Imago: Zeitschrift für Anwendung der Psychoanalyse auf die Geisteswissenschaften

The Double. O. Rank.

The Fish as Sexual Symbol. R. Eisler.

The Sexual in the Theology of the Mormons. T. Schroeder.

The Double.1 Rank begins this study of an ancient theme in folk thought and poetic production by the utilization of a modern cinematographic film. He suggests that perhaps this modern form of presentation may lead closer to an interpretation of the theme than the mere poetic production since the moving picture in some degree approaches the dream presentation. Ewers, the author of the cinema film in question, the “Student von Prag,” is a poet of some rank. His film drama tells the story of a youth who makes a contract with on old man permitting him to take whatever he wants from the room. The old man takes the youth's reflection in the mirror, which follows the old man out of the door and out to the street. Hereafter the hero of the tale is constantly surprised by the sudden appearance of his double, whenever particularly at any pursuit of pleasure or other important point in his actions. Especially did it appear to hinder every advance of love, until finally fleeing madly from the specter, the young man decides to end his life and sits down to make his will, only to see his double still grinning at him. Maddened he shoots at the figure, which disappears. A mirror however discloses for the first time since the contract his reflection, but at the same moment he discovers that he himself is wounded. He dies and the old man appears to tear up the contract. In the last picture the double sits on his grave accompanied by this old man in the form of a black, ill-omened bird.

This poet was probably influenced by E. Th. A. Hoffmann, who has written largely upon this theme, which finds a place in most of his works. In one instance the hero leaves his mirror image with his loved one, and he becomes the sport of those about him because of the absence of any