The suggestion is made that the terms 'Medea Complex' and 'Atreus Complex' be admitted to psychological literature as names which would indicate those feelings of hostility which mothers and fathers respectively might have

toward their children. Interesting clinical, anthropological, and literary evidence is brought to bear demonstrating that such hostilities exist. However, justification for the adoption of such terminology is lacking. Besides, it might prove extremely misleading, since the story of Medea covers a very specific reaction motivated by revenge in a woman with a particular Oedipal constellation, while Stern proposes the terms for a great number of different solutions of the Oedipus constellation in which hostility and death wishes towards one's children are only one manifestation, not necessarily the most important. It also has the effect of naming complexes within complexes which might provide intellectual games but no clarification.