Reactivation of Oedipal Complex in Adolescence and Self-Destruction: Based on a Movie “The Son”
10.18529/psychoanal.2026.37.2.11
- Author:
Hyun Ah JOO
1
;
Jee Hyun HA
Author Information
1. Deparment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:
Psychoanalysis
2026;37(2):11-19
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
This paper examines the reactivation of the Oedipus complex during adolescence and its link to self-destructive behaviorthrough a psychoanalytic analysis of the film “The Son (2022)”, directed by Florian Zeller. Adolescence is a developmental stage characterized by the resurfacing of early conflicts, especially in response to traumatic events like parental divorce. The protagonist, Nicolas, exhibits depression, school refusal, and multiple suicide attempts following his parents’ divorce and his father’s remarriage, which serve as traumatic triggers. From a psychodynamic perspective, the disruption of an idealized paternal figure leads to the reactivation of Oedipal conflicts marked by rivalry, aggression, and ambivalence toward the father. These conflicts intersect with the narcissistic vulnerability and immature ego functioning typical of adolescence. Nicolas resorts to omnipotent fantasies as a defense mechanism to cope with feelings of helplessness, loss, and internal struggle. Nonetheless, repeated narcissistic injuries and the lack of stabilizing object relations cause aggression to turn inward, resulting in self-destructive behavior.The film further illustrates the intergenerational transmission of narcissistic dynamics in the father-son relationship, emphasizing how unresolved paternal narcissism contributes to the adolescent’s fragile sense of self. This analysis highlights the necessi-ty of understanding adolescent suicidal behavior through a developmental psychoanalytic lens that incorporates unconscious fanta-sies, object relations, and family dynamics. Such an approach has important implications for the clinical assessment and therapeutic intervention of adolescents at risk for self-destructive behavior.
