Currently, there are several positions on why Freud abandoned the seduction theory. As a means to better understand Freud's rationale, this article analyzes the reasons Freud gave in print and in private letters. The conclusion drawn is that there is only minor support for the traditional view that his belief in the Oedipus complex led Freud to abandon the seduction theory. This analysis suggests that many of the reasons Freud gave for rejecting seduction theory, both in public and in private, were not strongly held convictions.