On the Letters of Theodor Reik to Arthur Schnitzler

In his article “Reik and the Interpretation of Literature,” A. Bronson Feldman suggests that “the analysis of Schnitzler's masterpieces and ephemeral writings was typical of Reik's way of handling the geniuses he idolized.”1 Reik expressed such a view in Fragment of a Great Confession, where he writes: “My admiration for the great gift of psychological observation of a contemporary Viennese writer was expressed in Arthur Schnitzler as Psychologist .”2 Reik's interest in Schnitzler (1862-1931) was not confined to this book. He also wrote several articles on Schnitzler's works and even reviewed Frau Beate and Her Son.3 Reik originally intended to dedicate his Arthur Schnitzler as Psychologist to Schnitzler (see letter 2), but it is unknown if Schnitzler denied him permission. The work carries the statement: “Dedicated to my admired teacher Professor Dr. Sigmund Freud in gratitude.”4

Occasionally Reik's comments illuminate aspects of Schnitzler's personality; for example, Reik observes in The Need To Be Loved: “A psychoanalytic investigation into Schnitzler's plays and novels would