The Oedipus Complex, as outlined by Sigmund Freud, involves a young child’s unconscious

attraction to the parent of the opposite sex and a sense of rivalry with the parent of the same sex.

This complex plays out in various ways within James’s interactions and emotions. In To the

Lighthouse, Woolf portrays James’s psychological development with subtlety and depth,

allowing readers to perceive the nuances of his Oedipal feelings. Through his relationships with

his parents, especially his mother, and his internal struggles, James becomes a vessel through

which the Oedipal Complex is explored. James’s journey from childhood to adolescence also

mirrors aspects of the Oedipal Complex. As he matures, his desires and emotions transform,

echoing Freud’s idea of the complex evolving over time. The complex doesn’t disappear but

evolves into different forms of attachment and identification. The Oedipus Complex

encompasses both affectionate and aggressive feelings. James’s intense emotions, such as his

fantasy of violence toward his father, reflect the complex blend of love and rivalry inherent in

the Oedipal stage. His fleeting desire to harm his father stems from a mixture of anger and a

longing to replace him. Woolf skillfully weaves together these intricate emotional threads,

providing readers with a rich and multifaceted portrayal of a child’s psychological journey as

influenced by Freud’s theory of the Oedipus Complex.

In the intricate tapestry of symbolism that Virginia Woolf weaves in To the Lighthouse, the

Window emerges as a potent representation of yearning, freedom, and unfulfilled wishes. This

symbolic element, while seemingly subtle, carries profound psychoanalytic undertones that echo

the dynamics of desire and the unconscious mind. In the initial segment of the novel, aptly titled

“The Window,” the characters’ desires take center stage, reflecting their longing to achieve what

is currently beyond their grasp. It’s important to recognize that desires arise precisely because

they remain unattained. James Ramsay’s fervent wish to reach the Lighthouse, Mrs. Ramsay’s
desperate attempts to orchestrate a marriage arrangement, Mr. Ramsay’s yearning to hear his

wife express love, and Lily’s ardent aspiration to establish herself as a painter, all these desires

emanate from a realm of lack, from the absence of the desired outcomes. This motif is

fundamentally rooted in Freudian theory, where the id, the impulsive and unconscious part of the

psyche, seeks to satisfy its instinctual drives. “Time Passes,” the subsequent section, may appear

devoid of symbolic associations, but upon closer inspection, it reveals the workings of the

conscious mind the ego in the realm of everyday life. This phase contrasts with the previous part,

which was imbued with the id’s unfathomable thoughts and mysteries of the unconscious. “Time

Passes” represents the tangible, the active, and the inevitable progression of existence. The

lighthouse, a central and recurring symbol, undergoes a transformative journey throughout the

novel, echoing the evolution of the characters’ desires and psychological states. In the early

stages, the lighthouse stands as a beacon of hope, piercing through the darkness, which

symbolically embodies ignorance and the impending war. This interpretation draws parallels to

religious allusions, where light signifies deliverance and revelation, reflecting the unconscious

layers of thought and belief within Woolf’s mind.

The lighthouse's symbolism further shifts as the narrative progresses. In the third part, aptly

titled “The Lighthouse,” it evolves into a wish-fulfilled object, an emblem of desire realized.

This transformation mirrors James Ramsay’s personal growth, from a young boy longing to visit

the lighthouse to a young man who finally reaches his desired destination.

“James looked at the Lighthouse. He could see the white-washed rocks; the tower, stark

and straight; he could see that it was barred with black and white; he could see windows

in it; he could even see washing spread on the rocks to dry. So that was the Lighthouse,
 was it? No, the other was also the Lighthouse. For nothing was simply one thing. The

other Lighthouse was true too. (Woolf)

The lighthouse thus encapsulates both the journey and the destination, and its shifting symbolism

mirrors the fluidity of the characters’ psychological states. The psychoanalytic lens highlights a

compelling interpretation of James Ramsay’s connection to the lighthouse. Freud’s assertion that

symbols in dreams often carry sexual connotations (Freud 153), particularly the phallus, finds

resonance here. James’s ardent desire to reach the lighthouse can be seen as an unconscious

assertion of his burgeoning masculinity, a symbolic identification with the phallus. This

interpretation aligns with Freud’s theory that pre-puberty boys associate long and pointed objects

with the phallus. James’s emotional reaction to his father’s interference regarding the lighthouse

excursion resonates with Freud’s concept of the Oedipus Complex. His resentment towards Mr.

Ramsay can be understood through the lens of the complex, where a young boy harbors feelings

of rivalry and bitterness towards his father, the perceived rival for his mother’s affection. This

dynamic encapsulates the intricate interplay of the id, the ego, and the super-ego, the conscious

and unconscious forces that shape human behavior and emotion. Freud’s Phallic Stage further

illuminates James’s feelings of bitterness towards his father. According to this theory, boys

develop affectionate feelings for their mothers and resentment towards their fathers, viewing the

latter as a competitor for maternal attention. James’s longing for his mother’s comfort and his

feelings of bitterness towards his father align with this developmental stage, highlighting the

intricate psychoanalytic threads interwoven within Woolf’s narrative. Ultimately, Woolf’s

masterful utilization of symbolism, coupled with Freudian psychoanalytic theory, enriches the

layers of interpretation within To the Lighthouse. The Window, the lighthouse, and the
characters’ desires form a tapestry through which the complexities of the human psyche, desire,

rivalry, and the interplay of conscious and unconscious forces are artfully explored.

Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse all exhibit shades of this complex interplay between

unconscious sexual desires and familial dynamics. In this novel, the language used to depict the

relationship between James and his mother, Mrs. Ramsay, raises intriguing questions that echo

Freud's Oedipal framework. The reader can inadvertently perceive a subtle tension that hints at a

deeper emotional undercurrent, potentially masking James's unconscious desires. While the

novel's opening chapters seem to lay the foundation for an exploration of the Oedipal complex,

the subsequent narrative diverges, only to resurface in the later part of the novel, specifically in

The Lighthouse. The term "Oedipus complex," derived from the Greek myth of Oedipus Rex,

aligns with Freud's theory, which posits that young children develop an unconscious sexual

attraction to the parent of the opposite sex while harboring feelings of rivalry towards the same-

sex parent. In To the Lighthouse, this undercurrent is perceptible in the relationship between

James and Mrs. Ramsay. James, the youngest Ramsay child, yearns for his mother's affection

and attention, forming the basis of the Oedipal dynamic. He represents Freud's assertion that

children gravitate toward their opposite-sex parent as the focal point of their earliest emotional

attachments. It is through the lighthouse, an enduring symbol of stability, that James's unfulfilled

Oedipal desires are subtly woven into the narrative. The lighthouse serves as a poignant reminder

of his unattained aspirations, mirroring Oedipus's own tragic fate. The frustration stemming from

this unfulfilled longing manifests in James's turbulent emotions and, as Freud describes his

ambivalence towards his father. The abrupt interruption by Mr. Ramsay shatters James's hopes,

triggering a surge of anger and aggression. This outburst, rooted in the Oedipal rivalry, mirrors

Freud's notion of the child's conflicting emotions toward the same-sex parent. Woolf masterfully
navigates the Oedipal theme, intertwining it with broader explorations of human consciousness

and relationships. The interplay between James, Mrs. Ramsay, and Mr. Ramsay encapsulates the

intricate dance of love, desire, and conflict that characterize the Oedipal dynamic. The novel's

narrative structure, marked by recollection and revision, echoes Freud's concept of recollection

as a means of understanding and reinterpreting the Oedipal experience. Ultimately, while To the

Lighthouse doesn't overtly focus on the Oedipus complex, its subtle nuances and thematic

undertones serve as a testament to Woolf's skill in interweaving psychological depth with the

tapestry of human emotions, creating a nuanced portrayal of familial relationships and the

complexities of desire and attachment.