Summary:
A comparison of the oedipal complex and the main character in "Oedipus Rex." Although Oedipus did not know that he had an oedipal complex, part of his character and things that happened to him reflected this complex in him. Later, psychologists defined the oedipal complex based on further studies of early childhood of people.
Oedipal Complex and Oedipus Rex are connected by the same idea of a psychosexual problem in person's mind. Oedipal Complex is something that develops in the brain and grows into a mental problem that makes the person feel aggressive against the same sex parent and have a sexual feelings for the opposite sex parent. Mostly toddlers develop the Oedipal Complex but in Oedipus Rex, Oedipus, the main character, was a grown man and he still had the complex. Oedipus went through a lot during his childhood but those things that he didn't know happened to him, reflected in his complex.
The Oedipal Complex was described as "a state of psychosexual development and awareness ("Oedipus Complex" 3). The dictionary definition is a little different and connects better to Oedipus Rex. It states that Oedipal complex is "a complex of males; desire to possess the mother sexually and to exclude the father ("Oedipal Complex" 5). That explains what happens to a person who has Oedipal Complex. It is said by psychologists that the complex should be treated by therapies in the early childhood because it can cause problems with personality and affect the future of the child.
Oedipus from "Oedipus Rex" has his name in the definition of Oedipal Complex, but a middle school student Renee R. states that Oedipus does not show an example of the Oedipal Complex. She says that he demonstrates his ego that really brings out his own "persona" and shows who he really is inside no matter how much of hubris he shows at the beginning ("Oedipus Complex Archive 6). In the beginning of "Oedipus Rex", Oedipus showed how powerful he is. Later on, when he found out the truth about what happened to him and the prophecies that came true, he felt guilty about what he has done. That was the reason he felt that he had to get a punishment so he blinded himself. He chose that as a punishment because the messenger of gods was blind and when the messenger told Oedipus about the prophecies, Oedipus did not believe his words.
Oedipus grew up not knowing that his parents weren't his biological parents. He also didn't know that he killed his father and that his wife was also his mother. But even though he didn't know the man he killed was his father, he did feel anger to his opposite-sex parent and he was sexually attracted to his mother. That partly shows Oedipal Complex.
Oedipus didn't show everything from the definition of the Oedipal Complex, but part of his character and things that happened to him reflected the Oedipal Complex in Oedipus. Psychologists made up the definition of Oedipal complex from further studies of early childhood of people. Oedipus' example was just a base of building Oedipal Complex.
This is the complete article, containing 463 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
