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This article on hysteria is written in two parts. The first is a general summary of Jung's theories concerning the collective unconscious, functions and types, and archetypes (shadow,
persona, animus, anima). These different archetypes are defined more precisely in a summary of ‘The psychology of the transference’ following the Rosarium Philosophorum. In the second part the author describes the hysteric's personality according to his type (extravert), his dominant function (feeling), his persona, which is inflated, and his shadow, which is projected. The author points to the myths of Proteus, of Demeter-Persephone and of Puer-Senex as being the most relevant in this context. From the dynamic standpoint the parental figures are cast in the rôles of the ‘bad’ devouring mother and the absent father. The hysteric's fear of losing infancy and childhood becomes manifest in suicidal phantasies. Unconsciously, the hysteric will choose an introvert as a partner leading to a clash between her rigid animus and the fickle anima of the obsessional. From this it would seem that joint treatment of the two partners is called for. Thus in groups the hysteric will try to seduce the father figure and will somatise when faced with conflicts.
The first part of this article unhappily falls between two stools: it is both too long and too short. It is therefore difficult to know to whom it is addressed. The knowledgeable reader will find this summary of Jung's theories unnecessary, whereas the less knowledgeable will find it difficult to understand ideas which the summary presents in very abstract form. Abstraction seems to me the principal shortcoming of this paper, as the description of hysterical personality in Jungian terms is not illustrated with any clinical examples and it is, therefore, difficult to assimilate the interesting ideas of the author.