Attila Jozsef's Oedipus Complex
Revealed Through His Escapes From Reality
Attila Jozsef's Oedipus Complex Revealed Through His Escapes From Reality
Escaping reality is needed to write freely and creatively. Jozsef constantly
escapes reality and writes beautiful poems. In his escapes, he acts like a
father figure. He writes about how he misses his mother's love and yearns for
his mother sexually. He gets upset and even mad because she isn't there for him.
From his escapes we can psychologically determine that Jozsef has an Oedipus
complex. A factor of the Oedipus complex is for the boy to be to his mother as
his father is. Jozsef reveals this in his poems by trying to be the man of the
house. Bringing home food is an example of what the man of the house does. Bring
you potatoes, chicken, and a sack of millet (Jozsef 33). This was one of the
things Jozsef does to imitate his father. From the first lines in the poem
called Eulogy, he shows his yearning for his mother's affection and presence. I
burn with a fever of ninety-eight point six degrees and mother you wont even
nurse me (33). Jozsef's mother desserts him so early that he never has a chance
to out grow the childish need for a mother. He flashes back at the way she
treated him. You warmed my soup, blew it, and stirred it. And said eat and grow
tall, my love (33). Like a child he wishes for her to be there to comfort and
make him feel safe. The main idea of the Oedipus complex is that the boy wants
his mother in a sexual way. Jozsef daydreams of her like a boy with a crush. I
try to piece you together, from autumn scenes and a lot of women (33) Jozsef
pictures her as his fantasy woman. I wear a pressed suit in my heart when I
speak to you (62). He imagines dressing up to impress her. I mustn't think of
your before my work is done, your dancing.(62) He can't get his mind of her and
visions her dancing. All of these are ways of showing how much you love and miss
your new girlfriend, but not your mother. Jozsef writes, You took it form me,
and gave yourself and your breasts to the worms…
I should have eaten you(33), He lusts for her sexually. He reveals the
accepting of his mother's death, and not being able to fulfill his desires. Now
you lips taste only the dampness(33) He wants her lips to taste his. It can't
be, so like all jealous lovers he gets angry. His anger is because of her death.
She broke his heart, never allowing his fantasies to be fulfilled. You used to
comfort me and scold me, but I see know that your words were all lies… Your lips
taste only the dampness- you lied to me on purpose(33). He gets disillusional by
thinking he can still call her back and she will hear him. It's been five weeks,
I don't know where you are.(62) I fell like cursing you, mamma, I cant hear you,
yell at me… You're terrible! You strive not to be, you ruin everything you
shadow.(34) His anger and Jealous rages are an insight to his love for her. In
his escapes from reality Jozsef strives to take his fathers place. Revealing the
intense feelings he has for his mother's love and his sexual desire for her. He
goes through all the stages that a person goes through when something tragic
happens: Denial, anger, and finally acceptance. Jozsef's poems are intense
because he has so much feeling behind them. His poems to reveal the reality of
his desires, which is why we can presume his complex.
Bibliography
About atilla jozsef's inner thoughts
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