1. Interpreting the Grief of Pierre and Marie Curie
Amber, Angie, Emily, John

2. What is Grief?
“Keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret.”
How can Marie and Pierre Curie’s experience of loss be interpreted according to Kübler-Ross’ theory of “The Five Stages of Grief” and Bowlby-Parkes theory of “The Four Stages of Grief?”

3. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross
-Based on observation of patients
-Occur simultaneously or out of order
-5 Stages of Grief:
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

4. First Stage- Denial
-Initial response
-Defense mechanism
-Transitional
Second Stage- Anger
-Initial response
-Seeks to blame
someone or something
-Chaotic or Responsive
-Transitional

5. Third Stage- Bargaining
-Partial acceptance
-Seeks to avoid consequences
-Transitional
-More difficult to recognize
Fourth Stage- Depression
-Tragic event can not be denied
-Sense of loss or emptiness
-Transitional or permanent
Fifth Stage- Acceptance
-Not inherently “happy”
-The person is able to move forward
-Negative feelings still exist

6. John Bowlby & Colin Murray Parkes (British Psychiatrist)
4 Stages of Grief:
1. Shock or Numbness
2. Yearning or Pining
3. Disorganization and Despair
4. Recovery

7. Shock or Numbness Yearning and Pining
This is the step that is known to cause emotional and mental instability for the griever.
Emotions: confusion, resentment, sorrow, regret.
Example: “ It is impossible for me to express the profoundness and importance of the crisis brought into my life by the loss of the one who had been my closest companion and best friend. Crushed by the blow, I did not feel able to face the future.” - Marie Curie
Yearning and Pining
Yearning, or having a deep longing for something especially when accompanied by tenderness or sorrow.
This step is the realization of the deceased is taken into account. Due to this immediate awareness people subconsciously want to fill this newly created void in order to account for the absence.
Example: : “I am working in the laboratory all day long, it is all I can do; I am better off there than anywhere else.”

8. Despair and Disorganization
Where complete awareness of recent events is present in the griever.
Emotions: anger, disappointment, depression, and hate
Pg “ My pierre, I got up after having slept rather well, relatively calm. That was barely a quarter of an hour ago, and now I want to howl again --- like a savage beast.”
Reorganization and Recovery
The slowest step in the 4 steps of grieving. When the griever may start to develop an everyday plan that motivates them to new goals.
Pg “ Marie had fallen for Pierre’s former student Physicist Paul Langevin.”

9. Pierre’s Responses

10. Disorganization and dependence- Lived with his parents until the age of 35 showing dependence on a stable family unit.
Intellectualization-Buried into his studies and focused on that to cope

11. Fear and anxiety- Paranoia and distrust of love, said “twisted his heartbreak into suspicion and convinced himself that love would derail his ambitions
Numbness- Became detached, spent nights the woods alone with nature

12. Marie’s Responses

13. 1. Numbness or shock-
“I have fallen into black melancholy… My existence strangely resembles that of one of those slugs which haunt the dirty water of our river.”

14. Marie “poured herself into her work… and tried to rebuild a life.”
2. Intellectualization-
Marie “poured herself into her work… and tried to rebuild a life.”

15. 3. Despair and Disorganization/
Depression
“Marie returned to Paris and collapsed. Heartbroken, physically and emotionally depleted she was rushed on a stretcher to the Sisters of the Family of Saint Marie Convent. Over the following months she seems only to deteriorate further.”

16. http://www. caregiverslibrary
Buglass, E. "Grief And Bereavement Theories." Nursing Standard (2010): p. CINAHL Complete. Web. 2 Oct
Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth. On Death and Dying. New York: Macmillan, Print.
Gibbson, Garrick. Five Stages of Grief. Digital image. VisiHow. VisiHow. Web. 3 Oct. 2015 :
Weeping Angel