Presented by Jean Goodwin, MD

Electra, like Oedipus, is a character from Greek mythology. The founders of psychoanalysis used their names to denote a psychosocial developmental phase. However, Electra’s story, like the biography of Oedipus, teaches us more about murderous violence than about internal conflict. Electra can also teach us something about recovery; she and her extremely abused siblings repaired some of their losses and were able to spare the next generation from ongoing transgenerational violence. This discussion reviews the stories told about Electra in the theaters of ancient Athens in search of ideas out how our current patients can contain and process childhood danger and damage.