ABSTRACT
Sigmund Freud’s idea is that the Oedipus complex is usually “twofold, positive and negative”. G. Devereux summarised the togetherness of both the positive and negative Oedipus complexes of the father as the “Laius complex”. The tendency contradicting castration can also be found in the myth in which Laius does not kill his son himself but entrusts Jocasta with Oedipus’ exposure, likely because “his homosexual love for his son was too strong for him”. However, in his conception of the female Oedipus complex he ignores the significance of the father’s sexually charged advances that cause the daughter to become a rival to her mother. In the negative Oedipus complex the girl’s father competes with her for the love of the mother and threatens his daughter with the loss of his love. It is evident that the myths referring to the negative Oedipus complex contradict the castrating tendency that can be seen in the myths relating to the positive Oedipus complex of the father.
