In psychoanalysis the Oedipus Complex is defined as a subconscious sexual desire in a child – especially a male child – for the parent of the opposite sex , usually accompanied by hostility to the parent of the same sex. Sigmund Freud expounds on this theory in his essay Interpretations of Dreams (1900). This theory has not gained universal praise during nor after Freud's lifetime. The text First Love provides substantial reason for why this postulate may not have universal appeal. A contemporary of Freud, namely Carl Gustav Jung, proposed another view of psychoanalysis, one that argues for the collective unconscious, viz., other figures in associated with an individual may actually reflect the various facets of that individual’s entire psyche. With the aid of both Freud's and Jungs ideas, one may be fully able to fathom the mind of the main character in Ivan Turgenev’s True Love, Vladimir Petrovich.

One of Ivan Turgenev's most powerful love stories, First Love tells the tale of a young man learning the mysteries of adult love. As Vladimir Petrovich, the story's protagonist, first meets his neighbors, Zysyekin and Zinaida, he instantly and overwhelmingly falls in love with Zinaida, the daughter of Princess Zasyekin and he fervently seeks her affection in return. However, he is not the only one enchanted by her beauty and charm. Vladimir must compete for Zinaida's unilateral attention with several suitors, all of whom are unique in their own way. One suitor, whom Vladimir never expects, is his own father. This twist, with which Turgenev surprises his readers, brings to mind Freud's idea of the Oedipus Complex. As readers we expect Vladimir to show hostility towards his father, according to Freud's idea. However, we observe the contrary. Surprisingly, Vladimir grows fonder of his father after discovering his affair with Zinaida. In light of Freud's theory Vladimir should only show hostility if his love interest is his own mother. A closer look at Zinaida's portrayal and Vladimir's opinion of his own mother suggests that Zinaida is undoubtedly perceived by Vladimir as a mother figure. Throughout the story Zinaida ostensibly assumes the role of a matriarchal figure and behaves so to all her suitors including Vladimir. A dialogue such as the following provides the reader with an idea of the type of relationship that actually exists between the two:

"I have been cold to you, I know," began Zinaida, "but you should not have taken any notice of it. I couldn't help it...but then, why talk about it?" "Why what am I to do?" "Let us be friends - that's what." Zinaida gave me the rose to smell. "Listen, I am, after all, much older thank you, I really might be your aunt - oh, well, perhaps not aunt, but elder sister. And you..." "I am a child to you." I interrupted. "Well, yes, a child, but a sweet, good, clever child, whom I love very much..."

Vladimir then willingly accepts the subordinate role as her page and accordingly follows behind her as a son follows behind his mother. What's more, Vladimir describes his relation to his birth mother in the following way:

"My mother never noticed me, although she had no other children; she was absorbed by other cares...She led a gloomy life, was in a constant state of irritation and always anxious and jealous -- though never in my father's presence."

These are the words Vladimir uses to describe his mom initially. As the story unfolds these words are then sketched out into images at different scenes of the story as Vladimir details what his mother's behavior under certain circumstances and his feelings toward her behavior, ultimately leading the reader to conclude that Vladimir rarely portrays his mother in a positive light. She is unattractive to him, therefore he will not be hostile towards his father. However, once he discovers that Zinaida is in love, he plots to kill her lover, as detailed in the following passage.

"...I returned to my room, took out of the writing table an English penknife I had recently purchased, felt the sharp edge, and with a frown of cold and concentrated resolution, thrust it into my pocket as if this kind of thing was nothing new or strange to me. My heart rose angrily within me and turned to stone. All day I wore a stern scowl, and from time to time, with my lips tightly pressed, I would walk up and down, my hand in my pocket clutching the knife grown warm in my grasp, preparing myself long in advance for something terrible. These new sensations proved so absorbing and even exhilarating, that I scarcely thought about Zinaida herself... ...I had already selected the exact spot for my vigil: at the end of the garden, at the point where the fence which separated our possessions from the Zasyekins' ran into the common wall, grew a solitary pine tree..."

This ploy to kill her lover fits well with Freud's theory, a "son" showing hostility toward his father or lover of his "mother". In fact, it turns out that Zinaida's lover is Vladimir's biological father. But, rather than going ahead and killing his father, he does the direct opposite, he becomes fonder of him, as detailed in this passage as Vladimir awaits Zinaida and her lover in the garden:

"I stooped and crouched forward to meet them - a man appeared - O God, it was my father! ...I was so terribly startled by my father's unexpected appearance that in the first instant I did not even notice where he had come from and where he had vanished. It took me a moment to get up and to ask myself, "why should my father be wandering about at night in the garden," when all grew silent round me again. In my terror I dropped the knife in the grass - but did not even look for it: I felt dreadfully ashamed....

Vladimir then goes later on in his life to explain:

"It was a long time before I could shake off the past; long before I could begin to work again. My wound healed slowly, but towards my father I actually bore no ill feeling. On the contrary, he somehow seemed even to have grown in my eyes..."

While Freud's theory is able to explain Vladimir's attempt to kill the suitor of Zinaida, and why he might not kill his father, it doesn't explain why Vladimir grows fonder of his father. To understand why, I turn to the ideas of analytical psychology as articulated by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung. According to Jung, understanding an individual's mind may require an understanding of the individual's collective unconscious. For Jung, the collective unconscious can be gathered by observing the roles and psychological representations of the various characters in relation to the protagonist in the story. A closer look at the role and possible psychological representation of Vladimir's father may elucidate why Vladimir grows fonder of his father. Let's first look at how Vladimir describes himself as he begins to tell his story to his friends:

"I shall never forget the first weeks I spent in the country. The weather was magnificent - we left Moscow on the ninth of May, St. Nicholas' Day. I used to go for walks in our garden or in the Neskootchny Park, or sometimes beyond the Toll-gate; I would take a book with me ... My blood was in a ferment within me, my heart was full of longing, sweetly and foolishly; I was all expectancy and wonder; I was tremulous and waiting..."

This passage indicates Vladimir's unconscious longing for knowledge, to understand the things he wondered about, and an end of his waiting. It should come as no surprise that his father fulfillment of these are manifest in his father, as he has conquered the seemingly unconquerable, namely the love of Zanaida. Just as any individual feels relieved and delighted after a knowledge gap has been filled, a wonderment is understood, and an end to waiting has come, so too does Vladimir feel relieved and delighted when his father, who represents his unconscious want of knowledge, and long waiting on Zinaida, finally conquers Zinaida's love. He sees this as a side of himself that grows, and he grows fonder of it, thus growing fonder of his father.

-O. James

© Orin James 2008