Dora’s keys, the text keys

Abstract

When writing the Dora case, Freud takes the necessary precautions not to make his narrative a Schlüsselroman (roman à clef). The term Schlüssel (“key”) and other words from the same lexical field, however, appear repeatedly in the text, and it is possible to read it by taking them as keywords. Both in the case and in the text, an intricate exchange of keys can be noted: Dora’s decision (Entschluß) to break off (Abschluß) the treatment, that is, her resolution to close herself (verschließen) to Freud, is the very key (Schlüssel) that allows opening (aufschließen) future doors: the transference key, given by Dora to Freud when she ended the treatment.