Charchay Oedipus by Pradip Basu [Hardcover]

When discussing the crisis of civilization, theoretical thinkers from various eras often revisit the myth of King Oedipus and the play 'Oedipus Rex' by the Greek playwright Sophocles, which is based on that myth. Among these theorists, Sigmund Freud and Michel Foucault are prominent.

Influenced by Freud's theories, for a long time it was believed that the myth of King Oedipus was actually a story of forbidden desire and its repression in the human unconscious, reflecting the inherent crisis of human civilization. Michel Foucault dismantled this notion. He argued that while civilization indeed has an Oedipus complex, it is not the tension between desire and the unconscious. Rather, it is an oppressive entanglement of knowledge and political power. This is hinted at in the alternative title of Sophocles' play: Oedipus Tyrannos.

Through a meticulous analysis of the ancient Greek play and its allegory, Foucault shows that at the root of Oedipus's tragedy is not the repression of unconscious desire but the excess of power acquired through knowledge. This book reviews the theoretical journey of the Oedipus complex, which plays out at the root of the crisis of civilization, from Sigmund Freud to Michel Foucault.