Das Inzest-Motiv in Dichtung and Sage

Otto Rank's work, Das Inzest-Motiv in Dichtung und Sage (1912), explored the theme of incest in literature and mythology. Rank, a psychologist and student of Sigmund Freud, sought to demonstrate how the Oedipus complex provided a foundation for many poetic and mythical narratives.1

Incest, defined as sexual relations between individuals prohibited by law or custom due to their kinship, is a concept with varying cultural interpretations. While universally taboo, the specific relationships proscribed can differ significantly across societies. Claude Lévi-Strauss theorized that the incest taboo, alongside the principle of reciprocity, was crucial in humanity's transition from "nature" to "culture" by necessitating the exchange of women between groups. Rank's application of psychoanalytic principles to these themes aimed to explain the prevalence of incest motifs in storytelling.231