Contribution to the Study of Adlerian Oedipus

Abstract

This study proposes an analysis of the Oedipus complex from an Adlerian perspective, questioning the classic Freudian interpretation centered on incestuous desire for the mother and hatred for the father. According to Adler, the Oedipal conflict instead reflects the child's desire for affirmation and power, particularly in relation to paternal authority, understood as a symbolic obstacle to self-realization. This view is reflected in Sophocles' tragedy, where Oedipus acts not out of incestuous desire, but to achieve power and prestige. To test the Adlerian approach, Bellak's Children Apperception Test (C.A.T.) was used, a projective test used to probe unconscious dynamics in children aged 3 to 10. Tables 2, 3, 5, and 6 were selected because they most directly evoke the themes of parental authority and family relationships. The responses were interpreted using Anzieu's methodology, based on the studies of Murray and Tomkins. The results suggest that, in the subjects examined, conflicts do not primarily emerge as an expression of sexual desire towards the parent of the opposite sex, but rather as difficulties in asserting oneself within the family structure. This supports the hypothesis that the Oedipus complex, in Adlerian terms, is configured as a conflict for autonomy rather than incestuous tension. The research thus opens up new interpretative perspectives on the Oedipus complex, more consistent with the development of identity and personality in the relational and social context