mother complex, n.Definitions

The Mother complex (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a secret conspiracy in which mother and son help each other betray life.

A Mother complex (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠supports a daughter for years becomes a heavy yoke the moment her libido turns toward a man.

A Mother complex (n.) has ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a bright side: a finely differentiated Eros, a gift for friendship of astonishing tenderness, taste, tact, a feeling for history, and receptivity to revelation.

A Mother complex (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠take the form of pure resistance — "Anything, so long as it is not like Mother!" — which knows exactly what it doesn't want and nothing of what it would choose; a diabolical fate may yet hand it a husband just like her.

A Mother complex (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not cured by cutting the mother down to human size — that risks smashing “Mother” into atoms and tossing away the golden key a good fairy left in our cradle.