Precocious Oedipal fantasies and countertransference

Abstract

In the myth of Oedipus there are numerous narrations of the Oedipus complex, where the most primitive levels are interwoven with the most evolved ones. In the myth of Orestes who kills his mother, we see how the precocious Oedipus complex is linked to the early relationship with the breast, and with the parental couple which is in conflict, destroys itself and kills the offspring. In the clinical material of a 41/2-year-old child, experiences of disintegration and annihilation are differentiated with respect to a parental couple which is in destructive conflict. Likewise highlighted in this context are the identification difficulties of the child who, especially in the absence of analysis, is not able to find good structuring experiences for his id. Also clarified is the role of countertransference in understanding the primitive levels of mental experience.

Key Words:

• Oedipal fantasies
• countertransference
• exclusion
• jealousy
• disintegration
• annihilation