Originally Posted by
BohemianLush
Didn't Oedipus kill his father and sleep with his mother in Greek mythology?
Oedipus didn't kill his father knowingly, at least so far as the plays regarding him are concerned. His father tried to cheat a prophecy that stated his son would kill him, by taking his son and pinning his feet together (which is why it also means "swollen feet") so he couldn't walk, and leave him in the wilderness to die. His son was found, and raised by another king from another city. When he grew up he found out from the Seer at Delphi about the prophecy, and thinking it was his adopted parents the prophecy talked about (because he didn't know he was adopted), he left home to also cheat the prophecy. Unknowingly he met his father on the road, argued, killed him and continued to the city that his father was king of. When he arrived, he won a riddle contest which was being held because the king was found dead, he solved the riddle, became King, and took his mother as his wife all unknowingly.
So it wasn't that he coveted his mother, it was a Greek tragedy. It was meant as a lesson against attempting to cheat fate.
There is also a psychoanalytical complex called Oedipus, or the Oedipus complex, in which the child fights and wishes to replace the parent, like sons wanting to be the head of the household, women wanting to replace their mother, etc.
I wasn't going to mention these things, I was just going to see how things developed. But since you did bring it up, I figured I would post a little on it.
Scott
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