Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T12:18:12.357Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Medea Complex: The Mother's Homicidal Wishes to her Child

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2018

Edward S. Stern
Edward S. Stern*
Affiliation:
The Central Hospital, Hatton, near Warwick
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

A Complex is a group of emotionally invested ideas that have unconscious activities. Contrary though it be to the popular and sentimental idea of an overriding mother love, it is common, especially in child psychiatry, to find a mother's lively hatred and even homicidal wishes towards her child. I consider that this should be called “The Medea Complex.”

Type
Part I.—Original Articles
Information
Journal of Mental Science , Volume 94 , Issue 395 , April 1948 , pp. 321 - 331
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1948 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ball, J. D. (1913), Encyc. of Religion and Ethics, ed. J. Hastings, 6, 845. Google Scholar
Childe, V. G. (1944), Progress and Archaeology, 8. London. Google Scholar
Crawley, A. E. (1913), Encyc. of Religion and Ethics, ed. J. Hastings, 6, 840. Edinburgh and N.Y. Google Scholar
Deutsck, H. (1946), Psychology of Women, 1, 278. - London. Google Scholar
Edwards, E. (1913) Encyc. of Religion and Ethics, ed. J. Hostings 6, 853. Edinburgh and N.Y. Google Scholar
SirFrazer, J. (1936), The Golden Bough, 3rd ed., 4, Part III, 166–195. London. Google Scholar
Freud, S. (1909), Die Traumdeutung, 2nd ed., 185. Leipzig and Vienna. Google Scholar
Freud, S. (1924), Internat. J. Psycho-Anal., 5, 419. Google Scholar
Freud, S. (1936), Introductory Lectures on Psycho-Anal., trans. Riviere, 2nd ed., 175. London. Google Scholar
Gadd, C. J. (1946), Pottery Gazette and Glass Trade Review, 71, 810. Google Scholar
Gait, E. A. (1913), Encyc. of Religion and Ethics, ed. J. Hastings, 6, 849. Edinburgh and N.Y. Google Scholar
Grote, G. (1903), A History of Greece, 1, 119, footnote. London. Google Scholar
Kobbe, G. (1933), The Complete Opera Book. London and N.Y. Google Scholar
Macalister, R. A. S. (1912), The Excavation of Gezer, 2, 403. London. Google Scholar
Macalister, R. A. S. (1913), Encyc. of Religion and Ethics, ed. J. Hastings, 6, 862. Edinburgh and N.Y. Google Scholar
Miller, N. (1928), The Child in Primitive Society, 35–40. London. Google Scholar
Mogk, E. (1913) Encyc. of Religion and Ethics, ed. J. Hastings, 6, 865. Edinburgh and N.Y. Google Scholar
Mommsen, T. (1901), The History of Rome, new ed., 1, 222. London. Google Scholar
Money-Kyrle, R. (1939), Superstition and Society. London.Google Scholar
Porteus, S. D. (1931), Psychology of a Primitive People, 275, 283. London. Google Scholar
Prescott, W. H. (1888 1), History of the Conquest of Mexico, new and revised ed, 38, 238. London. Google Scholar
Prescott, W. H. (1888 2), History of the Conquest of Peru, new and revised ed., 50. London. Google Scholar
Wickwar, J. W. (1925) Witchcraft and the Black Art, 27. London. Google Scholar
Wittels, F. (1933), Psycho-Analysis To-day, ed. Lorand, 338. London. Google Scholar
Wünsch, R. (1913), Encyc. of Religion and Ethics, ed. J. Hastings, 6, 858. Edinburgh and N.Y. Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.