The Werther Case

Glancing at the initial facts of the Werther Case I hastily assumed that it was a simple, cut and dried, suicide case. Upon further inspection, however, I noticed several extenuating details. Werther was a rather unlucky fellow and when one couples this with his passionate disposition one has created a rather caustic substance. Like most patients of mine, his problem stems back to a tragic experience in his past. He fell in love, in his youth, to a woman who perished during their relationship. I believe that this experience followed him through his life and effected who he became later. Most likely he was always a passionate person, but such an experience could easily tip the already wavering scales to a disposition leaning on that of obsession. In Werther’s case, he would move from one obsession to the next as it appears that once his obsession is satisfied it is of no use to him (as seen in his relationship prior to Lotte). This is where Lotte comes in to play. This is someone who he could never have to himself, and therefore provides an object of obsession that is sure to linger. I do not, however, think that at this point his fate has been sealed. As he is very open with his emotions, I believe that if Werther had participated in regular visits with a psychiatrist his condition could be vastly improved. I would most likely have suggested replacing Lotte with a healthier obsession such as a hobby. Painting and writing are obviously good hobbies, but not when he so closely relates them with Lotte. Moving out of touch with Lotte was a good idea, but was poorly executed. He attempted to fit himself into a place that was not comfortable to him. It would have been more beneficial to move in with family such as William or his Mother—at least while his obsession was still fresh in his mind. Only later would I trust him to start a new life of work in a strange place, when he could then be willing to find new things. The strange thing about this case, is that Werther was so aware of his situation, and so open that his transition to his somber state was gradual and therefore did not stick out as being a symptom of depression, but rather a ‘normal’ personality change. In conclusion, Werther’s unchecked traumatic experiences led to his obsession-oriented personality, which then led to his eventual suicide.