Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria Characters

Character List

Dora

Freud's patient, whose real name is now known to be Ida Bauer. She was born in Vienna in 1882 to a wealthy Bohemian Jewish family; at the time of her case study, she is an intelligent young woman with pronounced hysterical suffers from a variety of hysterical symptoms, including dysponea (difficulty breathing), aphonia (loss of voice), nervous coughing and migraine headaches. She begins her treatment with Freud at her father's insistence.

Freud

The Analyst. He is responsible for interpreting Dora's statements and dreams.

Dora's father

He brings Dora to Freud after her hysterical symptoms become apparent. He is a wealthy merchant and is highly respected by Freud, who talks of him as though he is a friend. Freud has great respect for Dora's father's intelligence and good sense. In Freud's view, Dora has maintained sexual feelings for her father beyond the period that is considered normal for the Oedipal complex.

Herr K.

The husband of Frau K. and a friend of Dora's father. On two occasions, Herr K. makes sexual advances to Dora, which she rejects. Freud believes that Dora is unconsciously attracted to Herr K.

Frau K.

The wife of Herr K. and a close friend of Dora's father. Dora suspects that Frau K. is having an affair with her father. Freud believes that Dora may have a homosexual attraction to Frau K.