10 Complexes named after Historical, Mythological, and Fictional Characters

1. Oedipus Complex. This complex is named after the mythical king of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father, Lauis, and married his mother, Jocasta, bringing disaster to his city and family. In the Freudian concepts, this complex explains a male child’s subconscious desire to have the complete and exclusive attention of the mother, and extreme resentment towards the father, who is considered the rival. In female children, this phenomenon is called the “Elektra Complex”.
2. Madonna Complex. This complex is named after a Madonna or a mother figure. In Freudian psychology, this complex is developed in male children who are raised by cold and distant mothers. In response to this, when they grow up, they tend to court women possessing the same qualities as their mothers, hoping to fulfill a need for intimacy unmet in childhood. For this reason, the husband continues to see his wife as his mother and thus, he cannot see her as an object of sexual attraction.
3. Lear Complex. Named after the main character in one of William Shakespeare’s popular tragedies, this complex describes the father’s libidinous fixation on his daughter. In the tragedy, King Lear descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The same complex as experienced by mothers is called the “Jocasta Complex.”
4. Cassandra Complex. The name of this behavioral phenomenon is derived from a mythical prophetess from Troy whose prophecies of doom are believed by no one—a curse given by Apollo when she did not return his love. It describes people’s tendency, often due to denial, to disbelieve predictions of imminent doom or a crisis that would ultimately come true.
5. Napoleon Complex. Named after one of the world’s most intelligent militarists in history, this is an alleged type of inferiority complex often appearing in men who are short in stature. In order to compensate for their perceived defect, sufferers of this complex often attempts to excel so as to gain greater sense of worth.
6. Cain Complex. This psychological phenomenon is a destructive sibling rivalry, in which one of the siblings resents the other for perceived favouritism from a parental figure. This is named after the Biblical character Cain who murdered his brother Abel when God rejected his sacrifice and accepted that of Abel’s.
7. Polycrates Complex. In psychology, this complex is used to describe the desire to be punished. This complex is named after the tyrant Polycrates who, instead of heeding his daughter’s prophecy of his impending death, went to visit a treacherous would-be benefactor and was murdered.
8. Wendy Complex. Named after a character in J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. It is the phenomenon wherein wives/girlfriends tend to act to their partners as surrogate mothers. This is because their partners continue to act like children. This is also called the “Wendy Dilemma.”
9. Cinderella Complex - named after Perrault’s character that is popularized by Disney, this complex describes women’s fear of independence and an unconscious desire to be taken care of, usually by a stronger or masculine figure. It is said to be an aspect of a larger phenomenon as to why women choose to stay in dysfunctional relationships.
10. Superman Complex - This is named after the popular comic book superhero. Superman complex is an unhealthy sense of responsibility, or the belief that everyone else lacks the capacity to successfully perform one or more tasks. Such a person may feel a constant need to “save” others.

see 10 Syndromes named after literary works/characters