scientific and clinical developments in psychoanalytic technique – especially those referring to the understanding and treatment of serious emotional disturbance, e.g. psychosis or affective disorders; Part IV focuses on contemporary developments in Kleinian and post-Kleinian psychoanalysis, considering clinical, cultural, and socio-political applications. Each chapter poses a basic question at the outset, provides an account of how Klein faced this question and worked with it to develop her ideas, and ends by posing a follow up question to be addressed in the subsequent chapter. This book will greatly appeal to readers from any field seeking a clear and concise introduction to Melanie Klein. It will also interest researchers and professionals working within the field of psychoanalysis seeking a succinct overview of Melanie Klein’s contribution.

This book briliantly explains Klein's work, describing the startling discoveries that raised such opposition at the time. Now Klein's ideas are being recognized for their explanatory power, and her concepts of the depressive and paranoid-schizoid positions are in common usage.

Gathers writings by the Viennese psychoanalyst concerning infant analysis, Oedipal conflicts, anxiety situations, symbol formation, and envy.

Melanie Klein is one of the founding figures of psychoanalysis. In her lifetime, she was a controversial and powerful figure and her legacy has spread worldwide. Here is a comprehensive review of the many attempts to portray this elusive and complex woman, including the work of painters, sculptors, and portrait photographers. Its genesis was an article commissioned by the Melanie Klein Trust after a pair of delicate low relief sculptures of Klein by Oscar Nemon were re-discovered after eighty years in hiding. During his research, Roger Amos uncovered much material on depictions of Klein, including the fact that she had destroyed two significant works of art: a bust, also by Nemon, and a portrait by William Coldstream. What had driven her to destroy these representations of herself? Why did others survive? The complex and interrelated reasons are identified and discussed alongside the history of each artistic project, locating them in a narrative of Klein’s life. Through an understanding of the subject/artist relationship, Amos illuminates Klein’s professional life in a new, intriguing, and enjoyable approach. A must-read for all scholars and professionals in the fields of psychoanalysis and portraiture, plus those with an interest in Melanie Klein or aesthetics.