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March 15, 1977. THE CASTRATION COMPLEX IN WOMEN. Charles Brenner, M.D.
In the psychosexual development of girls, the observation of anatomical differences between the sexes causes a profound response, involving wishes, fears, guilt, etc. This conglomerate reaction defines the castration complex in women. Dr. Brenner attempted to correlate this observation with Freud's original insights into feminine development—chiefly, the girl's shift of libidinal attachment, her fear of loss of love rather than castration anxiety, her more gradual relinquishing of oedipal ties, and the development of a relatively less independent superego. To further the understanding of the female castration complex, Dr. Brenner began by reconsidering the interplay between anxiety, defense, and conflict. With various amplifications, Freud's theory still stands—namely,