Sigmund Freud Oedipus Complex Report

Sigmund Freud, a famous Austrian neurologist of the 19th and 20th century, was considered as the father of psychoanalysis; his most famous work is the Oedipus complex. Basing his theory on the name of Sophocles’ character, Oedipus, in the play Oedipus the King, Sigmund Freud discovered a psychological disorder that makes the sufferer acts like the character Oedipus. Oedipus the King is a play describing the prophecy of a child- saying that the child would grow up and kill his own father, but also sleep with his own mother. People with this oedipal disorder would act like Oedipus- desiring to have a relationship with their parents. Sigmund Freud clearly showed that he is highly influenced by Sophocles’ great work of art: basing his theory on Sophocles’ character and using Sophocles’ ideas to structure his own perception.

In the play, Oedipus the King, Oedipus received a prophecy: “Apollo foretold of horrors to befall [him]: that [he] was doomed to lie with [his] mother and be the murderer of [his] father.” So, “before three days were out after his birth, King Laius pierced his ankles and had him cast out upon a hillside to die.” However, Oedipus survived, and was adopted by the king of Corinth, unknowing to him that he was adopted. Oedipus later visited Apollo’s prophet at Delphi, who told him that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother. Believing that his father is the king of Corinth, Oedipus fled towards Thebes, not wanting to kill his “father”. On the way to Thebes, Oedipus encountered an old man with his servants. This old man angered him, so Oedipus finally decided to murder the man and his servants. Without his knowledge, this man he just murdered was actually his biological father.

Upon entering Thebes, Oedip...

... middle of paper ...

...ry BC, it still is able to influence the ideas of modern psychology, devoting to one of the most important aspects of the human brain itself.

Works Cited

Bartel, Nick. "Oedipus the King." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. N.p., 1999. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. .

Cherry, Kendra. "Oedipal Complex." About.com Psychology. nRelate, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. .

“Oedipus complex.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. .

Wilson, Sarah. "Sigmund Freud and the oedipal complex." The Guardian. N.p., 8 Mar. 2009. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. .