Unmasking the unconscious: fictional reworkings of the Oedipus complex

Abstract

The Oedipal Complex is a Freudian theory where he talks about rivalry with same-sex parent and unconscious desire towards opposite-sex parent. In case of males, it is known as Oedipal Complex. The thesis examines the Oedipal Complex via three primary fictions: Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (429 BC), Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami (2002) and My Oedipus Complex by Frank O’Connor (1963). These texts show how forbidden desires influence humans through tragedy, surrealism and humour in the protagonists of the fictions as it shows how their unconscious desire shaped their identities. This study will focus on the protagonists' relationships and struggles with their parents. Overall, the thesis will also show how the Oedipal complex is addressed and subverted in fiction, and what perspectives this provides into changing ideas regarding family, sexuality, and identity through the texts.