The Sphinx Complex
Sphinx Complex represents a new reading of the Oedipus legend and how it applies to psychoanalysis and
extreme behaviour.
Let me quickly tell the Oedipus Rex story:
Oedipus is left in the woods as a baby to die by his parents, the King and Queen of Thebes, as an Oracle says he will kill his father and marry his mother. A shepherd rescues him and he grows up in Corinth as the son of the King and Queen of Corinth.
When he hears the Oracle that he will kill his father and marry his mother, he runs away thinking the King and Queen of Corinth are his real parents. He ends up going to Thebes which is under the curse of the Sphinx. The Sphinx is sitting on a hill in the city and killing and eating all the Thebans who cannot answer her riddle. See illustration above.
On the way, he unknowingly kills his father in a road rage incident. Then he meets the Sphinx and answer her riddle. He slays the monster, freeing Thebes from her curse.
He marries the Queen who he doesn't know is his mother and becomes King of Thebes. He has kids with her and the city is once again cursed. He vows to rid the city of this curse like he did the curse of the Sphinx.
He asks a blind prophet to tell him who or what the curse is and the prophet tells him that he is the curse that he is seeking. He finds out it is true and he stick pins in his eyes and exiles himself.
Using Legends For Psychology
When using Greek words and legends, they should be used accurately and without social bias. It eliminates possibility of confusion and promotion of false ideas. In the end, changes in terminology are solely for the purpose of better understanding what' we're talking about.
In the meantime, can you see why "Sphinx Complex" might be a term that better represents what we know as "Oedipus Complex"?
P.S. Freud thought Oedipus represents the unconscious because Oedipus didn't know who his father and mother were so he was "unconscious" of the fact.
Before explaining the Sphinx Complex, we'll explain the Sphinx and what she/it represents:
The Sphinx
" A very complex symbol. In the animal part we see in part the deep Subconscious - the autonomic system. Thus we see in part of the symbolism of the sphinx the animal tendencies – the survival instinct, the animal sensuality, which are traditionally male at this level.
But the sphinx is also in most representations a Lion and the Lion is the symbol of the Intellect.
Both the deep subconscious [autonomic system] and its animal urges [male] and the Intellect [also symbolically male] are blocks to spiritual experience.
Thus the objective of anyone on the spiritual path is to subdue both. Thus to a certain extent the sphinx is similar to the tamed lion .
But the sphinx has an animal lower half [the sexual part and animal urges as well as the Intellect] with a woman’s face - the feminine [the emotions and imagination plus creative capability]. The feminine dominates the masculine.
In effect, order to achieve the mystic marriage, the masculine has to embrace and understand the feminine and the marriage is the sphinx. Thus we often see a man - representing the masculine intellect and conscious self - the reasoning learning left brain side of us - embracing a sphinx, meaning he has both come to terms with the idea and is happy for it to happen.
"
www.allaboutheaven.org/symbols/519/153/sphinx
So the Sphinx in this story represents the great ideal or the mystic marriage missed. We see that in her riddle and the answer and the punishment. The people have missed the "male" side and cannot answer the riddle which, if we reverse the riddle and answer, is the riddle of, What Is A Man?
Does this sound like Oedipus? Is he missing the male side? No. Why? Does he know the answer because he has the mystic marriage or is he missing something too?
Are there really two types of Sphinx Complexes? Let's call one Oedipal because Oedipus has it, whatever IT is? What is the other one then - the one we call the Sphinx Complex?
Try Psychology Through Literature (next page) and read more Riddle of the Sphinx stories such as the one below. Click on cover for link to Amazon.
