Sigmund Freud - 3 Essays on the Theory of Sexuality (1905) - 2. Infantil Sexuality

In the second essay of Sigmund Freud's *Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality* (1905), titled *Infantile Sexuality*, Freud introduces a groundbreaking concept that challenges traditional views of childhood and human development. He argues that sexuality is present from birth and plays a crucial role in shaping the psyche throughout a person’s life. Freud’s theory of infantile sexuality posits that sexual drives and desires are not exclusive to adults but begin to manifest in infancy, evolving over time through various stages of development.

Prior to Freud, the prevailing belief was that children were inherently asexual, and sexual development began at puberty. Freud revolutionized this perspective by suggesting that the roots of adult sexual behavior lie in early childhood experiences. He proposed that from infancy, humans experience pleasure from different parts of the body, referred to as "erotogenic zones," and that these early experiences of pleasure are the foundation for later sexual behavior.

Freud describes a series of developmental stages, each characterized by a focus on different erotogenic zones. The first stage is the oral stage, where an infant derives pleasure primarily through the mouth, such as during breastfeeding or sucking. This is followed by the anal stage, where the child gains pleasure from controlling bowel movements. Lastly, the phallic stage involves the child becoming aware of their genitals as a source of pleasure.

One of Freud's most controversial and widely discussed ideas is introduced in the context of the phallic stage: the Oedipus complex. According to Freud, around the age of three to five, children begin to develop unconscious sexual feelings for the opposite-sex parent while feeling rivalry and hostility toward the same-sex parent. For boys, this manifests as the Oedipus complex, where they desire their mother and view their father as a rival. Freud also outlines the parallel Electra complex in girls, where the daughter becomes fixated on the father. The resolution of this complex, Freud argues, is crucial for healthy psychosexual development and forms the basis of adult identity and relationships.

Another key element of *Infantile Sexuality* is Freud’s concept of polymorphous perversity. He suggests that in early childhood, children are capable of deriving pleasure from a wide range of activities and body parts, and it is only through socialization that they come to focus on genital sexuality. This flexibility in sources of pleasure during childhood contrasts with the more narrowly defined sexual behavior seen in adults, where sexuality is typically centered on reproductive organs and socially accepted norms.

Freud also addresses how repression plays a critical role in shaping sexuality. He argues that society imposes restrictions on sexual behavior from an early age, leading to the repression of many childhood desires and instincts. This repression, however, does not eliminate these desires but pushes them into the unconscious, where they continue to influence behavior in subtle ways throughout life. The unresolved desires from early stages of development can manifest in adulthood through neuroses, fixations, or various forms of sexual behavior that Freud categorized as “perversions.”

*Infantile Sexuality* was a revolutionary concept in Freud's time and remains a significant contribution to developmental psychology and psychoanalysis. By challenging the notion that children are sexually innocent and introducing the idea that early experiences shape adult sexual behavior and personality, Freud laid the groundwork for the field of psychosexual development. Although controversial, this essay pushed the boundaries of how sexuality is understood and opened up new discussions on the complexity of human desire, identity, and unconscious motivations.

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