the oedipus complex in the light of early anxieties ۱۹۴۵

INTRODUCTION

I HAVE two main objectives in presenting this paper. I intend to single out some typical early anxiety situations and show their connection with the Oedipus complez. Since these anzieties and defences are part of the infantile depremive position as I see it, I hope to throw some light on the relation between the depremive position and libidinal development. My second purpose is to compare my conchuions about the Oedipus complex with Freud’s view on that subject. I shall exemplify my argument by short extracts from two case. bistories. Many more details could be adduced about both analyaes, about the patients’ family relationships and about the technique used. I shall, however, confine myself to those details of the material which are most esential from the point of view of my mbject-matter. The children whose case histories I shall usc to illustrate my argument were both suffering from severe emotional difficulties. La making use of such material as a basis for my conchuion about the . normal course of the Oedipus development, I am following a method well tried in prycho-analysis. Freud justified this angle of appronch in many of his writings. For instance in one place, he says; Pathology has always done us the service of making discernible by isolation and ezaggeration conditions which would remain concealed in a normal state.’ (S.K. ma, p. 121).