Podcast Episode

454. The oedipus complex

The Psychology of your 20s·iHeartPodcasts·14 September 2026·31 min

About this episode

The Oedipus complex is one of Freud’s most renowned and shocking ideas. In this episode, we dive into the origins of the theory and whether anything really remains once its gendered assumptions and controversial sexual claims are stripped away. We explore: - How the Greek tragedy of Oedipus inspired Freud’s theory - What Freud meant by unconscious childhood desire and parental rivalry - The importance of the phallic stage - How Freud believed it was resolved - and what fixation was thought to mean for adulthood - His problematic gendered ideas - The scientific and ethical problems surrounding the theory - How modern psychoanalysis has reinterpreted Oedipal ideas Watch on Netflix: HERE Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com  Our favourite sources: https://lacanianworksexchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/19260101-The-Flight-from-Womanhood-The-Masculinity-Complex-in-Women-as-Viewed-by-Men-and-by-Women-Karen-Horney-IJP-7-p324-339.pdf   https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.2167-4086.2004.tb00151.x   https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0033-3204.32.4.535   https://www.routledge.com/The-Oedipus-Complex-A-Contemporary-Introduction/Rohleder/p/book/9781032495651   The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.