Mathematical development, the author of this text observes, comes about through specific, easily understood problems that require difficult solutions and demand the use of new methods. Richard Courant employs this instructive approach in a text that balances the individuality of mathematical objects with the generality of mathematical methods.
Beginning with a discussion of Dirichlet's principle and the boundary-value problem of potential theory, the text proceeds to examinations of conformal mapping on parallel-slit domains and Plateau's problem. Succeeding chapters explore the general problem of Douglas and conformal mapping of multiply connected domains, concluding with a survey of minimal surfaces with free boundaries and unstable minimal surfaces.