The Last Rise and Fall Shown to us by the Man Who Chose "Swollen Foot": The Film The Whale.

The film The Whale goes beyond just depicting one aspect of the life of a morbidly obese man. As the audience watches Charlie, the main character who helplessly chose to live a morbidly obese life, we are compelled to reflect on what it means for ourselves to rise from the ground as we live in a gravitational field. Ultimately, this film is in line with director Darren Arnofsky's previous masterpiece, Black Swan. While the Oedipus complex runs through both films, this film goes one step further than Black Swan to face head-on the theme of "swollen foot," which is the original meaning of Oedipus. Through this move, we realize the essence of the Oedipus complex-something more fundamental than castration anxiety-something that we have been missing.

The Subject of the Dialectic: Some Consequences of Freud's Bisexuality Thesis.

On the basis of a previous reading (Olver, 2023) of Freud's work that reveals a bisexuality thesis, the author discusses several interrelated consequences of this thesis, including the nature of desire and primal unity, a restatement of shame, the semiotic model, and the emergence of society and the economy with reference to the ego and the superego. These consequences together encapsulate and describe the dialectic of the subject. The author shows how dialectic movement is arrested by various acts of nomination, most notably the nomination of heterosexuality in the forms of sexual reproduction and financial profit that become social and economic master values in modernity. Only by keeping the dialectic open can the subject do justice to its inherent and revolutionary bisexual nature, not in the sense of transgression but rather in pursuit of the nonnomination that is the permanent becoming of a dialectic self.

Radical Freud (Part Two): Freud's Bisexuality Thesis and the Negation of the Oedipus Complex.

The author focuses on bisexuality in a continued analysis of Freud's radical sexual theory. A close reading of texts from Freud's work, in particular "The Ego and the Id," demonstrates how Freud puts forward a bisexuality thesis in parallel and as an alternative to his thesis of the Oedipus complex. This bisexuality thesis is premised on the mechanism of object cathexis and identification by which the ego and superego are formed. The textual excavation is extended back to earlier material by Freud and other authors (Trigant Burrow, Isidor Sadger) to reveal the foundational bedrock of the bisexuality thesis in primary identification. This line of investigation boldly confirms not only Freud's view of the fundamental centrality of bisexuality to human sexuality but also its main consequence, which Freud himself implicitly recognizes, namely, the negation of the Oedipus complex. This argument has ramifications for the theory and clinical practice of psychoanalysis.

Self-inflicted bilateral ocular injury with scissors in a psychiatric patient.

A young male was brought to the ophthalmic emergency by his family with severe bleeding from both eyes after self-inflicted injury with scissors in a fit of mania. He had a history of schizophrenia and has been on irregular treatment for the past 10 years. Both eyes were severely damaged with avulsion of all extraocular muscles in one eye and a large corneoscleral laceration in the other. We report this unique case of oedipism or self-enucleation where a sharp instrument was used. Self-inflicted injury to the eyes is a rather uncommon phenomenon described in psychiatric patients. It can range from minor abrasions to severe ocular mutilation and loss of sight. The strict observation of these patients while admitted to the hospital and a multidisciplinary approach to ensure their future safety are imperative.

Freud's Red Thread: Explorations of the Unconscious Sense of Guilt.

The concept of an "unconscious sense of guilt" bedevils Freud throughout his life, rearing its head in at least twenty-four of his major works and working behind the scenes in many others. In a sense, we can see Freud's oeuvre, and psychoanalysis more generally, as a discourse of unconscious guilt. While Freud frames the oedipus complex as the central defining dynamic of human experience, the unconscious sense of guilt is arguably the underbelly that both precedes and exceeds that complex. By unraveling a range of complexities within Freud's conceptualization of unconscious guilt, we will come to see that guilt is an unavoidable by-product of the human condition, intrinsically interwoven with libidinal desire.

The Crises of Oedipus.

This article describes the various crises of the Oedipus complex. In the beginning, I address the crisis of the first traumatic days when Oedipus was to be abandoned in the wilderness. This early breakdown takes place at what may be denoted as stage zero. During this first crisis, the defensive solution is an act of doubling, according to Quinodoz's dédoublement of the parental pair, accompanied by the defenses of splitting, foreclosure, and annihilation. Protected by these defenses, the child would be able to search for a solution to the neurotic part of the Oedipus complex. According to Freud's and Lacan's conception, these phases encompass the stages of the imaginary omnipotence, of the symbolic prohibition, and the symbolic reconciliation. The second crisis of Oedipus signifies therefore that the desire encounters the prohibition of the third (e.g., the father). I will show these stages in the 1967 film adaptation of Oedipus Rex and the life of its director, Pierre Paolo Pasolini. Against this background, the third crisis of Oedipus is considered: the impending ecological catastrophe.

The Power of Stories.

Stories hold an important role in the theory and practice of psychoanalysis. Their power derives in part from the fact that humans are biologically programmed for storytelling. Stories foster connection with others, socialization, and identity formation. They are integral to all psychoanalytic theories of therapeutic action, and their telling is therapeutic in itself. Psychoanalytic theoretical paradigms can be considered stories, as well. A positive outcome of analytic treatment has the individual emerging with an open-ended story that encompasses past, present, and future. Finally, an autobiographical example demonstrates how shared stories consolidate group identities, uphold and perpetuate a group's power over others, and perpetuate racial and ethnic stereotypes.

Adolescence between biology and culture a perspective on the crisis of symbolization.

One way to conceptualize human life is to describe it as a process through which the biological body is progressively transformed into a psychological one through its mentalization and symbolization. This process occurs through the relational field, which begins with caregiver-infant proto-conversations and develops through adolescence into the ongoing complex interpersonal relational network we call society and culture. The essence and the problems of adolescents are intricately tied to the social and cultural contexts in which they experience life. Therefore, adolescence cannot be understood if all the levels that it expresses (biological, psychological cultural/social) are not taken into consideration. We identify three psycho-historical phases through which adolescence has changed in the past century: (1) Oedipal; (2) Narcissistic; and (3) Post-narcissistic. In this last phase due to the psychological and historical failure of the narcissistic ideals, the ideal is mingling with the real in a wholly new way. This process has overturned Erikson's paradigm: identity, opposed and defined by a dichotomic otherness, must be transformed into a fluid integration of similarities and differences negotiated and developed through empirical interpersonal intersubjective experiences. This, in our perspective, is a possible key to understand the rapid change in the nature of consciousness, selfhood, and gendering in today's western world, together with some important psychopathological disorders which describe the new creative challenges of today's adolescents.

Bion at the Crossroads: A Contrarian Reading of "on Arrogance".

In "On Arrogance," Wilfred Bion made a remarkable claim: "the analyst who is treating an apparently neurotic patient must regard a negative therapeutic response together with the appearance of scattered, unrelated references to curiosity, arrogance, and stupidity as evidence that he is in the presence of a psychological catastrophe with which he will have to deal." However Bion came to believe this, he sought grounds for it in a reading of Oedipus that seriously distorts that tragedy. Since the clinical outcome in "On Arrogance" appears to be impasse, perhaps even iatrogenic injury, the text's value is perhaps best consolidated by historicizing its construction through a psychoanalytic lens. Thus, while "On Arrogance" has been canonized as prescriptive for the treatment of difficult patients, it can instead be read as the illuminating trace of a grievously difficult intrapsychic struggle, a personal reckoning that resulted in Bion's 1958 return to the battlefield at Amiens where he had "died" in the hell of combat forty years earlier. "On Arrogance" thus reflects a prodigious episode of sublimation that proved essential to Bion's lifelong development as a psychoanalytic writer and thinker.

Whose Genitalia Are Involved In The Dissolution Of The Oedipus Complex In Boys?

This paper addresses the issue of whose genitalia are involved in the dissolution of the castration complex in boys. Freud and his followers suggested several different possibilities which are elaborated herein, and these alternative models are discussed from the perspective of psychological research regarding children's emergent gender identity and their awareness of genital differences. The reviewed data show that contrary to Freudian theory, preschool children's emergent gender identity is not dependent on their awareness of genital differences. However, preschoolers with younger siblings, primarily opposite gender ones, evidence greater understanding of genital differences, as Freud suggested. The discussion emphasizes the importance of children's family constellation and their awareness of self-other similarity and dissimilarity in the development of their gender identity.

O estágio da concernência e a elaboração do complexo de Édipo: revisitando Winnicott e o caso Piggle / The stage of concern and the elaboration of the Oedipus complex: revisiting Winnicott and the Piggle case / La etapa de preocupación y la elaboración del complejo de Edipo: revisando Winnicott y el caso Piggle

O nosso texto toma como ideia central o referencial winnicottiano, salientando a importância de um bom atravessamento do estágio da concernência (stage of concern) ­ etapa que, a nosso ver, é indispensável para constituir os pilares de um psiquismo relativamente saudável, capaz de enfrentar as mazelas oriundas do conflito edipiano. Para tanto, iniciaremos o trabalho com uma breve descrição do estágio da concernência, seguida das questões relativas à ambivalência característica do Édipo propriamente dito. Por fim, tecemos algumas considerações que objetivam relacionar uma análise do caso Piggle (The Piggle), uma menina de dois anos e meio, cujo tratamento, realizado por D. W. Winnicott, ocorreu em dezesseis encontros, constituindo uma espécie de análise, de acordo com a demanda, tratando, sobretudo, questões ligadas à intensidade de sentimentos ambivalentes não elaborados pela paciente, que anteciparam o seu ingresso no complexo de Édipo antes que ela passasse, fundamentalmente, pelo estágio da concernência.

Our text makes as its central idea the Winnicott's approach, emphasizing the importance of a good crossing of the stage of concern - a stage that, in our view, is essential to constitute the pillars of a relatively healthy psyche, capable of coping with ailments arising from the oedipal conflict. Therefore, we will begin our work with a brief description of the stage of concern, followed by questions relating to the characteristic ambivalence of Oedipus himself. Finally, we make some considerations that aim to connect with an analysis of the Piggle case (The Piggle), a two and a half year old girl, whose treatment, carried out by D.W. Winnicott, occurred during sixteen meetings, constituting a kind of analysis according to demand, dealing with, above all, issues related to the intensity of ambivalent feelings not elaborated by the patient, which anticipated her entry into the Oedipus complex before she went, fundamentally, through the stage of concern.

Nuestro texto toma como idea central el marco winnicottiano, enfatizando la importancia de un buen cruce de la etapa de la preocupación, etapa que, a nuestro juicio, es fundamental para constituir los pilares de una psique rela-tivamente sana, capaz de hacer frente a las dolencias que surgen. del conflicto edípico. Por lo tanto, comenzaremos el trabajo con una breve descripción de la etapa de preocupación, seguida de preguntas relacionadas con la ambiva-lencia característica del propio Edipo. Finalmente, hacemos algunas consi-deraciones que pretenden relacionar un análisis del caso Piggle (The Piggle), una niña de dos años y medio, cuyo tratamiento, realizado por DW Winnicott, ocurrió en dieciséis encuentros, constituyendo una especie de análisis según demanda, abordando, sobre todo, cuestiones relacionadas con la intensidad de sentimientos ambivalentes no elaborados por la paciente, que anticipaban su entrada en el complejo de Edipo antes de pasar, fundamentalmente, por la etapa de la preocupación.

Children's affectionate and assertive attitudes towards their parents: the Oedipus complex or parent-offspring conflict?

Being one of Freud's most famous contributions to psychoanalysis, the Oedipus complex is still a topic of heated interest. It has been disputed in many different disciplines ranging from anthropology to biology. This theoretical paper aimed to explain the phenomena that are represented by children's affectionate and assertive attitudes towards their parents, named as the Oedipus complex by some, in terms of parent-offspring conflict, sibling competition, and infanticide. All of these evolutionary biological concepts or their combination could conceive specific relational settings similar to those emerging in the Oedipus complex. Psychoanalysis surely acknowledges the effects of parent-offspring conflict or sibling dynamics on familial relations and character formation. Nevertheless, they have been generally overshadowed by other primary theoretical concepts. Considering the findings from evolutionary biology and developmental psychology, it was asserted that parent-offspring conflict and sibling dynamics must be included in the conceptualization of oedipal-like behaviors. In light of these hypotheses, related literature and suggestions for further studies were discussed.

A sexualidade humana: maldição ou mal-entendido? / Human sexuality: curse or misunderstanding?

Resumo Este artigo propõe uma reflexão acerca do pavor que, no Brasil, tem assolado grande parcela da sociedade no que se refere às questões de sexualidade e de gênero, mais especificamente, a crença de que as crianças, consideradas desprovidas de sexualidade, podem ser influenciadas pelo discurso "pervertido" que os militantes e apoiadores do movimento LGBTQI+ estariam tentando propagar. Após uma breve descrição do cenário atual, formulações psicanalíticas são apresentadas, visando a desmitificar a equivocada ideia de "pureza" relacionada à infância e levantar hipóteses que explicariam essa rejeição absoluta a tudo o que foge à norma no campo da sexualidade.

Abstract This article proposes a reflection on the dread that, in Brazil, has plagued a large part of society with regard to issues of sexuality and gender, more specifically, the belief that children, considered to be devoid of sexuality, can be influenced by "perverted" discourse that activists and supporters of the LGBTQI+ movement would be trying to spread. After a brief description of the current scenario, psychoanalytical formulations are presented, aiming to demystify the mistaken idea of "purity" related to childhood and to raise hypotheses that would explain this absolute rejection of everything that is outside the norm in the field of sexuality.

Quando édipo encontra Lábdaco: Sobre o complexo de édipo entre um avô e uma neta à luz da psicanálise vincular / When oedipus meets Lábdaco: About the oedipus complex between a grandfather and a granddaughter in the light of Links Psychoanalysis / Cuando edipo encuentra Lábdaco: Sobre el complejo de edipo entre un abuelo y una nieta a la luz de Psicoanálisis Vincular

O complexo de Édipo é até hoje um dos conceitos mais centrais no campo da psicanálise e se refere a uma dada situação familiar prototípica que supostamente atravessa todo sujeito no decorrer de seu desenvolvimento emocional. Tendo o conceito passado por diversas revisões, complementações e críticas ao longo do tempo, e, embora tenha perdido seu caráter universal, não ocorrendo necessariamente entre pai, mãe e criança, como acreditava Freud, ainda assim tem sua importância. Entretanto, são poucos os trabalhos que abordam outras dinâmicas relacionais na família, para além do relacionamento pais e filhos. Este artigo se propõe a contribuir para o estudo específico do vínculo entre avós e netos, por meio de um relato de caso bastante particular acerca de um complexo edípico envolvendo esse tipo de dupla. O aporte teórico da psicanálise vincular foi eleito por ser um referencial que enfatiza o âmbito intersubjetivo e o todo familiar, podendo, assim, melhor abarcar uma reflexão aprofundada sobre essa temática.

The Oedipus complex is to this day one of the most central concepts in the field of psychoanalysis and refers to a given prototypical family situation that supposedly crosses every subject in the course of his emotional development. Since the concept has undergone several revisions, complements and criticisms over time, and although it has lost its universal character, not necessarily occurring between father, mother and child, as Freud believed, it still has its importance. However, few studies deal with other relational dynamics in the family, in addition to the relationship between parents and children. This article proposes to contribute to the specific study of the bond between grandparents and grandchildren, through a very particular case report about an oedipal complex involving this type of pair. The theoretical contribution of the links psychoanalysis was chosen because it is a reference that emphasizes the intersubjective scope and the family, and, therefore, better to include a deep reflection on this theme.

El complejo de Edipo es hasta hoy uno de los conceptos más centrales en el campo del psicoanálisis y se refiere a una determinada situación familiar prototípica que supuestamente atraviesa a todo sujeto en el transcurso de su desarrollo emocional. Con el concepto pasado por diversas revisiones, complementaciones y críticas a lo largo del tiempo, y, aunque ha perdido su carácter universal, no ocurriendo necesariamente entre padre, madre y niño, como creía Freud, todavía tiene su importancia. Sin embargo, son pocos los trabajos que abordan otras dinámicas relacionales en la familia, además de la relación padres e hijos. Este artículo se propone contribuir al estudio específico del vínculo entre abuelos y nietos, por medio de un relato de caso bastante particular acerca de un complejo edípico envolviendo ese tipo de doble. El aporte teórico del psicoanálisis vincular fue elegido por ser un referencial que enfatiza el ámbito intersubjetivo y el todo familiar, pudiendo así mejor abarcar una reflexión profundizada sobre esa temática.

Teoria da sedução: ascensão e queda ou O surgimento do Édipo / Theory of seduction: rise and fall or The emergence of Oedipus / Teoría de la seducción: ascenso y caída o El surgimiento de Edipo / Théorie de la séduction: ascension et chute ou L'avènement d'œdipe

O abandono da teoria da sedução foi essencial para o desenvolvimento da psicanálise, tendo em vista que possibilitou a descoberta das fantasias inconscientes e da sexualidade infantil. Com base nisso, analisamos neste artigo, por meio da correspondência entre Freud e Fliess, quais motivos levaram Freud a defender sua teoria da sedução e, posteriormente, a rejeitá-la. Além disso, buscamos demonstrar que, à medida que o autor adquiriu maior compreensão sobre a noção de realidade psíquica e sobre os impulsos infantis, esse caminho o levou diretamente ao Édipo.

The abandonment of the theory of seduction was essential to the development of psychoanalysis, considering that it enabled the discovery of unconscious fantasies and of the infant sexuality. Having this as basis, the objective of this article is to analyse, through the correspondence between Freud to Fliess, which reasons led Freud to defend his Theory of Seduction and, later on, reject it. Furthermore, we try to demonstrate that, as the author acquires a wider comprehension about the notion of psychic reality and the childhood impulses, this path led him straight to Oedipus.

El abandono de la teoría de la seducción fue esencial para el desarrollo del psicoanálisis, considerando que hizo posible el descubrimiento de fantasías inconscientes y de la sexualidad infantil. Con base en esto, el objetivo de este artículo es analizar, por intermedio de la correspondencia de Freud con Fliess, qué razones llevaron a Freud a defender su teoría de la seducción y, posteriormente, a rechazarla. Además, buscamos demostrar que, a medida que el autor adquirió una mayor comprensión de la noción de realidad psíquica y de los impulsos infantiles, este camino le llevó directamente a Edipo.

L'abandon de la théorie de la séduction a été essentiel pour le développement de la psychanalyse, vu qu'elle a permis la découverte de fantasmes inconscients et de la sexualité infantile. Fondé sur ces idées, l'objectif de cet article est d'analyser à l'appui de la correspondance de Freud avec Fliess, quelles raisons ont conduit le premier à défendre sa théorie de la séduction et, plus tard, à la rejeter. En plus, on cherche à démontrer que, au fur et à mesure que l'auteur a acquis une meilleure compréhension de la notion de réalité psychique et des impulsions infantiles, ce chemin l'a conduit directement à œdipe.

El complejo de Edipo reactualizado / The updated Oedipus complex

Resumen El complejo de Edipo se convirtió en la piedra angular estructurante del aparato psíquico según Freud. Desde sus primeras menciones del mismo hacia fines del siglo XIX hasta el año de su muerte, transcurrieron más de 40 años en los que continuó elaborando sus ideas al respecto. Nos podemos preguntar sobre el valor y la permanencia de un postulado que se comenzó a desarrollar en plena época victoriana, habiendo transcurrido ya dos décadas del siglo XXI. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo escudriñar su vigencia y como puede ser entendido el Complejo de Edipo en la actualidad.

The Oedipus complex became the structuring cornerstone of the psychic apparatus according to Freud. From his first mentions of it towards the end of the 19th century until the year of his death, more than 40 years passed in which he continued to elaborate his ideas on the matter. We can ask ourselves about the value and permanence of a postulate that began to develop in the Victorian era, two decades of the 21st century having already passed. The present work aims to scrutinize its validity and how the Oedipus Complex can be understood today.

Chekhov's Oedipal Journey.

In this paper, I posit that Chekhov, in composing his plays, came to master the oedipal tensions and conflicts embodied by his psychic image of his mother and biological father as well as of his artistic father, Shakespeare. Chekhov framed his feelings about his parents through his many versions of the Hamlet closet scene, in which Hamlet kills Polonius and upbraids his mother for having married Claudius. Chekhov eventually transformed that scene to embody his new post-oedipal vision of his parents and of himself. In the process, he created a new scenic structure for dramatizing oedipal strivings.

A Revision of Freud's Theory of the Biological Origin of the Oedipus Complex.

This revision concerns primarily the biological origin of the Oedipus complex, classically understood as an inherited primal phantasy. However, a reconceptualization of the origin of what Freud called the nuclear complex of the neuroses also has consequences for understanding its nature. A review of current knowledge relevant to the biological mechanisms of inheritance and the type of memory system that Freud had in mind, and a review of modern instinct theory, suggests that the Oedipus complex is not an innate predisposition but rather the almost inevitable outcome of a combination of simpler biological processes.

The role of the feminine in the Oedipus complex: rescuing the mother-woman in the triangular structuring of the mind

Much has been written about the woman in the context of the mother-infant relationship. However, the role of the woman in the Oedipus complex has not received much attention. The aim of the present paper is to review the theories regarding the double feminine role - sexual object and object of identification - in the Oedipal triangle, making the mother a protagonist (as much as the father). For that, the article situates the "feminine" in the contemporary family and synthetically reviews the articulation between the phallic mother, castration, power/potency, and misogyny, with a focus on Freud, Chodorow, Ogden, and Fiorini. The arguments are illustrated with the Oedipal scenario in the case of Dora and the postulations of Bleichmar and Balsam. Finally, a case is made for the importance of strengthening both identity poles (feminine and masculine) to enable better object relations in adult life.(AU)

Muito se escreveu sobre a mulher no contexto da relação mãe-bebê. No entanto, o papel da mulher no complexo de Édipo não recebeu muita atenção. O objetivo do presente artigo é revisar as teorias a respeito do duplo papel feminino - objeto sexual e objeto de identificação - no triângulo edipiano, tornando a mãe protagonista (tanto quanto o pai). Para tanto, o artigo situa o "feminino" na família contemporânea e revê sinteticamente a articulação entre mãe fálica, castração, poder / potência e misoginia, com foco em Freud, Chodorow, Ogden e Fiorini. Os argumentos são ilustrados com o cenário edipiano no caso de Dora e as postulações de Bleichmar e Balsam. Por fim, defende-se a importância de fortalecer os dois pólos identitários (feminino e masculino) para possibilitar melhores relações objetais na vida adulta.(AU)

Mucho se ha escrito sobre la mujer en el contexto de la relación madre-hijo. Sin embargo, el papel de la mujer en el complejo de Edipo no ha recibido mucha atención. El objetivo del presente trabajo es revisar las teorías sobre el doble rol femenino - objeto sexual y objeto de identificación- en el triángulo edípico, haciendo de la madre protagonista (tanto como del padre). Para eso, el artículo sitúa lo "femenino" en la familia contemporánea y revisa sintéticamente la articulación entre la madre fálica, la castración, el poder / potencia y la misoginia, con un enfoque en Freud, Chodorow, Ogden y Fiorini. Los argumentos se ilustran con el escenario edípico en el caso de Dora y las postulaciones de Bleichmar y Balsam. Finalmente, se defiende la importancia de fortalecer ambos polos de identidad (femenino y masculino) para permitir mejores relaciones de objeto en la vida adulta.(AU)