Ned Kelly as Oedipal Personality in Peter Carey's True History of the Kelly Gang

Abstract

The present study deals with the mother-son relationship and the emotions involved in this complex love-bond depicted in the life of the protagonist Ned Kelly in Peter Carey’s True History of the Kelly Gang.Oedipus complex is the dominant theme of the Peter Carey’s novel.The complex centers on relation between Ned Kelly and his mother. His relationship will be studied in the light of psychoanalytical theory.Throughout his life, he was very close with his mother.He was deeply in love with his mother and almost all of the troubles he went through were rooted in that love.He showed hostility towards his father as well as her lovers.Moreover, he tried to find a woman who is similar to his mother in many respects. After the death of his father, he took the role of him.That’s why, we see True History of the Kelly Gangas a novel having Oedipal theme. This research is aimed at finding out Oedipus complex symptoms in the main character,Ned Kelly.It is a character analysis that employs Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis theory of Oedipus complex symptoms. It shows how oedipal symptoms appear in Ned Kelly.