Startled: Another Version of the Oedipus Story

Story Oedipus the King is complicated enough without throwing homosexuality into the mix of patricide and incest. Indeed, this tragedy reveals the flaw in human nature and the helplessness when someone has to face his destiny, but perhaps this myth has a more profound significance in human history from the sexual orientation perspective. While most of the other ancient literature talk about the initiation of homosexual orientation, King Laius of Thebes has been viewed as the originator of homosexuality by many people.

I have found another story version of Oedipus’s birth: when the Theban power was taken away by its enemy, Laius had to escape to the court of Pelop’s in Pisa to seek for refuge. Pelop and many of his sons took care of Laius, and this is when Laius fell in love with Pelop’s favorite, the youngest, and the most beautiful son, Chrysippus. He was so incorrigibly in love with Chrysippus that driven by Eros, he abducted this youth and raped him. Chrysippus killed himself because he couldn't bear living with the shame. Pelop was extremely furious and grieved about losing his favorite son, hence he set a curse for Laius to be killed by his own son. Laius became the King when he returned to Thebe and married Jocasta. To evade fulfilling the oracle, he avoided copulation with his wife. One night, Laius was drunk and accidentally had sexual intercourse with Jocasta, which led to Oedipus’s birth. And we all know the rest of the story.

In this version of the story, Jocasta’s pregnancy wasn't a product of a romantic relationship. Laius obviously didn't care about his wife or his son. In fact, this version of the story reflected the taboo in homosexual relationships, as well as men’s misogyny (hate toward women) from living in a system built by males. To me, this version is more tragic and maybe it explains Oedipus’s love and hatred for his parents better.




From this site you can find the connection between modern psychology and ancient mythology. It also concludes Freud's theory of  the Oedipus Complex.

http://www.glbtq.com/literature/classical_myth.html