Ken,
 
I have one further suggestion:  there is an interesting summary of the
Oedipus Complex to be found in Frank Krutnik's book, In a Lonely Street:
Film Noir, Genre, Masculinity.  Chapter 6 ("Masculinity and its
Discontents") not only does a good job describing the threat of castration,
but, more importantly, does a great job discussing the cultural importance
of this in terms of masculine power, male fantasies of transgression, and
under-and over-valuation of women.  You might take a look -- Krutnik very
clearly argues the ideological "surplus" of the Oedipus Complex.
 
Bethany Ogdon
Hampshire College
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