The Oedipus and ‘The Exorcist’
How the classic horror movie is a commentary on divorce
Although some regard The Exorcist as one of the scariest horror movies of all time, it can also be seen as a metaphor for the effects of divorce on young children — effects that can be far scarier to a child’s psyche than the special effects and horrific images seen in the film.
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Regan’s possession can be seen as the ultimate form of teenage rebellion….
Though the Freudian influence in the film may not be obvious, Allison M. Kelly, author of “A Girl’s Best Friend Is Her Mother: The Exorcist as a Post-Modern Oedipal Tale” in the Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, argues that the possessed girl in The Exorcist is dealing with an Oedipal complex of sorts — but with a twist. Instead of vying for the affections of her father and competing with her mother, since Regan is being raised by a single mother, she must compete for her mother’s attention — which can be easily stolen away by the single men in the film. And when possessed, who are the victims of Regan’s wrath? Burke Dennings (who Regan assumes is romantically involved with her mother), and the two Catholic priests enlisted to save her. Once the competitors for her mother’s love have been eliminated, Regan’s possession — which can be seen as the ultimate form of teenage rebellion — ends and she has her mother’s undivided attention.
And what’s possession got to do with it?
Kelly argues that the demon in The Exorcist*, Pazuzu, is partially an evil force and partially a representation of the resentment that Regan has toward her absentee father — who is so disengaged from his daughter’s life that he can’t even be bothered to call the child on her birthday. The demon, which Regan initially refers to as “Captain Howdy” — a play on her father’s name, Howard — uses Regan’s repressed daddy issues to strike against the men in the film.
Kelly also emphasizes the other parent–child relationship in The Exorcist — the relationship between Father Karras and his mother. Like many adult children who must admit their parents into nursing homes, Karras is riddled with guilt for not being able to care for his ailing mother. Regan is not aware of this when Karras comes to help her, but Pazuzu is — and uses this fact against him to weaken the priest’s resolve as they battle for the young girl’s soul.
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Source:
Kelly, A. (2004). A Girl’s Best Friend Is Her Mother: The Exorcist as a Post-Modern Oedipal Tale. Journal of Evolutionary Psychology. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA114049421&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=fulltext&issn=07374828&p=HRCA&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E13211863
