Freud's concept of the Oedipal complex is based upon a play by the Greek tragedian, Sophocles. In this play, the character Oedipus
A) kills his father and marries his mother.
B) kills his brother and marries his mother.
C) kills his mother and marries his sister.
D) kills his brother and marries his sister.
E) kills his father and marries his sister.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In Sophocles' play "Oedipus Rex," the character Oedipus unknowingly kills his father and then goes on to marry his mother, Jocasta, fulfilling the prophecy that he was destined to do so. This play serves as the basis for Freud's theory of the Oedipal complex, in which young boys develop sexual desires towards their mothers and view their fathers as rivals.

Freud's Concept of the Oedipal Complex Is Based Upon a Play