Lagura: Hated his father, loved his mother

Fr. Flor Lagura SVD

THE “Oedipus complex” -- an intense dislike, even hatred of a son to his father -- and its counterpart: “Electra complex” -- the daughter’s dislike for the mother, became a powerful idea contributed by the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Born in 1856 to a Jewish couple, Jacob -- an authoritarian parent -- and Amalie -- beautiful and vivacious lady -- in Freiberg, Austria (now part of Czechoslovakia), his given name: Sigismund Schlomo Freud.

As a boy, Freud reportedly lost his respect and admiration for his father when one day a gang of Christian youngsters mobbed his parent. Freud was shamed to see his father surrender without a fight.

Keeping this horrible experience to himself, Freud devoted his time to studies so he would excel. Excel he did, landing on top of his class 7 of the eight years he spent in basic education. The brilliant student easily became “mama’s boy,” and he responded by showering her with gifts. Not a Sunday would pass without a bouquet of flowers for the doting mother. So unusual was the love between mother and son that people began to raise their eyebrows.

Besides winning mama’s favor with excellent grades, the young Freud also obtained scholarship grants for him to study medicine. Later, he went for further studies in psychology entering thereby the new era of psychoanalysis.

Reflecting on his childhood experiences, namely, a strong aversion to his father and uncommon love for his mother, with the help of the sciences of medicine and psychology, then framing his reflections within the tragic myth of Oedipus, the Greek who unknowingly killed his biological father, then married his own mother, Freud’s theory -- shedding light on the dark side of man -- contributed tremendously to the knowledge of what is man.

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