What does Freud's concept of the Oedipus complex explain?

Freud's concept of the Oedipus complex is centered around a child's emotional and sexual development, particularly during the phallic stage of their psychosexual development, which typically occurs between the ages of three and six. In this context, option C accurately describes the essence of the Oedipus complex: it explains the child's unconscious desire for the opposite-gender parent, along with feelings of rivalry and fear toward the same-gender parent.

Freud posited that during this stage, a boy develops a sexual attraction to his mother and views his father as a competitor for her affection. This leads to feelings of jealousy and envy towards the father, as well as anxiety about the potential threat he might pose. Thus, the complex encapsulates both the desire for the opposite-gender parent and the fear or rivalry with the same-gender parent, which Freud suggested is a critical aspect of developing a child’s identity and the eventual resolution of these feelings is necessary for healthy psychological development.

Other options, while they reflect various aspects of development and relationships, do not directly relate to the primary tenets of the Oedipus complex as defined by Freud. They miss the focus on the sexual attraction component and the dynamics of rivalry and fear that characterize this