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PubMed2006

The filial piety complex: variations on the Oedipus theme in Chinese literature and culture.

The Oedipus complex is central to Western tradition, but not to Chinese culture. Occurrence of oedipal themes in Chinese literature is almost negligible. This phenomenon seems to support a contra-Freud claim: that a theory of European origin, the Oedipus complex, is not universal to human experience in non-Western cultures. However, this article suggests that powerful moral repression may cause the Oedipus complex to undergo structural transformations in some cultures. Through studying a sample of Chinese literary and film representations, the author argues that the Oedipus complex in Chinese culture has been transformed into a filial piety complex. Some conceptual issues are considered from a cross-cultural perspective.

Asian People↗
PubMed2003

Freud and Jung: an incomplete encounter.

The author discusses the bases of the close, personal and professional relationship between Freud and Jung, and conjectures that the eventual schism between them was the result of the different profound psychological needs that each had for the other. Because of his identification with the psychoanalytic enquiry, particularly as it was based in large measure on his own self analysis, Freud looked to Jung as a collaborator who would not deviate from the principles at the basis of psychoanalysis, seeking psychoanalysis' acceptance within the established scientific community. From Jung's point of view, Freud fulfilled the role of a respected father figure who, Jung hoped, would grant him the autonomy and freedom to pursue his own scientific enquiry, based on Freud's ideas, but which he would revise according to his own researches. These led Jung to certain revisions and additions, such as the nature and function of the libido, the broadening of the idea of the complex (as in the Oedipus complex) to include a number of universal, archetypal themes, and the elaboration of the concept of the self. During the years of their relationship, they shared a mutual psychological support which was deeply important to each, based on reciprocal love and respect but also on a fantasy that each would be able to supply to the other a key capacity that the other lacked. Jung was able to offer important scientific verifications of a number of psychoanalytic notions via the Word Association Test, such as the concept of repression, of the complex, including the Oedipus complex, and the proof of the existence of the unconscious. However, neither could supply to the other what each looked for in the other at the psychological level. The final breakdown and rupture in their relationship was caused by their theoretical differences and by the fact that they became bitter competitors in a race to publish treatises on the nature and origins of spirituality and religion. It has left in its wake the implicit traces of discord and misapprehension which have characterized much of subsequent professional relationships between the two traditions.

Austria↗
PubMed2006

Reading Loewald: Oedipus reconceived.

Loewald's 'Waning of the Oedipus complex' is a watershed paper in the history of psychoanalytic thought. By means of a close reading of Loewald's paper, the author frames, discusses and clinically illustrates his understanding of Loewald's reconceptualization of the Oedipus complex. The principal elements of Loewald's reformulation include: 1) the idea that the tension between the pressures of parental infl uence and the child's innate need to establish his own capacities for originality lies at the core of the Oedipus complex; 2) the notion that oedipal parricide is driven, most fundamentally, by the child's 'urge for emancipation.' Parricide involves a revolt against, and an appropriation of, parental authority; 3) the idea that the child atones for the act of parricide by internalizing a transformed version of the child's experience of the oedipal parents. This results in an alteration of the very structure of the child's self (i.e. in the formation of the superego as the agency of autonomy and responsibility); 4) the notion that, in the child's appropriation of parental authority, he in reality 'kill[s] something vital in them...[thus] contributing to their dying' and to the succession of generations; and 5) the idea that the incestuous component of the Oedipus complex involves, in health, the creation of a transitional incestuous object relationship which, over the course of one's life, mediates the interplay between undifferentiated and differentiated aspects of self and relatedness to others. The author concludes with a comparison of Freud's and Loewald's conceptions of the Oedipus complex.

Child↗
PubMed1992

Some thoughts on the psychoanalytic situation.

This article develops ideas set out in a previous study on the "archaic matrix of the Oedipus complex" versus the fully developed Oedipus complex (their similarities and their differences), applying these to a study of the psychoanalytic situation. The central hypothesis is that there is a correspondence between the psychoanalytic situation and the structure of the mental apparatus. The author supposes that our perception of the world is intimately linked to the primary maternal relationship, to our wish to fuse with the mother once more, and to the accompanying fear such a wish inspires. To deal with this we create enclaves where the regressive wish can be satisfied without fear of ego dissolution. The author suggests that the psychoanalytic situation is one such enclave. She examines its specific features in the light of the structure of the mental apparatus as she defines it.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

The psychology of women: a psychoanalytic review.

Freud's psychoanalytic views of female development emphasized the importance of penis envy and the Oedipus complex. Resolution of the Oedipus complex resulted in a "neurotic" solution, a "masculinity complex" or a normal feminine attitude involving acceptance of anatomic inferiority, passivity, masochism and narcissism. Modern psychoanalytic views have rejected or reformulated many of these theories. Penis envy is seen as a normal phase of development which is resolved in most women. Women have been found to develop strong, albeit different, super ego structures. The female character triad has been questioned and the role of environmental factors emphasized. Efforts continue to develop a comprehensive well-integrated view of female psychology.

Female↗
PubMed1999

Oedipus, Darwin, and Freud: one big, happy family?

The author reviews recent sociobiological and psychoanalytic literature relevant to sexual aspects of the male Oedipus complex. Sociobiological discussions of incest and incest avoidance frequently contrast Freud's Oedipus complex with the Westermarck hypothesis. Westermarck argued that children who grow up in close association are averse to sex with each other as adults. Human and animal evidence supports the Westermarck hypothesis, and sociobiologically oriented writers have argued that it contradicts Freud's oedipal notion of an early incestuous sexual interest. However, two additional lines of evidence are relevant to such discussions. First, recent analytic theory on the Oedipus complex does not require the existence of a central, powerful, incestuous sexual drive. Second, both oedipal and sociobiological theory suggest that early familial experience forms a model for adult sexual mate choice and establishes patterns of adult sexual relationships. In these instances, sociobiological understandings of early development correspond well to oedipal theory.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

On acting out.

The author sets out to compare her own ideas on the archaic matrix of the Oedipus complex, as opposed to the fully developed Oedipus complex, with Glover's conception of the different developmental stages of the mental apparatus in which historical priority is given to what he calls 'psychosomatic reactions' over later psychoneurotic symptoms. These former result in pure discharge, whereas the latter are characterized by meaningfulness. She also briefly tries to connect some of her views with those of Melanie Klein and Bion.

Acting Out↗
PubMed1992

[Value of clinical gynecological examination in understanding sexual problems. Apropos of 40 case reports].

The author reports, in the context of gynecological practice, 40 sexology cases involving a superimposition of Oedipus complex and castration complex. A complex is a mismatch between reality and actions: the Oedipus complex involves an adult (reality) with the affect of a child (actions); the castration complex involves normal genital anatomy, the urethro-clitoro-vulval entity (reality), and abnormal sexuality (actions). The usefulness of clinical examination with palpation of the urethral sphincter (G point), which should be routine (notably for seeking the existence of chronic chlamydia urethritis), is to enable: better resolution of the two complexes, by superimposition of anatomical findings on psychological findings; distinction between subcortical castration complex (known sensitivity) and sub-limbic castration complex (previously unrecognised desirable vaginal sensitivity); identification of certain organic disorders of the urethral sphincter with urinary and sexual manifestations (notably post-partum).

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Aspects of anima and animus in Oedipal development.

This paper aims to insert the contrasexual archetype into the dynamic narrative of the Oedipus complex. Jung used the terms 'anima' and 'animus' to classify observed phenomena but did not explore the developmental origins of these phenomena in terms of personal history and experience. Some typical manifestations of anima and animus are described and shown to be rooted in the vicissitudes of Oedipal development. The contrasexual archetype is initially mediated by the oedipally loved parent and subsequent manifestations bear the imprint not only of the parent himself or herself but of the entire complex of object relationships in which Oedipal love is embedded. Successful resolution of the Oedipus complex depends on freeing the anima/animus from its Oedipal bonds so that its function as a bridge to the unconscious can be realized. This function is connected with the emergence of a symbolic capacity through which anima and animus can be recognized and valued as imaginal rather than external realities. The clinical material explores the damaging impact of a split parental couple on this process and the positive role of idealization as a stimulus to psychic development.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

A psychoanalytic study of Alexander the Great.

The purpose of this paper was to demonstrate how Freudian concepts such as the Oedipus complex, castration anxiety, fear of loss of love, the psychosexual stages of development, and the tripartite structure of personality can be used to understand the life and achievements of Alexander the Great. To accomplish this purpose, specific incidents, myths, and relationships in Alexander's life were analyzed from a Freudian psychoanalytic perspective. Green (1991), in his recent biography of Alexander, has questioned the merit of using Freudian concepts to understand Alexander's character. In fact, he stated specifically: If he (Alexander) had any kind of Oedipus complex it came in a poor second to the burning dynastic ambition which Olympias so sedulously fostered in him; those who insist on his psychological motivation would do better to take Adler as their mentor than Freud (p.56). Later, in the concluding section of his book, Green (1991, pp. 486-487) discounted Freudian interpretations of Alexander's distaste for sex, the rumors of his homosexual liaisons, his partiality for middle-aged or elderly ladies, and the systematic domination of his early years by Olympias as little more than the projected fears and desires of the interpreters. And again, an Adlerian power-complex paradigm was suggested as the preferable theoretical framework to use. Green's argument was based primarily on an exchange, reported originally by Plutarch, which took place between Alexander and Philip prior to Alexander's tutorship with Aristotle. Purportedly, Philip enjoined his son to study hard and pay close attention to all Aristotle said "so that you may not do a great many things of the sort that I am sorry I have done." At this point, Alexander "somewhat pertly" took Philip to task "because he was having children by other women besides his wife." Philip's reply was: "Well then, if you have many competitors for the kingdom, prove yourself honorable and good, so that you may obtain the kingdom not because of me, but because of yourself." Green interpreted this exchange as confirming that Alexander was more interested in his succession to the throne (power) than in any sexual relationships Philip might be having with any women other than Olympias. That is, Alexander's concern in this exchange was not about Philip's marital infidelity per se, but rather about the prospect of potential competitors (other children) for the throne. Significantly, by emphasizing the manifest content of the exchange, Green ignored a myriad of other possible fears and wishes on Alexander's part, including the fear of castration, the wish to have sex (like his father) with Olympias and other women, the wish to challenge his father's authority and superiority, the fear of loss of love, and the wish (given Philip's homosexual exploits with other boys) to have sex with Philip. Moreover, one could easily explain what Green has described as "the burning dynastic ambition which Olympias so sedulously fostered in him" (p.56), and Alexander's so called "power-complex" in terms which are perfectly consistent with drive/structure theory (e.g., see Freud, 1900/1953a and Freud, 1914/1957, respectively). In other words, Green's arguments against the possibility of a Freudian solution to the puzzle of Alexander's character are less than compelling. By contrast, as demonstrated in this paper, a plethora of historical data exist to suggest that much of Alexander's personality structure and behavior can be explained by his unresolved Oedipus complex, the ambition and self-confidence instilled in him by Olympias, the anal-sadistic and narcissistic organization of his character, his unconscious wish to please his mother, and his being lapped (from birth) in the myth of the hero. Although it is risky, at best, to attempt to analyze an individual without the benefit of clinical data, and even more risky to base such an analysis on fragmentary and often contradictory data assimilated long

Adult↗
PubMed1976

[Diagnosis of family relations. A clinical example].

Starting from the contention that family processes are much too complex to allow any direct approach, the author proposes the simultaneous use of four models. They are: I. A communication model. Adopting the theory of paradoxes in communication, it is possible to formulate in those terms any pathological issue of the OEdipus complex. II. An identification model. The outcome of the OEdipus complex implies the adoption os a system of identifications. It is possible to formulate any pathological structure in terms of disturbed identification pattern. III. A kinship model. The anthropological model of Lévi-Strauss allows an approach to the patterns of alliances and prohibitions; it is also possible to read into those patterns the pathological issues of the family group. IV. A semiotic model. The sessions can be considered as a corpus liable to analysis from the theory of discourse, and of the values in it. Disturbances in the discourse can be related to pathological situations. All four models are applied to a casestudy, aiming at testing their validity and articulations. Some final conclusions are drawn on the usefulness of the method, both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Oedipal distortions in severe character pathologies. Developmental and theoretical considerations.

The oedipus complex is presented as a universal, developmentally determined mental organization that incorporates pregenital factors in a new hierarchic structure. Psychoanalysis with adults who have a variety of disorders, including severe character pathology, demonstrates the role of the oedipus complex and its variants as a dominant theme in these disorders. Recent trends in psychoanalytic theory are reviewed to facilitate our understanding of the newer metapsychological formulations that tend to de-emphasize oedipal constellations. Specific issues of changing emphasis in drive theory, ego organization, developmental levels of anxiety, and the separation-individuation process are considered.

Anxiety, Castration↗