First published in 1982. A decade ago the psychological literature contained few pieces on fathers and fathering. The father was the forgotten parent. Since then, the focus on fatherhood has intensified, with a proliferation of research studies on the subject. This newfound interest in a man's importance to his children can be attributed to a variety of recent, far-reaching developments. This study is presented under the belief that the rich data available through psychoanalysis may provide a unique window on the evolution and vicissitudes throughout life of fatherhood and fathering from the perspectives of both parent and child.