Muriel Gardiner and the Wolf Man: Preserving a Legacy

“From the History of an Infantile Neurosis” (1918) holds a place of special importance in the psychoanalytic canon. In this text, which recounts the story of Sergei Pankejeff's analysis, Freud presents his theory of infantile sexuality, traces the steps in the making of a neurosis, and demonstrates the way psychoanalytic technique uncovers the unconscious meaning

of symptoms that leads to a cure. Known as the Wolf Man for his iconic childhood dream, Pankejeff ended his analysis in 1914, just before the outbreak of World War I, and Freud had considered him cured. In reality, he had only achieved a modicum of stability; throughout the rest of his life, the Wolf Man suffered from recurrent depressive symptoms, was easily dysregulated, and depended on the support from therapists and the analytic community. This community functioned as something of a holding environment, and the Wolf Man took pride in his identity as Freud's most famous patient.

The story of the Wolf Man's treatment documented the revolutionary potential of Freud's theory and technique, and represented the possibilities of the analytic process. The standard bearers within the analytic community tried to ensure that he exemplify this living documentation of Freud's theory and technique, even though they recognized his precarious psychological stability. The Wolf Man had three additional periods of analysis, one with Freud and two with Ruth Mack Brunswick. An important role in his life after his analytic experience was played by Muriel Gardiner, who proffered friendship, financial support, and a continuing link to the psychoanalytic world. Gardiner's friendship with Anna Freud, who was devoting herself to preserving her father's legacy, reinforced her interest in maintaining the Wolf Man's reputation. In this paper, I tell the story of Muriel Gardiner and how she came to be one of the Wolf Man's most significant friends and patrons.

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

Muriel