Abstract
The “Laius complex,” named after Oedipus' filicidal and pederastic father, refers to the murderous and incestuous wishes of a parent toward a child. In its broader meaning, the Laius complex also includes any wish on the part of one in authority to symbolically murder or diminish a subordinate. Although the stories from myth and religion, as well as our own personal experiences and clinical observations, give us ample evidence of parental aggression and hostility, the Laius complex has been largely ignored in the psychoanalytic literature. This paper will explore why this has been so, and argues that the Laius complex does deserve more recognition than it has hitherto been given. The author begins with Freud and his understanding of Oedipus/Laius issues. Next, the contributions of George Devereux, Martin Bergmann, and others are discussed with an emphasis on the appearance of the Laius motif in myth and religion. Finally, the author discusses the implication of the Laius complex for psychoanalytic theory and clinical practice.
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