Pippa Corbett answered
A male that is infatuated or sexually obsessed by his mother might be suffering from something psychologists call an Oedipus Complex.
The term was first coined by the Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.
When a boy is sexually attracted to his mother Freud's theory is based on the idea that male infants grow up feeling a natural psychosexual urge to sexually possess their own mother, something that puts them in direct competition with their father.
The term derives from a 5th century Greek mythological character called Oedipus.
Who is Oedipus?
The Greek myth that Freud named his theory after is a rather fascinating one.
According to the tale, Oedipus receives a prophesy from the Oracle of Delphi that he will one day kill his father and sleep with his mother.
Determined not to see the prophesy come true, Oedipus leaves his homeland and embarks on a series of adventures.
To cut a long story short, he ends up being crowned ruler of Thebes- and unwittingly marries his mother and kills his father (just like the Oracle said he would).
Racked with guilt, he stabs out his own eyes. Charming.
The term was first coined by the Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.
When a boy is sexually attracted to his mother Freud's theory is based on the idea that male infants grow up feeling a natural psychosexual urge to sexually possess their own mother, something that puts them in direct competition with their father.
The term derives from a 5th century Greek mythological character called Oedipus.
Who is Oedipus?
The Greek myth that Freud named his theory after is a rather fascinating one.
According to the tale, Oedipus receives a prophesy from the Oracle of Delphi that he will one day kill his father and sleep with his mother.
Determined not to see the prophesy come true, Oedipus leaves his homeland and embarks on a series of adventures.
To cut a long story short, he ends up being crowned ruler of Thebes- and unwittingly marries his mother and kills his father (just like the Oracle said he would).
Racked with guilt, he stabs out his own eyes. Charming.
