Philosophy 526-640 Joe Breslin

Philosophy and Psychoanalysis

Spring 2013

Question #6 Freuds Use of the Oedipus Theory

1. Assess Freuds use of the Oedipus myth in the psychoanalytic interpretation of human behavior. 2. What role does the myth play in Freuds thought, and is he justified in using it as he does? 3. Does it help or hinder us in understanding his theory? Explain fully.
In studying the theories of Sigmund Freud we can see that he makes extensive use of references to literature and other cultural artifacts in order elaborate on and explain his ideas. One of the more significant references that he uses throughout his career is a recurring reference to the story behind the plays by Sophocles of Oedipus Rex. By using this tale as a basis for his psycho-analytical theories Freud has provided a good vehicle to help the reader of his works to develop a frame of reference to understand the ideas that he is trying to make. At the same time, his continued reliance on the idea behind this play allowed him to extend his theories from the individual to society at large over the entire course of his career. I think he has made a good choice in using this myth as a basis for his interpretation of human behavior and that Freuds use of this myth has allowed for an extensive and rich analysis of the human psyche, and its relation to society, in such a way that it is still a very powerful perspective on understanding human behavior to this day.

However, the use of this myth is not without its problems. Upon first encountering Freuds interpretation of the Oedipus story the reader can be appalled by the concepts that Freud offers of an infants sexual attraction to his mother and his desire to murder his father in order to eliminate any rivals for the love of the mother. [Quote]. This is not even an accurate

interpretation of Sophocles plays because in them Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother in an accidental manner: he is not the pre-meditated conspirator in the same way that Freud proposes the infant to be. In turn, even speculation about these sexual and homicidal qualities, and if they could possibly even pertain to the motivation of an infant, further complicate the readers ability to understand the motivation of the infant child and lead to a conclusion that Freud is silly to make these associations.

Freud posits a shocking theory but he is patient in his own discoveries through this theory and he continues to develop his ideas around this theory to come up with concrete conceptions about the individuals relationship to his parents. To shock and then explain concepts behind an idea is a powerful learning technique and Freud shows it to be useful as he further develops his theories over time. Freud postulates that the infant child wants to have his mother as a sexual object and that he realizes his father to be an adversary to the fulfillment of this wish. [Quote]. However, in an infantile and helpless state as the child develops he realizes it is impossible to fulfill these wishes because he is not sexually mature in a manner to have his mother as a love object or physically mature enough to eliminate his father [Quote].

Upon first encounter with the Oedipus Complex theory the reader is appalled. Freud develops theory to explain child development using these parameters in a manner to explain so common behaviors between parent and child Freud develops theory to explain common behaviors between society (paternal) and individual. Even though the theory is hard to comprehend it evolves over time to help us to understand the mental states and events.